Brewery Beef: A BDP Discussion

First it was a movie... now it's an 82-proof beer...

On today's program, we discuss the Brewdog Brewery's latest offering, Sink the Bismarck!, an 82-proof beer that is officially the world's strongest. We asked listeners what their thoughts were on this Scottish brew, and we want to hear yours!

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE BEER? Would you buy what is surely a pricey case of Sink the Bismarck? Email the show at thebeatdoctor@verizon.net and weigh in!

Will from PA writes:

"It's all about hops: HopDevil, Hop Slam, Hopsickle, Hop Wallop, Two-Hearted Ale, etc."

Tim from PA writes:

"I'm curious as to how they reach that percentage without adding some type of distilled alcohol. The most aggresive beer and wine yeasts that I'm aware of are only able to reach about 95% attenuation, and usually crap out at around 20-25% ABV. Once that level of alcohol is reached, it becomes toxic to the yeast and they either go to sleep or die. The only other way to do it is to remove water by refrigeration; the water in the solution freezes leaving behind a really strong, concentrated beer (an ice beer, or eisbock)."

Zack's brother Tim, a Pittsburgh-area homebrewer, drops some more brewing knowledge and starts a little beer-based beef:

"Definitely cool with the 40% beer. I've paid the $11 for the dogfish head 120 minute and world wide stout, but I'm pretty sure I'd pass on $20 a beer (pure extrapolation). Making this beer is probably a really poor business decision considering the global recession we're currently facing. There was a beer that came out not long ago from sam adams called Utopia that went for something like $100 a bottle that nobody bought except for pretentious a**holes.

I'm also sure this new stuff tastes like s*** and has a severe alcohol burn (is it acceptable to mix it with Coke?). As a consumer of fermented beverages I will probably pass on this beer until some dick with a credit card wants to buy me one. My recent beer purchases are based on a cost/benefit quadratic curve that was fitted using the least squares formula.

When it comes to going out with the intention of enjoying beer, I'm currently into the winter warmers. Anderson Valley's Winter Solstice is hands-down the best winter beer available. Well balanced between malt and hops with just enough alcohol kick to melt your toes after a long day shoveling snow.

In thinking about good and bad beers right now, I have to start a rant. All you brewers out there, what's with all the f***ing crystal malt? For those of you who don't know, this is the overwhelmingly cloying sweet/toffee/malty flavor that comes in beer around this time of year. Crystal is prominent in the winter, and nauseating in the summer. Inexperienced and taste-deficient brewers use this malt in too-large quantities for dark color and flavor. It sticks to your tongue and nose and makes you want to vomit when overused in a beer. BALANCE YOUR F***ING MALTS, DUMBASS!"

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Email the show at thebeatdoctor@verizon.net. On a related note, the Dogfish Head Brewery, famous for its eccentric and occasionally ass-kicking brews, is right up the road from us. We may whip out the Rolodex and see if we can finagle an special Dogfish-related guest on the program.