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BrewDog is a Scottish brewery known for its unusual beer brands and outrageous advertising campaigns. The plant is located in the city of Ellone and produces ale, stout and lager of various strengths. The brand’s products are popular in the UK and are exported all over the world. In Russia, the brand is produced by the Moscow Beer Company – the line includes the four most famous types of BrewDog beer.
Historical information
BrewDog was founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickey. At first, only the owners themselves worked at a small enterprise in the Scottish city of Fraserburgh. Production volumes were small – young people poured beer by hand, and then sold it in the market from a van.
A year later, the company managed to get a loan from the bank, recruit employees and start experimenting with the production of beer with a high alcohol content. The wort was repeatedly strongly cooled, and the ice was removed. As a result, the concentration of alcohol in the drink increased, which freezes at lower temperatures than water.
The company attracted attention already in 2008. The Portman Group, a British brewers’ trade group, has announced that BrewDog products violate standards and cannot be called beer. The conflict lasted eight months. The decision was in favor of the young company – it was allowed to promote its brands without changing the label, and the hype in the press brought fame to BrewDog.
Watt and Dickey developed fundamentally new types of products that became the subject of heated public discussion. In 2009, Tactical Nuclear Penguin was released with an alcohol content of 32%, which was called the strongest beer in the history of the drink. At the same time, mass-market varieties were being produced, and Punk IPA Indian pale ale became the best-selling in Scandinavia.
By 2012, BrewDog products were recognized at international competitions, and the company itself attracted the attention of large investors. The capacity of the small factory was no longer enough, so production moved to a modern brewery in Ellon. The release of each new variety was accompanied by outrageous advertising campaigns, which fueled the interest of the public.
Since its founding, the company has repeatedly been officially recognized as the fastest growing in the industry. The Ellon brewery currently employs about 1000 people and has over a dozen craft beers available in stores and online. The company owns 30 bars in the UK, which have become centers of punk culture.
Production features
Only natural ingredients are used in production. To achieve the original taste, a mixture of different varieties of hops is added to the wort at the boiling stage. This helps to avoid excess bitterness and adds aroma to the drink. After the primary fermentation, the beer is poured into barrels and periodically cooled down. The aging time depends on the variety and can take several years.
Awards:
- World Beer Awards 2007 – the best in the strong beer category;
- Scottish Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 – Prince of Wales Business Foundation Award;
- World Beer Cup 2008, 2010 – gold medal.
Interesting Facts
- The owners decided to name their company BrewDog after their pet dog, whom they consider one of the first employees of the company. In 2018, the company released a special beer for dogs. It contains no alcohol, but there are useful supplements for pets – vitamin B and probiotics.
- The brand’s most unusual beer was presented to the general public in 2010. The 55% alcohol variety was called The End Of History and was released in a limited edition of just eleven bottles. The design of the products caused indignation among animal advocates – the containers were placed in stuffed squirrels and stoats. “The End of History” is known as one of the most expensive types of beer – the cost of one bottle reached 700 pounds.
Types of beer Brew Dog
Punk IPA, 5,6%
The company’s flagship product is brewed from a mixture of pale and caramel barley with the addition of six varieties of hops. A golden-colored beer with tropical fruit aromas and a multifaceted flavor that mixes hints of caramel, pineapple, grapefruit and lychee. There is a slight hop bitterness at the finish.
Dead Pony Club, 3,8%
Pale ale is brewed from three varieties of barley and Mosaic and Simcoe hops, which give the drink a rich aroma of exotic fruits. The color of the beer is amber, slightly hazy. The taste is complex – hop bitterness is felt at the start, which is replaced by hints of lemon, grapefruit, tangerine and mango. The finish is long and dry, with hints of herbs.
BrewDog Elvis Juice, 6,5%
The American IPA contains grapefruit, orange and a blend of five aromatic hops. The amber-colored drink is distinguished by soft carbonation and a rich taste with citrus hints. At the finish there are coniferous tones.
