Tactical Nuclear Penguin, the beer which had for a couple of weeks been the most alcoholic beer in the world — before 
German brewer Schorschbrau released a 40% ABV beer called Schorschbock and BrewDog fired back with their Sink the Bismarck!, which checks in at 41% ABV and a highly-alcoholic and somewhat pointless cock fight ensued — is now making its away across the pond for limited release across the U.S.ofA (Mainers, I know that Central Distributors in Lewiston got a few cases but I don’t know where they’ll end up). A move which only makes sense in the eyes of the folks at BrewDog, since about half of the bottles of Tactical Nuclear Penguin which have been sold or traded online (through either the BrewDog website or eBay) have gone to the United States.
According to Time Magazine (Time.com),
Because of the painstaking process involved with producing such a strong drink, an 11.2-oz. bottle of Sink the Bismarck! costs some $60, minus shipping. [While] Tactical Nuclear Penguin costs about $53 a bottle, and can also be ordered online.
For those concerned that the high levels of Alcohol in T.N.P. will lead to chugging and binge drinking (despite the bottle’s ungodly price tag), a warning label on the Tactical Nuclear Penguin bottle does state, “This is an extremely strong beer; it should be enjoyed in small servings and with an air of aristocratic nonchalance. It is exactly the same manner you would enjoy a fine whiskey, a Frank Zappa album or a visit from a friendly yet anxious ghost.”
For more on Tactical Nuclear Penguin, including an explanation of the (admittedly very cool) way in which the beer was made, check out this promotional video from BrewDog (warning! The video does include simulated penguin sex and a naked Scot… you’ve been warned):
5 Comments
Maybe it’s just my opinion, but once a beer gets concentrated down, either by distilling, or freezing, it’s no longer beer. Sam Adams Utopias reached it’s incredibly high alcohol content from pure fermentation, which seems much more impressive to me.
Don’t get me wrong, I would love to get my hands on a bottle of this, I’m just not sure I’d call it beer anymore than I’d call whiskey beer.
Yeah, anything with an ABV north of barleywine… it’s just not beer anymore. You might as well call it a beer-like grain spirit and have done with it.
John,
I somewhat agree with you however I would have to say I still think Eisbock is a beer…
I had the punk IPA at Delany’s Pub in New Haven CT a little while ago, and
I was surprised at the lightness of this 6% beer. It tops Blue Moon which is
so much lighter in taste. I tip my hat off to the brewers. I want it and the rest of
the products even more.
Not sure that I’d be at all enthused about a beer that has an alcohol content that high. Once you hit 40%, you might as well drink vodka.