BrewDog
 | |
| Unlisted plc | |
| Industry | Brewing |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Ellon, Scotland, UK |
| Products | Beer |
Production output | 220,000 hectolitre capacity |
| Owner | James Watt and Martin Dickie |
BrewDog is a Scottish brewery in Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
History
BrewDog produces about 2.2 million bottles and 400,000 cans per month (Oct 2015). It was founded in Fraserburgh in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie. Their main brewing moved to nearby Ellon in 2012.
Beers
BrewDog produces bottled and canned beers in a variety of styles such as ale, stout, India pale ale (IPA) and lager, some of which are also available in keg containers.
The bottled beers are distributed to British supermarkets and exported worldwide; kegs are available in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and in a selection of other countries around the world. In 2012, cask ale production was phased out.
BrewDog beers include:
- Punk IPA (5.6% ABV, previously 6.0% ABV) – a hoppy and powerful ale in the American style. Their flagship brand.
- 5am Saint (5.0% ABV) – a red ale
- Brixton Porter (5% ABV) – a porter
- Hardcore IPA (9.2% ABV) – an extremely hoppy and strong double IPA
- Dead Pony Club (3.8% ABV) – a hoppy Californian-style pale ale
- Libertine Black Ale (7.2% ABV) – a black IPA
- This. Is. Lager. (4.7% ABV) – a pilsner lager
Other BrewDog beers have included:
- 77 Lager (4.7% ABV) – a pilsner-style lager
- Alice Porter (6.2% ABV) – a porter flavoured with vanilla
- Anarchist/Alchemist (14% ABV) – a triple IPA
- Avery Brown Dredge (7.5% ABV) – an imperial pilsner brewed in collaboration with beer writers Zak Avery, Pete Brown and Mark Dredge
- Bitch Please (11.5% ABV) – a barley wine made with peated Laphroaig malt, aged in Jura single-malt whisky barrels, and produced in collaboration with Three Floyds Brewing
- Bashah (9% ABV) – (Black As Sin Hoppy As Hell) a hybrid of imperial stout, Belgian abbey ale and IPA, made in collaboration with Stone Brewing Co.
- Black Eye Joe (5.8% ABV) – Black IPA with Coffee and American hops made in collaboration with Stone Brewing Co.
- Chaos Theory (7.0% ABV) – an IPA flavoured exclusively with Nelson Sauvin hops
- Clown King (12.0% ABV) – an American style Barley Wine
- Cocoa Psycho (10% ABV) – an imperial Russian stout with crushed coffee beans, cocoa nibs and dark malts
- Dog B (15.1 ABV) – an imperial stout with specially selected Rio Caribe cocoa nibs, Sertão Carmo de Minas coffee and naga chillies
- Dogma (7.4% ABV) – a heather honey-infused ale
- The End of History (55% ABV) – the beer formerly known as "the world's strongest beer". Only 12 bottles released and packaged inside stuffed squirrels and stoats
- Fake Lager (4.7% ABV) – a Bohemian pilsner
- Ghost Deer (28% ABV) – the world's strongest naturally-fermented beer. Served from a mounted deer head at the BrewDog bar in Edinburgh
- Hello My Name is Ingrid (8.2% ABV) – "a sophisticated Bergmanesque beer" double IPA imported from Sweden
- Hello My Name is Mette Marit (8.2% ABV) – "a Norwegian-inspired double IPA" containing lingonberries, named after the Crown Princess of Norway
- I Hardcore You (9.5% ABV) – an imperial IPA, made by blending BrewDog's Hardcore IPA and Mikkeller's I Beat You
- Hardcore NZ (9.2% ABV) – a version of Hardcore IPA made using New Zealand hops
- Jackhammer (7.2% ABV) – a heavily hopped and highly bitter West Coast IPA
- Mixtape 8 (14.5% ABV) – half a hopped up Belgian Tripel and half a triple IPA.
- #Mashtag (7.5% ABV) – an American brown ale loaded with New Zealand hops and aged with oak chips and hazelnuts based on a collaboration of ideas generated on Twitter
- Nanny State (0.5% ABV) - a very weak but extremely heavily hopped bitter, brewed as a reaction to criticism of the high strength of their beers
- Never Mind The Anabolics (6.5% ABV) – an IPA infused with creatine, guarana, ginseng, ginkgo, maca powder, matcha tea and kola nut
- Paradox (10% ABV) – a whisky cask-aged stout available in differing editions depending on the source of the aging cask
- Paradox Arran (15% ABV) – an imperial stout with vanilla, cinnamon, aromatic fruit, ginger and Isle of Arran malt
- Paradox Jura (15% ABV) – original Paradox that has been aged in whisky casks that previously held Isle of Jura whisky
- The Physics (5.0% ABV) – an amber beer
- Rip Tide (8% ABV) – an imperial stout, also occasionally available in a 4% ABV form
- Sink The Bismarck! (41% ABV) – at the time, the strongest beer ever produced. A quadruple IPA
- Tactical Nuclear Penguin (32% ABV) – at the time, the strongest beer ever produced in a competition with German brewer Schorschbräu
- Tokyo (12% ABV) – an imperial stout brewed with jasmine and cranberries. Replaced by Tokyo*
- Tokyo* (18.2% ABV) – a very strong imperial stout based on the original Tokyo recipe
- Tokyo Rising Sun (13.2% ABV) – a version of Tokyo (first recipe), aged in Highland or Lowland whisky barrels for 4 years, supposedly "forgotten about"
- Trashy Blonde (4.1% ABV) – a hoppy golden ale; it was one of the most widely available cask beers in the BrewDog stable
- Zeitgeist (4.9% ABV) – a black lager
The Abstrakt series of experimental beers. Known only by their AB: number designation and released in limited quantities:
- AB:01 (10.2% ABV) – a vanilla bean-infused Belgian quad (3,200 bottles)
- AB:02 (18% ABV) – a triple dry hopped imperial red ale (3,200 bottles)
- AB:03 (10.5 ABV) – an imperial ale aged over two years in whisky cases with raspberries and strawberries (3,192 bottles)
- AB:04 (15% ABV) – an imperial stout brewed with coffee, plus loads of cacao and chili (3,200 bottles)
- AB:05 (12.5% ABV) – a Belgian imperial stout aged on toasted coconut and cacao (3,600 bottles)
- AB:06 (11.2% ABV) – a triple dry hopped imperial black IPA (5,500 bottles)
- AB:07 (12.5% ABV) – a whisky cask-aged imperial scotch ale (4,200 bottles)
- AB:08 (11.8 ABV) – a deconstructed blonde imperial stout (6,500 bottles)
- AB:09 (17.1 ABV) – a Cranachan imperial stout (5,200 bottles)
- AB:10 (11.5% ABV) – an imperial brown ale aged in Spanish red wine barrels (9,872 bottles)
- AB:11 (12.8 ABV) – a black barley wine with ginger, black raspberries and chipotle peppers (9,819 bottles)
- AB:12 (11.2% ABV) – a black Belgian IPA, Scottish berries aged in oak casks (9,500 bottles)
- AB:13 (11.3% ABV) – a cherry imperial stout aged in sherry barrels (9,900 bottles)
- AB:14 (10.2% ABV) – an oak-aged imperial weizenbock (9,995 bottles)
- AB:15 (12.8% ABV) – stout aged in bourbon bottles with salt caramel popcorn (9,995 bottles)
- AB:16 (10.6% ABV) – a Belgian style ale infused with coffee beans
- AB:17 (10.9% ABV) – an imperial rye porter brewed with espresso in the mash, cafetiere in the boil, and whole roast beans in the whirlpool and the fermenter
- AB:18 (11.8% ABV) – an imperial brown ale aged for two years, with added berries.
- AB:19 (13.1% ABV) – a blend of two barrel-aged imperial saisons – one black, one red – which has in turn then been aged in rum barrels
In 2009, Tokyo* caused controversy when UK watchdog the Portman Group criticised the availability of a beer of that strength in 330 ml bottles with traditional crown corks. Since then, BrewDog has produced progressively stronger beers of very high strength, and has laid claim to the title 'strongest beer ever brewed' on more than one occasion.
Also in 2009, BrewDog launched a beer called Tactical Nuclear Penguin, with 32% alcohol, which was claimed to be the strongest beer ever made.[1]
In 2010, BrewDog announced Sink The Bismarck, an apparent 41% ABV[2][3] to reclaim the World's Strongest Beer title from Schorschbräu, who had produced a 40% ABV version of their Schorschbock.[4]
Also in 2010, BrewDog produced a 55% ABV freeze-distilled beer called The End of History, with the bottles packaged in small stuffed animals, priced at £500 and £700 each.[5][6][7] Only 12 bottles were produced; 11 for retail sale, with the other one going to Internet video blog BeerTapTV.[8][9] BrewDog claim that this set new records not only for alcoholic strength in a beer, but also for price. Advocates for Animals called the gimmick 'perverse'.[5] The title "strongest beer of the world" then fell back to Mr Tscheuschner from the Schorschbräu brewery in Germany, whose Schorschbock 57 boasts an ABV of 57.5%.[10] The title for world's strongest beer has since changed again though. It is now allegedly Brewmeister's Snake Venom at a reputed 67.5%, although independent testing has yet to be published to confirm the ABV.[11]
Bars
In 2010, BrewDog opened their first bar, in nearby Aberdeen.[12] A second bar opened in 2011 in Edinburgh[13] followed by a third in Glasgow[14] and another in Camden Town, London.[15] Further bars opened in Nottingham, Newcastle, Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham in 2012[16][17][18][19][20] and in Leeds, Stockholm and Shepherd's Bush, London in 2013.[21][22][23][24] In 2014, BrewDog opened bars in São Paulo, Brazil,[25] Dundee,[26] Florence, Italy, Gothenburg, Sweden and Helsinki, Finland.[27] There is also a bar located on Bethnal Green road near Brick Lane, in London.
|
|
Awards
BrewDog won the 2008 Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.[28]
Paradox Grain won a Gold Medal at the 2008 World Beer Cup in the Wood and Barrel-aged Strong Beer Category.[29]
BrewDog won the Tenon Entrepreneur of the Year Award for demonstrating exceptional vision and leadership at the 2008 National Business Awards for Scotland.[30]
The Physics won World's Best Strong Pale Ale (Sub Category Winner) and Rip Tide won World's Best Imperial Stout (Style Trophy Winner) at the 2007 World Beer Awards, an annual competition organised by Beers of the World magazine.[31]
Hardcore IPA won Gold at the 2010 World Beer Cup in the Imperial IPA category.[32]
In 2012, BrewDog revealed that Diageo had threatened to withdraw funding from BII Scotland's annual awards if BrewDog was named winner of the Best Bar Operator award.[33] Diageo later apologised to BrewDog for what they called a "serious misjudgement by Diageo staff".[34][35]
Marketing
BrewDog's provocative marketing has been a key aspect of the business, and has gained them substantial international coverage.[36]
In 2008, BrewDog were challenged by UK drinks industry watchdog the Portman Group. Portman had claimed BrewDog to be in breach of their Code of Practice.[37] BrewDog denied these allegations and countered that Portman was impeding the development of smaller brewing companies.[38] After an 8-month long dispute and a preliminary adjudication which had ruled against the company, in December 2008 BrewDog were cleared of all breaches of the Code of Practice and were permitted to continue marketing their brands without making any changes to the packaging.[39] In protest to their targeting, BrewDog introduced "Speedball", saying "...we thought we would give them something worth banning us for..." . Speedball was promptly banned by Portman[40] before being renamed as Dogma.[41]
BrewDog were also described as "...one of the prime movers..."[42] behind the campaign which changed the law in 2011 to allow new beer measures in Britain.[43]
Equity
In 2011 they offered shares online totalling £2 million and the equivalent of 8% of the capital of the company. The shares were sold at ₤3.75 and accompanied several benefits such as discounts in their bars and online purchase of their beers, or the opportunity to attend their Annual Shareholders meeting.[44]
References
- ↑ 'World's strongest' beer with 32% strength launched, BBC News 26 November 2009.
- ↑ Sterling, Colin (16 February 2010). "Sink the Bismarck!: Brewery Releases World's Strongest Beer At 41% ABV". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
- ↑ "Sink the Bismarck! by BrewDog". YouTube. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "New world's strongest beer is 40 per cent lager".
- 1 2 "'Perverse' animal beer bottles sell out in hours". BBC News. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
- ↑ Stuart Patterson (23 July 2010). "Scottish brewery introduces world's costliest beer at £700 a bottle.. and it comes in a stuffed squirrel". Daily Record. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
- ↑ Brian Lilley (22 July 2010). "Scottish brewer offers beer packed in roadkill". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
- ↑ "@GirlsPintOut Drinks The "End Of History"". YouTube. 6 November 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "The End of History". Brewdog.com. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ Andreas Benz (21 March 2006). "Willkommen beim Schorschbräu - Die handwerkliche Kleinbrauerei im Fränkischen Seenland". Schorschbraeu.de. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "Brewmeister - 100% Scottish Craft Beer".
- ↑ "BrewDog Aberdeen to officially open on the 19th of October". Brewdog.com. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "Work starts at BrewDog Edinburgh". Brewdog.com. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "BrewDog Glasgow with 3 days to go, 5am Saint and other news". Brewdog.com. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "BrewDog Camden". Brewdog.com. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "Welcome to BrewDog Nottingham". Brewdog.com. 29 February 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "BrewDog Newcastle Officially Open". Brewdog.com. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "BrewDog Manchester Officially Opens Friday 4th May!". Brewdog.com. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "BrewDog Bristol is now Officially Open!". BrewDog. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
- ↑ "BrewDog comes to Birmingham".
- ↑ "BrewDog Leeds is now open".
- ↑ "BrewDog Leeds".
- ↑ "BrewDog Stockholm".
- ↑ "BrewDog Shepherd's Bush has arrived".
- ↑ "BrewDog Sao Paulo".
- ↑ "BrewDog Dundee is here!". Brewdog.com. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
- ↑ "BrewDog Helsinki".
- ↑ 2008 Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust Awards Archived 1 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "2008 World Beer Cup Winners". Beertown.org. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ 2008 National Business Awards for Scotland Archived 2 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "2007 World Beer Awards". Beers-of-the-world.com. 20 June 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "Hardcore IPA wins Gold at the 2010 World Beer Cup". Brewdog.com. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "Diageo Screw BrewDog". BrewDog. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
- ↑ "Statement regarding the 2012 BII Scotland Annual Awards". Diageo. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
- ↑ "Scottish beer company BrewDog forces Diageo to apologise over 'dirty tricks' at awards". The Telegraph. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "BrewDog: A marketing lesson for everyone", blur-marketing.com
- ↑ Crighton, Ryan (14 November 2008). "BrewDog Vs Portman". Pressandjournal.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "BrewDog calls for Portman to be scrapped". Thedrum.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "BrewDog brands given all clear". Thepublican.com. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- ↑ "Speedball Beer Banned, The Guardian
- ↑ "Brewer in dog house for glamorising drugs"", January 2009, Matt Eley, The Publican
- ↑ "Schooner or later it had to happen…", 4 January 2011, Beer Today
- ↑ "A schooner of lager? Or how about a jigger of whisky?", 5 January 2011, Laura Barnett, The Guardian
- ↑ Moules, Jonathan; Correspondent, Enterprise (2013-08-07). "Crowdfunding draws angel investors". Financial Times. ISSN 0307-1766. Retrieved 2016-01-28.