Brewdog: Paradox: Heaven Hill (Scotland: Imperial Stout: 15% ABV)
Visual: Black. Large creamy brown head.
Nose: Raisins and figs. Chocolate. Vanilla. Toffee. Coffee touch. Stewed fruit. Treacle sponge.
Body: Slick chocolate liquore. Roasted nuts. Bitter chocolate. Raisins. Fudge and Toffee Pavlova. Creamy and milky. Condensed cream. Plums.
Finish: Bitter chocolate. Bitter coffee. Frothy creamy coffee after. Vanilla toffee. Big bitterness. Creamy chocolate. Rye dry notes.
Conclusion: I think I’m having a high quality Imperial Stout blasé burnout again, aren’t I? That really does have to be the epitome of first world problems. Whining that you have had so many awesome barrel aged, smooth as Tom Jones dance moves, imperial stouts that you can feel slightly let down when one doesn’t instantly stand out from the crowd of other quality competitors.
Life is pain.
So, you may have guessed, yet another great paradox imperial stout. Smooth as silk with a chocolate liquore like feel and taste. Yep. Frothy bourbon toffee and vanilla notes. Yep. Seriously, you must know the deal by now. And the deal is good. If Noel Edmonds’ banker asks you, then take the deal.
(A little side note – I was in the audience for Deal Or No Deal for two episodes. Noel Edmonds is friendlier than you would think. Also they provide you with free beer so you are drunk and laugh more during the show. The beer was rubbish)
So, yeah, what is new then? Well the main element is that you get more dark fruit. There is very obvious stewed fruit characteristics in the aroma, and while they are slow to reveal, similar in the main body. When you do get them though they are equally distinct.
More expected is the bourbon aged vanilla and toffee I have already mentioned, but yeah, for a bourbon aged beer that is almost expected by now. The thing is, for all I am being blasé, this is probably one of the best Paradoxes I’ve had. By far not the most complex, but everything works together so well. Dark fruit, chocolate, and smooth, they all complement each other.
So a wonderfully done Imperial Stout. Even as one of the best Paradoxes however it still barely touches the greats in its style. Then again – first world problems.
This is a wondrously rich Imperial Stout. Well worth it.
Background: Yet another Paradox oak aged beer, still at the higher 15% version. This one aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels – the first Bourbon aged Paradox…i think. There have been a hell of a lot of them by now so I may have missed one. As always I am not an unbiased actor on Brewdog beers. This was drunk while listening to some 4bitten, been a while since I broke their album out