Sweet Sixteen; Abstrakt Rewind

Abstrakt is our concept of artisanal one-time-only beers that push boundaries, blur lines of distinction and transcend categories. Abstrakt beers are monumental. For those of you who are Abstrakt Addicts, you'll know that we only produce these beers once, when they are gone they are gone (or so we thought). Each beer is individually marked and known only by the name AB:[INSERT NUMBER HERE]. We thought we’d have a sweet sixteen rewind for our artisanal Abstrakt range and travel all the way back to the launch of AB:01 in 2010 by reminiscing over every single last delicious drop of Abstrakt madness!

AB:01

April 2010 marks the beginning of our epic adventure where Abstrakt Addicts were born, style confines were smashed and madcap beers were created on the cusp of reality, all while merging beer and art as a concept. How do you start Abstrakt-mania? Brew an insane 10.2% Vanilla Bean Infused Belgian Quad of course!

AB:02

A monstrous 18% ABV Triple Dry Hopped Imperial Red Ale marks the second in the Abstrakt series. This Imperial Red Ale was manically hopped and ludicrously tasty and could be enjoyed when it was released, or faultlessly aged with mind-bending results.             

AB:03

AB:03 was aged for two years in Invergordon whisky casks from the 1960s and loaded with a mental amount of strawberries and raspberries. This was an impressive and timeless Imperial Ale Aged in Whisky Casks with Raspberries and Strawberries with a 10.5% abv.

AB:04

Alone at the brewery for the day, James and Martin created the notorious BrewDog classic that is the only Abstrakt to make four appearances. AB:04, also known by its aliases DOG A, B and C, was a 15.1% Imperial Stout with Coffee, Cocoa and Naga Chilies. The bold, intrepid flavours of bitter roasted coffee, smooth chocolate and fiery chilli kick make this beer an essential (and impatiently waited for) reappearance each year for BrewDog’s Birthday.

AB:05

This early Abstrakt was a Belgian Imperial Stout Aged on Toasted Coconut and Cacao – it’s filled with rich, decadent flavours. Roasted almonds, dark chocolate and subtle notes of red fruit… think beach bonfires and toasted marshmallows.

AB:06

This was a supercharged black ale with the power to send you into an insanely hoppy, addictively bitter, tastebud psychosis. Savage and wildly delightful, AB:06 was an 11.2% Triple Dry Hopped Imperial Black Ale.

AB:07

AB:07 was released in September 2011 as an enormous 12.5% Whisky Cask-Aged Imperial Scotch Ale. This was an enchanting beer with hints of sweet caramel, rich malts and warmth from the whisky casks.

AB:08

AB:08 was a wicked-cool Deconstructed Blonde Imperial Stout weighing in at 11.8%ABV. You didn’t read that wrong. A deconstructed blonde imperial stout. Oats, liquorice, oak chips and cacao with smoked malt aged over coffee beans to maintain the light colour…think burning pirate ships and toasty marshmallows.

AB:09

A massive 17.1% ode to a classic Scottish dessert. Words really can’t describe this Cranachan Imperial Stout; however if you need a refresher: luscious heather honey, dark malts, tart local raspberries aged in rich oak casks.

AB:10

AB:10 was a magnificently crafted Imperial Brown Ale aged in Spanish Red Wine Barrels (11.3%). Loaded with flavours reminiscent of marshmallow, vanilla and caramel paired with bitterness and roastiness – this beer exuded passion.

AB:11

AB:11 was launched in September 2012. it was a Black Barley Wine with Ginger, Black Raspberries and Chipotle Peppers with an ABV of 11.5%. Spicy, zesty, smokey and tart – because why not?

AB:12

Big, bold and irreverent, AB:12 was introduced in December 2012. This was a colossal 11.4% Black Belgian IPA aged in Invergorden Scotch whisky barrels packed with raspberries, tayberries and blackberries.

AB:13

Introduced in April 2013, AB:13 was a Cherry Imperial Stout Aged in Sherry Barrels. Specifically, aged for 14 months in ex-sherry barrels. Based on the classic German Schwarzwald dessert, this beer merits a repeat from blogs of BrewDog’s past: “Fruits of the forest, FTW”.

AB:14

Two words: Banoffee. Pie. Released in June 2013, AB:14 was a 10.2% Oak Aged Imperial Weizenbock that was silky-smooth and indulgent, transporting us back to our favourite seventies dessert. There are still a few bottles available to buy here

AB:15

We went barrel-crazy with our Salted Caramel Pop Corn Imperial Ale! With an ABV of 12.8%, this beer gained its wicked flavour from being aged in both rum and bourbon casks. There are hints of smokey vanilla and treacle that add to the overall decadence of AB:15.

AB:16

Launched in May 2014, AB:16 was a coffee infused Belgian Quad coming in at a whopping 10.6%. It packs a coffee punch with a hint of fruitiness, reminiscent of candied lemons, ginger cake and brandy soaked currents that warm the taste buds. You can still grab the final few bottles here!

If you haven’t already shed a single tear for these long-gone artisanal beers, fear not! Tell us your favourite from the Abstrakt Series and it could possibly be resurrected in a post-apocalyptic Abstrakt-Narnia where penguins rule and 'gone forever' doesn’t always mean gone forever…