Time for one of the highlights of the year at BeerNorway HQ! On November 1st 2010 BrewDog bottled their Abstrakt AB:04, and I have enjoyed a bottle on or close to this date every year since. AB:04 is an Imperial Stout weighing in at 15% ABV, and is brewed with coffee, cocoa and Naga chilies.
I have reviewed the beer twice on the blog before: 2012 and 2011.
Looks
Dark brown/black pour with very little head. The beer is quite viscous.
Aroma
I’m picking up some nice chili pepper hints in the aroma, together with cold coffee, cocoa, raisins and some liquorice.
Flavor
I’m getting much of the same in the flavor of the beer. The beer is quite sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. It has not changed very much since last year actually. I did pick up more chili in the aroma this time around, but the flavor was quite similar.
Coffee, cocoa and some soy-like hints are the dominant flavors.
The mouth feel is smooth with a very low carbonation.
Finish
Long sweet finish with some hints of soy sauce up front and some coffee. There is a nice hit from the chili in the finish, and the alcohol brings with it a nice warming feeling.
Rating
This beer is still incredibly intense, and every sip is really enjoyable. A stunning beer, and I’m already looking forward to trying it again next year. This beer is still, in my opinion, the best beer BrewDog have ever made.
