Tasting Notes: Brewdog/Lost Abbey: Lost Dog

Brewdog/Lost Abbey: Lost Dog (Scotland: Imperial Porter: 11.5% ABV)

Visual: A very dark brown to cherry red. Beige froth comes up but it disappears in seconds leaving just the carbonation of the main body.

Nose: Raisins. Fruitcake and brandy cream. Liquorice. Rum. Very spirit like air.

Body: Cherry (red and black). Brandy cream. Fruitcake and raisins. Liquorice. Slightly sherbety. Coffee. Marzipan.

Finish: Malt load and butter. Almond slices. Rum. Dry liquorice. Bitter coffee.

Conclusion:  Considering the beer style and weighty abv this beer isn’t half as thick of viscous as I would have imagined. In fact given the huge fruitcake influence it seems slightly ESB like in style, or with a calling to the wine and fruitcake styling of Fullers Vintage ales.

The body is surprisingly clear on the eye. Visually it reminds be of the darker Belgium strong ales, not entirely inappropriately. I’m not sure if it is linked with the lack of viscosity to the body but the spirit influence does seem to be given a lot of roaming room.  As mentioned the beer is fruit dominated and there is a distinct spirit feel throughout.  The main counterbalance flavour wise is the dry liquorice which permeates the entire beer.

The beer is good but for all the abv and rum ageing it doesn’t seem to bring a lot more to the table than the Vintage ales mentioned earlier.  That isn’t to say that it doesn’t have it’s own quirks.  The traditional coffee elements of a porter seem oddly out of place here. They flow around the main body rather than integrate.  Also it takes on a bit more character if you are willing to risk larger mouthfuls of the potent liquid. Here it seems thicker and more brandy cream comes out.  The beer style seems to shift once again here, calling to the Barley Wine styling of beers such as Devine Rebel.

So a very fruity, very spirity Imperial Porter. A mix that calls to ESB influence and Barley wine in feel. A jack of all trades and master of none. That doesn’t mean it isn’t very good but it stops it being great. A beer with a lot of potential let down I feel by needing maybe just a bit more thickness of body.

Background: Now best I know Port Brewing and Lost Abbey are the same brewery. Lost Abbey is the name for Belgium Style beers and Port Brewing American style beers.  This beer is an Imperial Porter. Ya know Porter, named (according to some interpretations) for the popularity with porters in London.  Which isn’t in Belgium. Or America I will admit but damn it Port Brewing even has Port in the damn name!   Why is this a Lost Abbey beer? Well as mentioned in the review it does have a Belgium strong dark ale resemblance but I still stand by my rant.  Anyway this collaboration was aged in rum casks, and I’ve been looking forwards to it for a while. Also it comes in a presentation box.  Which looks really really cool but I always feel bad about needless packaging.  Strange considering I felt no problem with the mass of packaging that was needed to post it to me. Maybe I’m a touch of a hypocrite.