New dog on the block – BrewDog

While Brilliant Stream is concerned about West Virginia being overlooked by numerous larger craft beer brands, which pass over the state choosing not to distribute here, it’s a different story with BrewDog. With its launch here this week, West Virginia became only the 10th state to get this popular international label.

“I don’t know why other breweries pass over this state,” said Brian Jones, BrewDog’s Territory Manager who is in the state helping with the launch. “West Virginians drink a lot of beer.”

Jones said BrewDog was happy to be selling here. The brewery would have been selling here a lot sooner, but it took them longer than they anticipated to get through the WVABCA maze and get their license (Not unusual). Their WV distributor is North Central Distributors.

BrewDog put on the biggest brand launch of the past year or so with four or more BrewDog reps supporting tap takeovers at many bars and growler filling retailers all around the state. That big marketing promotion is great to see, and we hope it helps reverse a trend of some larger craft breweries cutting back marketing expenditures here.

BrewDog founded in Scotland, brewed in Ohio

Founded in 2007, BrewDog is a Scottish company that originally gained notoriety from its outrageous stunts and by brewing some pretty gimmicky beers. For instance, they brewed the 32% ABV Tactical Nuclear Penguin beer, then made the 0.5% Nanny State ale, and once barrel-aged another beer for two months at sea. Now, following the opening of its U.S. brewery (just this side of Columbus, Ohio), it seems the company has joined the mainstream of American brewers.

BrewDog’s publicity says it aims to revolutionize the beer industry. They put a lot of effort behind maintaining their edgy persona. Tasting their portfolio of beers launched in WV this week, however, it’s pretty apparent that the brewery is shooting for the mainstream craft beer drinker’s palate.

Known first and foremost for Punk IPA, its current beer lineup is also heavy in the contemporary juicy, hazy and New England IPAs and popular fruited ales. The ones sampled this week by our Brilliant Stream community were all well-made and tasty. Overall, very solid brews. Possibly due to its Scottish roots, it’s great to see them making plenty of flavorful, balanced brews with very moderate ABVs. In Ohio, they’re known for their $9.99 six packs. Hopefully, that kind of pricing holds here.

Lots more beer coming

BrewDog promises West Virginia will gets all its releases, including seasonals and even some very small batch. For instance, WV was one of only a couple of states to get Pina Playa Tropical Gose and Pulp Patriot Double Milkshake IPA.

Coming up this summer, be on the lookout for two new seasonal hazies: King of Eights NEIPA and Cybernaut New England-style Session Pale Ale. Another development to look forward to is the coming of BrewDog’s Overworks sour beers. Their sour program is led by Richard Kilcullen, the brewer who developed the stellar Funkatorium sour program at Wicked Weed Brewing in Asheville, prior to that brewery being consumed by AB-InBev.

With its location only about a two and a half hour drive from Charleston, BrewDog qualifies as “local” beer for those of us in many parts of West Virginia. From what we hear, a lot of West Virginia craft beer fans have already visited the brewery. BrewDog opened its Ohio brewery at Canal Winchester in 2017. Last summer, they added the DogHouse, a brewery hotel on site. Canal Winchester sits conveniently along U.S. Hwy 33 on the southeast side of Columbus.

BrewDog website link