I tried this beer last weekend while brewing with Dad. My two bottles came from @samhaldane, who imported a few. This is the highest alcohol beer I’ve ever had – when talking about it to others on the path to beer snobbery, I was told ’18%! That’s not beer!’. It was also one of the most expensive beers I’ve ever had.
Look
AB:02 pours a deep red, with a medium head and moderate lacing. It has medium carbonation, which I wasn’t expecting. I was expecting some sort of ‘beer spirit’ I think, and this beer is not one.
Smell
The aroma of this beer was my second surprise. I was expecting to be knocked out by the alcohol aroma, but incredibly it isn’t there. I have no idea how the Brew Dog guys did it. It is actually quite well balanced, with hops, fruits, sweet malt and molasses all present.
Taste
AB:02 is mostly malt up front, supported by hops. Malt & Honey sweetness lingers. Hops are present throughout, but not overpowering. I thought this was a bit strange, as it is a ‘triple dry hopped imperial red ale’. I think the hops probably do most of the work covering the alcohol.
Feel
The third surprise was the taste. Maybe I couldn’t smell the alcohol, but I was sure I’d feel the burn. AB:02 is very smooth for it’s alcohol content. The carbonation gives some bite, and cleanses as you finish tasting it. It is medium bodied. There is absolutely no alcohol warmth, but I did could feel it when I breathed in after sipping.
Drink
This is very drinkable for such a big beer. I could sip it all afternoon, and plan on doing so with my second bottle, after the 6 months recommended ageing period. At the alcohol content and the price, it could never be described as ‘drinkable’, but it is mighty close.
As well as being the highest alcohol, and one of the most expensive beers I’ve ever tasted, this was also one of the best. I think it is an excellent beer that pushes the limits (as only Brew Dog know how). As much as I enjoyed it, I still don’t think End of History is a beer – maybe my beer snobbery training needs more time… I’ll be buying a few bottles of AB:03 when it is released.