Tokyo*, Tactical Nuclear Penguin and other strong beers

[Nick Brown]

BrewDog, the Scottish brewer that the establishment loves to hate, has struck again. After having previous promotions branded as irresponsible, they have now launched the UK's strongest beer. Ever.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/nor ... 170813.stm

[Jimmy321]

I was just reading this, the thing that stood out the most was Jack Laws comment...

"It is utterly irresponsible to bring out a beer which is so strong"
Jack Law
Alcohol Focus Scotland

I think he needs to think hard before opening his big mouth, seriously 330ml of craft beer at 18.2% which retails at £9.99 is hardly promoting binge drinking, if this was to be sold in a pub it would be nearer £15.00.

I don't think binge drinkers will be rushing out to spend this sort of money for 330ml of 18.2% beer they will stick to cheap pubs, J D Weatherspoons and super market promo's.

[Mark C]

Typical kneejerk reaction and another great bit of publicity for Brewdog.

[The Craw]

Yip, good on the bad-boy Brewdog boys - these days any publicity is good publicity, as they say. This kind of specialist beer has nothing whatsoever to do with binge drinking.

Personally, I don't like these imperial stouts, so I stick to their Punk IPA and Trashy Blonde, but what they are doing is very clever, so good luck to them.

[Tim F]

It's all about the publicity with Brewdog, though, isn't it? I'm getting a bit bored with their gimmicks.

I can't imagine that this will be drinkable beer, but it does get their photo in the papers again, so that's ok. I saw one of them on the Oz & James thing and the guy came across as having an incredibly high opinion of himself and a bit of a publicity whore

[Mark C]

I didn't think the Paradox Springbank I had at 10% would taste to good but I loved it. I'm definitely trying a bottle of this and glad to see someone trying something different, even if I also get a bit annoyed by the antics.

[Mark C]

Oh, forgot to mention that Oddbins have the Paradox ones on special at 4 for a tenner and the Punk IPA and Trashy Blonde on 4 for £4.

[The Craw]

I'm off to Oddbins then, nice one! I've often seen them at the same price of £1 at Tesco.

Tim, I know what you mean about their publicity stunts, they are becoming as annoying as the laddie gang, PR-wise and I have no doubt that recent BrewDog media coverage was another publicity stunt (perfectly timed in what has been a slow news week generally).

However, as long as they can retail a selection of products that offer value to me (unlike Laddie, except perhaps their Rocks which I find okay) I'll support them, but they can keep their £10 Tokyo* and the publicity that goes with it.

[Nick Brown]

Is anyone offering samples of Tokyo* ?

[The Craw]

According to the hootsmon It goes on sale tomorrow at a specialist off-licence near me (that I happen use often):
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Row-o ... 5508097.jp

Nick, if we can find another 3 young neds up Easter Road we could all chip in £2 for a 50ml sample

[Iain M]

Well for the people that know me im NOT a brewdog fan - If they produced CONSISTENT beers that were good, (often get a bad one before a good one with them). I had some , paradox has never worked for my taste buds , but the chaos theory on tap at the bow a few days ago was sublime...suprisingly for me to say that.

Anyway regarding Tokyo - They need to stop this prancing about with publicitiy and start making good, quality controlled beers .

I also been involved in and witnessed three different situations about there attitudes to some stockists -especially the ones who helped to promote them originally....now there famous these guys arent as important though.

[Nick Brown]

And another one - this time it's Tactical Nuclear Penguin at 32%:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/nor ... 380412.stm

Now, I might have defended Brew Dog in the past, but this is clearly irresponsible. The bottles have crown corks - hence they have to be consumed on the day of opening. Goodness knows how many units there are in a bottle of this, but it is going to be more than the recommended daily allowance several times over.

[Mr Tattie Heid]

"This beer is about pushing the boundaries...."

What are these guys, American?

Call me when you make one that's about drinking it.

[Nick Brown]

This bit made me smile:

However Jack Law, of Alcohol Focus Scotland, described it was a "cynical marketing ploy" and said: "We want to know why a brewer would produce a beer almost as strong as whisky."

[Iain M]

I was given a Tactical Nuclear Penguin for christmas ;

I am quite well known not to be a fan of brewdog, so my brother thought it would be funny to buy me a bottle for christmas (i do appreciate it of course) - however he has had several emails asking him to make sure the beer is kept in the fridge because some beers produced before the 27/11 - which my one isnt - have had their tops going....basically the penguin explodes if at room temperature - sadly i miss out on that excitement.

However when will i ever get to open the TNP? Never seems to be the right moment....God i don't like brewdog...

[Mark C]

I like Brewdog's standard range and their Paradox bottlings (although I like some better than others). I'm not keen on these gimmicky beers, though. I haven't tried them and probably won't.

[robjohnston]

TNP is 35 a bottle for that price i could get 40 odd cans at a supermarket promo.
They are just looking at the percentage and not the price tag attached.

But i can understand the issue, how can you drink a beer in spirit quantitys?
It will just go flat.....

[Nick Brown]

TNP is 35 a bottle for that price i could get 40 odd cans at a supermarket promo.
They are just looking at the percentage and not the price tag attached.

Brew dog are currently selling some shares
£230 a share....

It's certainly not a cost effective way of getting drunk. I don't think it's intended to be. It's aimed at people who want to say they've tried the strongest beer in the world and who will pay a hefty price for the privilege. My issue is that the bottle must have heaps of alcoholic units in and once it is opened, it will be consumed. Unless you're doing it in company with lots of people having small tastes, it can't be good for you.

[JamesC]

Had a bottle of Tokyo yesterday, I wasn't expecting it to be drinkable to be honest.. However what a nice surprise! This is actually a really nice beer, my friend helped me with the bottle and he agreed. I would buy again and tempted to now try penguin and sink the bismark

[Moggy]

don't waste your money on TNP or STB, they are both horrible. barely drinkable. nothing like the tokyo*.

[13th]

Agreed,

TNP is horendous. The problem is that they are freeze distilled which concentates not only the alcohol but everything else, like fusal oils and long straing alochols (that would be broken down in heated distilation) I would only recomend these to people who wont open them and want a funky shelf piece.

Has anyone seen "an end of history" the bottles are hilarious... and very expensive and sold out.

The next "gyle" (batch) of Orkney's Dark Island reserve is being bottled right now and i should have a case next week. Big bottles of Dark Island @10%ABV and matured in whisky casks. previous batches have been scapa and highland park casks. Previous batches have been superb. Every bottle is signed by Andrew Foulton, the head brewer, which is a nice touch.

[Nick Brown]

I was surprised to see Brewdog beers at my local independent off licence - including Tokyo*

[The Craw]

Brewdog have had strong support ie funding from both Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International with promotion and export:
http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article/127

Here's another interesting piece from an academoc on their strategy:
http://www.isbe.org.uk/EMBrewDog

I find it hypocritical that they receive public support for products which are so controversial in terms of their alcohol strength and at the same time do little for our country's image of being hard drinkers.

The following from their website, announcing that they have a new bar opened in Aberdeen, sums them up.....

At BrewDog we've got the dedication to be record breakers. World's strongest beer, world's smallest protest; you name it, if there's a record to be broken we're onto it faster than Roy Castle on a pogo stick.

[Iain M]

The Brewdog pub has now 'unofficially' opened in Edinburgh.

Right I can't wait until I get to ask them for decent beer, 'Have you got any Tennents' !

If Justin Beiber turns 18 and does a Britney Spears at the same time Brewdog fails as a company i might be overcome joy and buy a celebratory cairngorm beer

PS TNP is horrific and End of history is even worse, tasted a tiny bit of it at as a prize once, all I could think of was diesel + coffee and what a stupid looking squirrel! I can still honestly say I have never bought a brewdog, I'll leave it to the N.E.D's buying the 2% Tesco beer to support there business

P.P.S the 2% Tesco beer is probably far better than any of there higher alcohol fake beers.

[Mark C]

Their Glasgow pub is opening later this year. I will be sure to visit. I do like the majority of their standard beers so ner ner nerner ner to the lot of you.

Their marketing tactics clearly work as you all get so worked up about them.