brew dog blog

I have an Icelandic friend that, given a few pints of Thule, will gladly launch into a tirade against the “sneaky Danes” whose colonial shadow only recently receded from the nation’s coastline. I’d always chalked the outbursts up to good ole’ Viking Pride before putting my lips on this weasel of a brew.

This beer’s a sidler. It sneaks up on you with a fruity but musty nose, then whacks you with a dose of smoky peat before finally bringing you gently to the hardwood with a sweet and sour finish that strikes a balance between Mary Poppins’ spoonful of sugar and some aborigine antimalarial. The malt is pretty forward, but readily tamed by both the smokiness and sourness. It’s almost like a mellow American Barleywine if it were aged in some crazy Highland Scotch barrels.

I started drinking the brew as an accompaniment to some table water crackers and Dutch Farmhouse cheese from the market, which it complimented nicely, but once we ladled out the ramp and potato soup with bacon and goat cheese I saw what this beer could do with the right dish. Just use your imagination. It’s not an every-day drinker at this price, but it so deftly walks the fine line between weird and delicious that it makes it a worthwhile splurge.