rashbre central: tasting the tactical nuclear penguin

Monday 7 May 2012

tasting the tactical nuclear penguin

Tactical nuclear penguin and sink the bismarck

Somewhere along the way we decided to drop into the fairly new Brewdog bar. I'd spotted it a couple of days ago and wondered whether they'd sell tactical nuclear penguin.

My accomplices were not familiar with this particular beverage, nor indeed with the more modest 'Tokyo*' which was actually available in pint glasses.

We decided to order the TNP and also some 'Sink the Bismarck', which was a slightly stronger ale. It was the result of a competition between the breweries, where Brewdog produced TNP at 32.5% and then a German company upped the game with some kind of ice-pilsner. That led to the 41% Sink the Bismarck.

A later beer called 'End of History' was also produced at 57%, but only 12 bottles were ever made.

So what does Tactical Nuclear Penguin taste like?

Imagine a treacle mining expedition towards the centre of the earth, perhaps with a peat smoke wafting through the bore holes. You get the idea.

I was in the minority in our group in sort of preferring the Penguin to the ship, which had an even more intense flavour but for which the extra 9% alcohol didn't seem to advance the cause more than to beat the other brewery.

Interestingly, neither the Penguin nor the Bismarck were displayed on the wall behind the bar and we had to furtively ask for them.

*Tokyo is around 18% ABV

5 comments:

Pat said...

Unusual glasses for beer.

rashbre said...

Pat I think these are the fancy glasses for the beers consumed in small quantities.

I notice that in some countries, notably Belgium and some parts of Germany, there's a plethora of wine glass shaped beer glasses also.

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

Have you ever been to Gordon's Wine Bar by Embankment tube station?

rashbre said...

Nikki-ann In Villiers Street? I have been there but its not a regular place. I walked past it a few days ago actually.

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

That's the one. I was there last week!