BrewDog Release Shipwreck & Hop Fiction Today

The end of the week is fast approaching, so thoughts are likely turning towards a craft beer or two. Well, as if we were mind-readers, rolling along in perfect time we have a couple of beers launching in our online shop today! One is a zesty pale ale perfect for the lengthening evenings, the other is a flavourful aged beer ideal for when the sun fails to hold its end of the bargain.

Ship Wreck

You can buy Ship Wreck here

Collaborating with others breweries is always awesome – everyone learns something new, and you get to hang out with interesting people. Back at the end of 2015, Ballast Point came over to Scotland and we brewed a Mezcal-inspired strong ale that went into two different Scotch whisky casks. Soon afterwards, however, they sold out to an (ironically) Mexican distributor and left the ranks of craft beer forever. So we had a decision to make. What about the beer?

It was quite simple. The hard work and imagination of our brewteam deserves to be heard, irrespective of the misguided decisions of others.

So we have decided to release Ship Wreck as a redacted collaboration beer – and (in a metaphor for craft brewing) it is not for the faint of heart. The depth and complexity of the barrel-ageing result in a kick of peaty smoke to tie together with the smoked malt and agave syrup. Alongside, the woodsy oakiness of the Speyside cask act with the citrus edge of the US hops to lead the beer away from the dark smoky deeps and into more complex direction altogether.

Hop Fiction

You can buy Hop Fiction here

As a sure sign that the year is speeding up, also launching today is our second seasonal of 2016 – Hop Fiction. Our April to June release follows on from Arcade Nation and is an explosively tropical US Pale Ale designed to lift everyone from the long winter slumbers. It does this through the application of brewhouse techniques deployed with only a single intention in mind – hop flavour.

Our latest seasonal revels in early and late hopping – additions in the mash and whirlpool at the start, and then a generous level of dry-hopping at the end leave the beer with two complementary surges of rounded citrus and light stone fruit (so think mango, lychee and apricot), with rising hop-laced bitterness. Hop Fiction is the perfect beer with which to blow away those early-year cobwebs.

Both beers are live in our online shop right now and will be in our UK bars from 6pm tonight, Thursday 31st March. Two very different beers, embracing skill, technique, flavour – and above all, independence. If you get a chance to sample them. leave your tasting notes in the comments below!