H2DC v. 3 - Tasting notes

Once, I was an exchange student in Japan, and had a Japanese girlfriend--or ikijibiki ("walking dictionary"). She was smart, funny, artistic, and beautiful; I was in love. Unfortunately, she lived in Japan, and at the end of the year, I didn't. So with much sturm und drang--if I may be permitted to mix my linguistic metaphors a bit--the relationship ended.

Twenty-five years later, I'm having similar feelings about my three year relationship with How To Disappear Completely, or H2DC.

The beer pours up a hazy brownish amber with a tan head that dissipates quickly. The aroma on this particular batch is not quite as I remember the others. It's a bit more subdued, and the tobacco aroma that I remember are not present. The carbonation is good, and it is as dankly hoppy as I remember, but for some reason, it's not as satisfying this time around.

I've been trying to figure out exactly why, maybe it's because I've been here and done this. Much as with my Japanese girlfriend, part of the excitement of brewing this the first time was the novelty. I had never heard of BrewDog Brewing, never heard of How To Disappear Completely, and certainly never thought I would taste such a hoppy 3% alcohol beer.

I like it, but I find myself dreading pouring a pint, and struggling to finish a third pint--not because I'm hammered, but because I just don't want any more. Is the dark, dank hop flavor? Maybe. I just don't know.

I don't think I will brew this again.

If this is the last time I brew this beer, then I need to enjoy it. Although, I expect that in February, I may be craving it again, and find myself spending far too long looking at Northern Brewer's English malts, and gazing longingly at their hop list. Like that old girlfriend, I will be thinking about this beer a long time.