This beer that is a collaboration between the Scottish brewery BrewDog and the Swedish beer magazine BeerSweden was somewhat of a hype in Sweden even before it was released in 2011. Hello, My Name is Ingrid is a tribute to Sweden and flavored with the gold of the forest that is the cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus), a rare circumpolar boreal plant that grows naturally throughout the Northern Hemisphere from around 78°N to 55°N.
"So just who is Ingrid? Perhaps she’s a reference to the Swedish silver screen icon or maybe it’s the line seemingly spoken by every other Swedish actress in films from the 60s and 70s (we know you know the ones we’re talking about)."
BrewDog was founded in 2006 in the little Scottish town Ellon by two young enthusiasts. They were tired of the unidirectional and boring supply of beer and decided to make the beer they wanted to drink. Fortunately for them, they were not the only ones who longed for something else. Their beers made an almost instant impact on the market, partly for their cocky, disrespectful attitude and quirky marketing, but mostly for the quality of their products.
Hello, My Name is Ingrid is a DIPA (Double India Pale Ale) or Imperial Pale Ale, a type of ale that emerged in the western USA during the 1990s. India Pale Ale had grown steadily in popularity since the late 70s and breweries tried to outdo each other in terms of hops, bitterness and alcohol strength. Eventually, the question had to be asked asked if it was still justified to call the beer IPA, or if a new style had been developed. The new style was named Double IPA or Imperial IPA. Double, since it contains more hops and malt than a standard IPA, which gives a more full-bodied and sweeter beer with a lot of hop aroma and bitterness. The alcohol content is from 7% and up.
BrewDog Hello, My Name is Ingrid
Besides cloudberries, Hello, My Name is Ingrid is flavored with the beautiful hop mix of Citra, Nelson Sauvin and Bramling Cross.
Origin: Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Brewery: BrewDog
Style: Double IPA / Imperial IPA
ABV: 8,2 %
330 ml bottle
Appearance: Dark peach with a semi-cloudy liquid and a neat little foam.
Nose: Extremely fruity and a bit funky (urine?), as expected from cloudberries. Soapy sweetness and distinct bitterness. Overall quite summery, refreshing and really inviting.
Palate: A round bitterness of sweet grape juice, ripe mango and pine with a soapy mouth-feel. The alcohol shines through somewhat, but in a forgiving way. There is also a good dose of sap and pine. Sweet and chewy jam flavors of raspberry, orange, lime and cloudberry. I expected her to taste more of cloudberry though. The carbonation is quite mild.
Finish: Tart and dry with a light pine bitterness.
Conclusion: A full-bodied and generous beer with a very good balance between sweetness and bitterness. Powerful and yet easy to drink. The only disappointment is that I wish it had a more distinct cloudberry flavor. Most quaffable and a beer I'll gladly return to. Final verdict: 4.0 out of 5 hop cones.