Black Heart stout was released last year with an advertising campaign blatantly challenging hardcore Guinness drinkers to compare the two stouts “head to head” so to speak. BrewDog and their cofounder James Watt have never shied away from a fight or the spotlight, but had they stepped over the line this time? Not since 1315 has there been such a fierce battle between Scotland and Ireland.*
Fabulous for sure!
Fast forward to present day and the Scottish invasion of the USA. It seems that BrewDog has secured some high ground on the beer-soaked battlefields of Las Vegas. And it only seems fitting that an over-the-top brewer like BrewDog would have a pub over the top of the most over the top city on the planet.** BrewDog Vegas is a cool, hip, center strip roof top venue. The elevator that takes you up to the pub opens on the one side to BrewDog, on the other to an Olive Garden. Talk about your wild/mild options, spaghetti or stout, pasta or pints, Chianti or crafts. There is no vexing perplexing Monty Hall problem here,*** I think you can guess which door I picked. The venue is impressive with a vibe as fun as the view.
Behind door #1, a Black Heart. Behind the other two doors, garlic bread and pasta.
Another impressive view in my eyes is this perfect stout pour, a beauty to behold. A cocoa roast coffee mixer of an aroma has me on the edge of my bar stool eager for a first taste. Creamy roast cocoa coffee all mild and in perfect balance. Very impressive. Great nitro creamy draft mouthfeel. And the more I tasted the more I loved it. Can you actually big swig a stout? I don’t recommend it, but with this brew you can and you may and you may just like it too. This is very good, did I already mention that?
Ok, BrewDog, you asked for it, the inevitable Guinness comparison. This brew is a bit sweeter than a Guinness. A Guinness has a touch more bitters on a flat finish. It is so close you will get stout lovers straddling the line on this one. If I had the choice between the two, I think I would actually order a Black Heart! I agree, this is the 21st century stout.
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