Nanodog Shiny Flying Elephant
BrewDog

 

I'm trying this off the tapper at the Canal Winchester (Columbus), Ohio brewery as part of a four sample flight. It poured a slightly hazy golden with thin white head that is not leaving much lace. The scent had hints of citrus. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with good citrus hop presence. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a great beer.

 

12oz can. Poured out a clear, golden orange color with a small, white head of bubbly foam. It left sticky lacing on the glass. It smelled of orange peel, grapefruit rind, pine and sweet caramel. Nice fruity taste with tropical notes and bitter pine. Toasted malt backbone.

Partly hazy, partly bitter and all New Zealand, Brewdog's pilot series, Nanodog shines a light on the hops from Down Under with an IPA that showcases those classic tropical and tangy hop varieties to their best.

Shiny Flying Elephant takes off with a hazy golden appearance glossed over with a matte finish. As an ivory froth rises, so do a blend of tropical, citrus, herbal and melon fruits. A generally sweet and starchy malt profile captures the early palate with cereal, shortcake and honeysuckle.

As the ale washes the middle palate, its cereal malts recede and the hops hit a crescendo with bold impressions of passionfruit, pineapple, lemon and papaya. Creamy with hints of pawpaw and a nearly banana-like vanilla profile, the hops round into a juicier honeydew and light peach character. White grape brings a slight suggestion of wine before the session takes a bitter turn with green tea, hemp and verbena closing the flavors out herbal and pleasantly grassy.

Medium bodied and trending malty-dry, the beer finishes with a collection of gin-like botanicals with a fresh spruce and peppery bite. An extension of fruit peels and fragrant grasses allow for a medium long aftertaste of bitter resins for a refreshingly plump and bright character overall.