Bartle's Big Busy Day

It's hard to tell whether or not to blame it on the turn of the year and more so the decade. However, I cannot remember the last time I was this motivated to make the most of every day. In the past 24 hours I have laid down drum tracks (two takes, thank you very much!) for a new band project, slept, woke up early, made breakfast, had coffee and dug deep into Pete Brown's book, Hops and Glory, called the parents back home as they are gearing up for a trip down south, went to the gym (HEY! Even little guys need to exercise sometimes), got groceries, made lunch, did laundry, cleaned, swept, mopped, bottled my baby (Bartle's Broken Hearted Ale: an IPA at 6.4%ABV and ~80+IBU), practiced rudiments, and now I'm here writing away.

How good is it to make resolutions and stick to them? Even if they don't last all that long, it feel good to be on top of things for the time being. Anyone else have a New Years resolution or goal they actually kept?

While the new year is still new and fresh I figured it was time to check out the Brew Dog's Punk IPA. "Beer for Punks" is a good slogan, though in my opinion it's beer for people. Everyday people. Even the everyday people that really love good beer. They put a "twist" on a classic style that indeed proved itself worthy on it's major voyage from Britain to India.

My review: From the bottle with best before date 11/10/10 it pours a pale golden straw with a snow white cap. Quite similar to a pineapple soda, but with head. The nose is full of pineapple, mangoes, kiwi fruit, clementines, some backing of grassy and mild pine notes.

This beer is boldly fronted with a lager like cider sweetness, caramel notes, biscuit and quickly followed by a very bitter backbone reminding me of hay barrels and pine. Though, remaining on the sweet side with every initial sip, the lingering bitterness is very pleasant. The mouthfeel shows carbonation to be a little high, it has a nice dry palate with a few residual sugars lingering around. It's pale, crisp, and clean. Very drinkable, and with the exception of the brilliant tropical punk-punch nose, it does resemble the style.

When tasting a beer that may not be complicated yet shows a lot of personality, it get's me excited about a brewery and the other beer they have on the line-up. Maybe one of these days I'll find myself close enough to latch on to a sip of Brew Dog's Tactical Nuclear Penguin.

Tactical Nuclear Penguin from BrewDog on Vimeo.

I'll do my best to drink it in style.

Cheers,

- b