TAKE FIVE - NEW GUEST BEERS

On the face of it, the worlds of brewing and dancing don’t really have a whole lot in common. Certainly, combining the output of the former with the latter can make for a great night – and we very much believe our brewteam are choreographers of their art – but there’s no immediately obvious parallel between the two. Yet, if you were to pause Strictly and think about it for a moment, there actually is – and more than one, at that. Firstly, they share a building block; steps. The processes that must be adhered to, carefully and in order, to achieve a satisfactory conclusion when the music/conditioning ends. And secondly, both are sub-divided into styles; whether Ballroom versus Latin, or porter versus stout. But, over and above this, what if a beer was a dance? These five guest beers are new in to our network of BrewDog bars – yet what tempos do they possess?

Dieu du Ciel Disco Soleil (6.5%)

Very little thought is required to discern which particular school of dance this one belongs to. Even if it wasn’t so-titled, a kumquat IPA could only ever be disco. Sweet and punchy, there’s a self-confidence about it that pushes other beers in the round to a circle at the periphery. The first flavour to make an appearance, though, is pine – and it’s only as this resinous element fades that the sweet fruit appears; proving that even up-tempo disco is built on a solid foundation.

8Wired iStout (10.5%)

‘It takes two to tango’ is the one dance-related phrase everyone knows. Renowned for being the ultimate demonstration of union, the tango embraces connection between two people. 8Wired’s Russian Imperial Stout – iStout – instead portrays this as a meeting of old world and new; the rich, roasty coffee and chocolate flavours of the Baltic taking to the floor with the fresh, bitter citrus of New Zealand hops. The depth of the malt base takes the lead, certainly, but the pithy fruit certainly keeps up with the pace.

Anchor Zymaster Saaremaa Island Ale (6%)

San Francisco is known, throughout the world, as a place for alternative types – yet Anchor's beers are often faithful, classic and structured. They would lend themselves well to a Ballroom dance; being about hold, construction and balance. Yet if their new Saaremaa Island ale was set to music, it would be decidedly folksy. Brewmaster Mark Carpenter’s holiday was apparently interrupted by a quest to source the yeast for a beer he tried on that particular Estonian island – and the resultant beer is vibrant, local and hugely entertaining.

Mikkeller It’s Alive White Wine Barrel Version (8%)

A beer name like ‘It’s Alive’ might conjure images of Michael Jackson (the non-beer one) spiking around in front of triangular rows of shuffling undead, but the dance this resembles is probably the most abrupt and surprising – breakdancing. Just as you’re fairly sure what each move is, another suddenly appears – and this is exactly what Mikkeller’s white-wine aged wild Belgian ale gives you. When the rotating sweet oak gives way to a thunderously funky Brett finish, it’s misdirection at its finest.

Dieu du Ciel Aphrodisiaque (6.5%)

The slow dance; soft and lilting, performed at the end of the night before the curtain comes down or the lights go up. In and of itself, a stout wouldn’t normally correspond – as a style, straight-up they might fit more with something like stadium rock – but this beer is very different. For a start, its name is far too sumptuous for the ‘lighters held aloft’ brigade. Aphrodisiaque is also so smooth; sweet cocoa and vanilla (both having been added to the brew) cling together, and lead to a hugely rewarding, unhurried beer best enjoyed at the most leisurely pace possible.

When it comes to shaking a leg, what beer do you most like to step out with?