As always, I was pretty quick to make sure I got some of the latest Abstrakt release from BrewDog, AB:06. It is a Tripple Dry Hopped Imperial Black IPA, and weighs in at 11.2%. I was pretty excited to try it, I felt that a few of the beers Abstrakt range were a bit lacking, but this one sounded excellent. I was not disappointed. I split the bottle with my dad, and am glad I have two more in the beer cellar.
Look
AB:06 is deep brown, with slight red highlights against a light. It pours with a full tan head, and leaves patchy lacing. It is slightly hazy.
Smell
This beer is hugely hopped. Fruity, floral aromas flow out of this beer as I pulled the cork out (with a corkscrew, as with all beers in the Abstrakt range). There is also resinous pine, and some roasted malt.
Taste
A hop bomb, as true as they come. From beginning to end, the hops dominate the flavour of AB:06. It tastes like a huge American IPA, but the roasted malt adds another level of complexity, and provides some balance.
Feel
Medium bodied, with a moderate amount of carbonation.There was no pop at all when I opened the bottle, but it poured with a healthy head, and didn’t feel flat at all. It also left the mark of an American IPA, a thick, resinous coating in my mouth, that lasted far longer than the beer itself.
Drink
I found AB:06 quite drinkable, but as a sipper (of course). Not an easy drinking beer, and nor should it be. It was hugely enjoyable, up there with my favourites in the Abstrakt range.