Brewdog Camden

2012 is here and my only resolution this year is to try and do more than two updates a month on this fine blog. To be fair December was a tricky time to write blog posts as I was gorging myself on chocolate, turkey, Pringles and ale. I was also playing Batman: Arkham City and Skyrim for most of the festive period. This meant that when I wasn't writhing on the ground with an upset stomach praying for death I was smacking henchman or dragons in a virtual style. But now January is here and with the sweet tooth satisfied the blog posts are sure to come flying. I've also finished Batman which helps.

Over the Christmas period I did manage to pay a visit to the new Brewdog bar in Camden Town. Brewdog is a brewery based in Scotland whose mantra on their website states:

We are committed to making the highest quality beers with the finest fresh natural ingredients.
Our beers are in no way commercial or mainstream.
We do not merely aspire to the proclaimed heady heights of conformity through neutrality and blandness.
We are unique and individual.
A beacon of non-conformity in a increasingly monotone corporate desert.
We are proud to be an intrepid David in a desperate ocean of insipid Goliaths.
We are proud to be an alternative

Basically they're tossers but I do enjoy their Punk IPA so I can't really complain. The bar was in high spirits when I arrived and we managed to snag a sofa in the comfy basement. Sadly The Lovely Jemma didn't join me for this visit so no pictures of beer and funky fingernails. In fact I only got one picture of the basement area and it's not my best work.

I did warn you - this photo is rubbish.

A good selection of beer was on offer although the pricing structure was odd to say the least. Just about everything was £3.95, and it didn't matter if they were 2.8% or 8%. Shots of the 32% Tactical Nuclear Penguin and 41% Sink The Bismarck were available at around £6, and there was a interesting and large selection of bottled beers. I opted for pints of 5a.m Saint and Trashy Blonde which were both excellent and in great condition. 5a.m Saint in particular had a very refreshing and tasty fruity hoppy taste. A pint of the Christmas Porter was the highlight - an excellent porter with a very pleasent taste of spice. The drinking was interrupted by a cheeseburger - the menu is designed by a Masterchef winner. I can't remember his name but I'm sure he's very proud of himself. The burger was top notch - not only was the meat excellent but the bun and veggies were fresh and tasty. Sadly they do not come with chips - presumably they're too mainstream for the Brewdog chaps.

The best thing about the bar was the atmosphere. Camden bars can sometimes attract a lot of tossers (maybe that's why I seem to drink there a lot) but the clientèle in Brewdog was eclectic and friendly. A random stranger joined us to help fill in the Private Eye crossword and we had a brief chat with some folks about Game of Thrones. They appeared to be of Goth or Metal persuasion, I can't tell anymore as I'm now 30 years old. A Tactical Nuclear Penguin was thrust into my hand by a random chap who couldn't even begin to drink the stuff. I understood why after my first sip as it tasted almost exactly like treacle. I still managed to choke it all down though because it was free. The service behind the r was also friendly and efficient. Overall this is a great bar and I'm looking forward to returning.