Collaboration beers - they are all over the place, and there are a pair of canine named breweries that have both launched a beer by the name "International Arms Race". Both 7.5%, these IPA's have been made without hops - a diversion from their normal styles where hops tend to be the dominant flavour. I decided to try them both blind, and to see which I preferred.
International Arms Race 1
An aroma that immediately made me think 'Brew Dog' - light, fresh and gingery with a bit of cigarette ash. The palate is sweet, but light, some floral notes with some sweet malt coming through and a bit of mint strangely. Much more aggressive, much more in your face and although drinkable, I couldn't finish a whole bottle. 76pts Brew Dog?
International Arms Race 2
Some chocolate, some Irn Bru with a bit of cough sweets coming out. QUite fizzy, a slightly strange subtle flavour, some saltwater taffy coming through with a liquorice/aniseed flavour finish with some pot pourri. Quite chunky a lot of rich sweet floral flavours. A better beer than the first one, but again, would I drink a whole bottle? I think this is the Flying Dog. 80pts
So it turns out that IAR 1 was the Brew Dog and IAR 2 from Flying Dog. I preferred the American beer, but in our blind tasting involving five people, the vote went 3:2 in favour of the Scottish beer. However the general consensus was that neither of these beers was very good.
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