A Scottish brewery has been branded ?irresponsible? after launching what it said was the UK?s strongest beer. ? BBC News
So this brewery is making bottled beer with an 18.2% alcohol content, which in 330ml bottle provides 6 units of alcohol, twice the recommended daily limit. hmmm. It?s quite easy to immediately jump on the band wagon and criticise but I think further investigation is required before simply dismissing this as another promotion for binge drinking.
On reading this article I?m sure you imagined under-aged drinkers necking this stuff and ending up comatose but I can guarantee this won?t happen. Why? Because upon visiting the Brewdog website (the beers brewers) we find out that this is a stout. Yes, a stout, think Guinness for those who aren?t sure what that means, and it will cost £9.99 per 330ml bottle and so it will never appeal to those who crave sugary sweet alcopops, or the watery taste of cheap lager. I like stout, especially imperial stout which is darker and stronger and will often have a bottle of Dark Star which comes in at 10.5%, but a bottle or two is usually enough.
Selection of beers
Where Brewdog has maybe gone wrong is with their visuals and their marketing which certainly look like they are trying to appeal to younger people, peope who are motivated by buzz words. I am still young(ish) and I don?t fall for buying something just because it?s called Trashy Blonde, Punk IPA, Hardcore IPA, or in this case Tokyo*, but people in their teens and early 20s probably will. Then again maybe this is what is needed to get a wider range of people into drinking real ale?
I do encourage small independent businesses and Brewdog falls into this category, set up in 2007 by two 24 year-olds, and if they are able to succeed then I am happy for them, and perhaps Tokyo* will get them on the map, but Brewdog should be careful that they don?t become the Two Dogs of this decade.
Their beers look interesting and with online ordering on their website I?m sure they will see an increase in sales after this recent publicity, although I?m sure that we will probably see Tokyo* as a limited run.
They are basically copying what the craft brewing industry in the US is doing, which is taking a big chunk out of the macro industry (Anheiser Bush, InBev, Miller/Coors). Its a higher cost for a smaller batch, higher quality product.
Besides? out here I can regularly find a beer that comes in at 22% ABV.
Brewdog have just announced the worlds strongest beer at 32%. Click here for the BBC article.