今晚準備嚐 Brewdog 一款名為 硬派狗狗 (Hardcore IPA 9.2%abv.) 的美式 Double IPA 之前，這裡來回顧一下目前已絕跡的《舊版》硬派狗狗 (Hardcore IPA 9.0%abv.)。5年前，這還是我在市面上能找到唯一一款英國酒廠有能力詮釋的極端美西風格超酒花IPA呢！其實，那時 Brewdog 也剛以仿效美式風格酒成名了幾年，這IBU高達150的硬派狗狗一出品，接下來的實驗品便也曾經滄海難為水，不得不越搞越極端了~~

這支舊版，與經典的美式Double IPA不同的是，麥芽部分牠只用Pale Malt，因此酒整個的風味比重算是讓奔放的美國酒花盡情表現，酒質更輕一些，但平衡度上來說，到底有些腳輕頭重，像隻大頭短腿狗狗了！哈哈哈…

Brewdog, Hardcore IPA, 9.0%abv. (American DIPA)

Coming in a slim 330ml brown bottle, BB 25/12/10, served cool in a GBBF 2009 memorial half-pint glass.

4/5 Appearance: pours a clear, dark golden hue with extremely restrained carbonation and a light beige frothy head that leaves uneven lacing along the way.

4/5 Smell: hugely overripe-fruity, the nose is bursting with citric (tangerine+grapefruit) hops, banana-ish fruitiness, richly biscuity+lightly nutty pale malts, and stinky/diacetyl estery elements. The malt backbone is tremendously rich and thick, fortunately not TOO sweet.

4/5 Taste: hoppy in terms of flavour and boldly malty as well from the beginning, the chewy citrusness (mainly aromatic grapefruit-peels) develops along with an intensifying bitter palate, albeit not quite bold or colourful as an American DIPA (partly due to different hop varieties I’m sure), while the biscuity malty body gets thicker by a good margin from both “Punk IPA” and “Chaos Theory” and gets intertwined with the overripe-fruit like estery and diacetyl elements. Seamlessly, the flavour settles on a dry-ish and semi-tannic aftertaste with plenty of hop tannins and aroma (plus, guess what, hints of fennel seeds!) to enjoy, while the "kickback" of alc. only emerges in the very end of each sip, which reflects a good craftsmanship IMO.

4/5 Mouthfeel & 4.5/5 Overall: generally speaking, the carbonation is truly commendable, providing just enough fizz to lift up the thick body a bit, while the high-octave tannic & dry mouthfeel ensures a reasonable “quaff-ability”. I’m not sure if my tolerance of alc. has increased unreasonably (and dangerously) fast, but I really fail to feel the 9%abv. across my taste buds, down the throat, and up in my brain… The thickness of flavour gives a hint, but overall I find it simply too easy-drinking that I’d drink three bottles without a wobble! This is the strongest IPA produced in this country that I’ve tried, and a very decent start for the experiment, too.

--Yau (tasted 27/08/2009, notes transcribed 23/05/2013)