Imperial Mild : How to Disappear Completely

Our crazy little world just got crazier........

How to Disappear Completely, Is my favourite Radiohead song. Now, it is also our most extreme beer to date. Weighing in at just 3.5% ABV but loaded with more hops per barrel than any other beer we have ever made. It is jam-packed with 2 of our favourite hops - Columbus and Centennial. It has 198 (yes one hundred and ninety eight) theoretical IBUs. It was mash-hopped and first wort hopped just for good measure. Oh and dry-hopped to hell too.

Although balance was not our priority in designing this beer we spent allot of time getting the grain bill dialled in. We use allot of caramalt, some amber malt and some pale chocolate malt to give the little beer as much body and mouth feel as possible and the ability to handle all the hops we threw at it.

We think this beer is the world's first ever Imperial Mild. Imperial in terms of hop profile. An Imperially Hopped Mild. BrewDog's Imperial Mild. How to Disappear Completely.

The first batch is still in our uni-tank, it has fermented and is currently being dry-hopped. I am enjoying checking on its progress every day.  It is insanely, insanely bitter. It just completely messes you up. Yet somehow it is alluring moreish and frighteningly addictive. This bitterness bomb is infused with a multitude of flavours and layers and layers of complexity. The nose is amazing and hints at perhaps a more delicate hop profile than the ensuing carnage provides. The malt profile is gorgeous, delicate, seductive and completely overpowered, it disappears completely. And you are left with a mouth full of ferocious bitterness and the most amazing stripped back, raw, unadulterated hop flavours you could ever want.

We can't take too much credit for this beer here at BrewDog. The idea came from a conversation with Scott from Hamilton's Tavern (killer beer bar in San Deigo). He suggested a 4.5% session double IPA.  We just made the concept a little crazier, a little more BrewDog.

Scott and Richard at Hamilton's Tavern, where the concept was born.

It is so bitter, it made me cry today. I love it.

It will be available in cask and 330ml bottles as a one-off special batch.