The world's first #BrewDogChallenge!

Published - 12.06.2013 Comments (15)

Ever wondered what it's like to be crowned the Phileas Fogg of craft beer? Well, a certain regular at BrewDog Aberdeen, Mr Ian Prise, had been pondering that exact fantasy, when one day he was struck with an awesome idea! He would do it! He would visit all 12 BrewDog bars in 11 days, and really throw down the gauntlet for other craft beer fans to prove their commitment! Here is the tale of Ian's epic beer adventure...

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"I've been a BrewDog fan since way back in 2009 when I first came across Punk in a supermarket. At our first opportunity, my wife and I became shareholders and we visited BrewDog Aberdeen as soon as it opened in 2010. I've been a regular there ever since, and love discovering awesome new beer styles and flavours in such a unique bar in Aberdeen. I'm in the bar nearly every week, and since BrewDog Stockholm was announced and I had some free time, I thought I would stake my claim as the first ever BrewDog fan to visit all 12 bars in 11 days."

"I always keep in the loop with BrewDog news through the blog, Twitter and Facebook, so it's been great watching the company expand since we invested, but seeing exactly what that has culminated in so far was really fun and filled me with pride!"

Check out the vital statistics of Ian's journey:

3500 miles
66 beers
21 trains
12 BrewDog bars
11 buses
5 planes
1 glass of 55% The End of History

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Here's a round up of Ian's epic #BrewDogChallenge trip:

Sunday: Camden was my first stop and I had a burger while I was there. HIGHLY recommend! Then headed over to Shoreditch, complete with UnderDog. What an experience! You've got to see it to believe it.

Monday: Bristol was next, which has an incredible location! Really special. Being right next to the water is awesome. Then I headed over to Birmingham and hung out with the team there.

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Tuesday: Nottingham and Manchester were next. I was lucky enough to sample the amazing new BBQ menu at Manchester before it launched...smoked brisket, pulled pork and mac and cheese were all brilliant with my beers!

Wednesday: Leeds today. Fun fact, it's the only BrewDog bar with a shark cage! Then up to Newcastle where I sampled some delicious beer cake. Gotta try some if you're there.

Thursday: Edinburgh and Glasgow today! Both had a great atmosphere, but I was starting to feel the effects of #BrewDogChallenge! Luckily, Aberdeen was last on my list of UK bars, and a welcome home party was in full swing by the time I arrived. Balloons on the taps, and a wanted poster on the wall...but my journey wasn't over yet!

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Wednesday: After a couple of days off and a detour via Copenhagen (Any beer fan worth his salt wouldn't miss that opportunity) I landed in Stockholm. Excellent beer selection including lots of great Swedish guests on, and I was really lucky to be offered a little of the last ever bottle of The End of History in circulation, which I almost polished off! A weird and wonderful beer, I'm very grateful to Afram for pouring me a glass of this uber rare beer.

Anyone else up for the #BrewDogChallenge? Ian managed all 12 in 11 days...who will the first to top it?

How many BrewDog bars have you visited? Anyone else notched up more than 8?

Join the Discussion

Comments (15)

Beerleader1 14.06.2013 @ 12:17pm

Well done Ian! Only Leeds and Stockholm left to do on my list after a mini tour of Bristol, Birmingham and Camden yesterday with Beerleader 2 :-)

Fergus 13.06.2013 @ 10:08pm

I could beat him on a bike! 12 bars 11 days 1 bicycle. Pedal powered punk. Ok maybe not Stokholm, but 11 in 8-9 days on a bike is doable.

TheBBG 13.06.2013 @ 4:37pm

My specific idea was (far less ambitious than Ian's) to go to them all within this year. We'd already been to Camden (several times), Edinburgh and Manchester, but they don't count for this purpose until we've been to them in 2013.So, although we've done 5 so far this year, we have actually been to 7 in total...

Parkside Pete 13.06.2013 @ 8:50am

I suspect many people have done similar things, I've visited all except Stockholm myself and polished off the last five in my collection over Easter (Newcastle, Birmingham, Nottingham, Bristol, Shoreditch). Mind you, Brewdog California will up the ante!

TheBBG 13.06.2013 @ 7:55am

We're doing all 12 over the course of the year. Nearly at the half-way mark:http://spank-the-monkey.typepad.com/blog/food_and_drink/

Henry Slater 13.06.2013 @ 12:42am

You are Legend.Also good call on Copenhagen, everyone must go.

Cat 13.06.2013 @ 12:10am

This time last year my partner and I did a roadtrip around all of the bars that existed at that point before we moved back to New Zealand. Unfortunately the whole 'being in New Zealand' thing makes picking up the bars that have opened in the last year a little difficult.

Gavin E 12.06.2013 @ 9:13pm

I've visited all the BrewDog bars except for Leeds, Aberdeen and Stockholm and it's taken me a few years to do them!

Niall Robertson 12.06.2013 @ 5:13pm

Come the summer holidays I plan to do all the UK bars in a massive mad week long road trip!! There's just one question, Mitsubishi or Pontiac?

Matt Volatile 12.06.2013 @ 4:58pm

I've been to Camden, Shoreditch, Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow...

Antoine 12.06.2013 @ 3:24pm

Only 4 (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Camden & Leeds) but hope to visit more soon!

JCowie 12.06.2013 @ 3:24pm

Great trip, well done Ian! would love to give it a go, from bar to bar it could be done in 5 days, but would be a mission, and would need free time!

Annie, Cambs 12.06.2013 @ 2:50pm

Sounds like the ultimate bar crawl!

Smuggler 12.06.2013 @ 2:03pm

Challenge accepted.

Chris G 12.06.2013 @ 1:48pm

Did 7 last year before the new ones opened. Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Nottingham and Manchester in 4 days