Stunt-Loving Brewery Invites Actual Dogs to Design Actual Beer

BrewDog — the giant Scottish brewery on a mission to acquire more and more London pubs — has confirmed that its new flagship “Brew pub” will open in Tower Hill on Saturday 12 May. It will be the Aberdeenshire-based company’s largest stand-alone bar — with capacity for 500 people — and the only place in the UK outside its HQ in Ellon, Scotland to be producing BrewDog beers.

The company, which by the day and with every new announcement muddies the precise meaning of “craft,” remains independently owned. At the beginning of this year, it claimed itself to be worth a staggering £1.8 billion, based on its securing £10.1 million in a crowdfunding drive. Two days ago, the company appointed ex-Coca Cola VP Jason Marshall as its new chief financial officer.

But BrewDog and its owners evidently enjoy the spotlight, whether for a comedic lawsuit with Elvis Presley’s estate or through the engineering of an “ironic” International Women’s Day stunt that went badly wrong.

Even if it might be a while before the brewery re-engages with gender politics, today it has announced its latest stunty initiative: One which will see actual, living, four-legged dogs — or “man’s best friend” — invited to the pub to help “design beer.”

Here’s how it works:

• Beer-loving dog owners are being called upon to bring their pets to the bar at The Minster Building, Great Tower Hill Street from noon on Saturday 12 May, “where their dogs can take part in choosing the ingredients of the beer.”
• “In a world-first,” the recipe design process is opened up to to “man’s best friend,” — where dogs can choose from three options of hops, malts and a “special twist.”
• Whichever options the dogs “approach” and “inspect” most frequently will be selected for the final brew.
• Dogs — “renowned for their superior sense of smell” (in case it wasn’t obvious why this is a reality) will be called upon for their “exemplary olfactory abilities,” which will enable them to make what BrewDog hopes to be an “extra-special set of selections.”
• Following this, the (lucky) owners of participating dogs will be invited to assist the brewers in making the beer five days later.

And for those not fortunate enough to call a dog a pet...

As well as 25 beers on tap, three deli fridges for takeaway beers, an automated growler filling system, an arcade games area with three shuffleboards and a large terrace, the pub will breakfast and brunch as well as pizza, burgers and wings later in the day.

Ahead of the latest opening, co-founder James “Elvis” Watt said:

This iconic area of London needed a suitable statement of a BrewDog bar to match. The brewpub will not only serve the freshest BrewDog beer in London, but will allow our brewers to get creative and experimental with small-batch beers. This is the first of many BrewDog brewpubs and a vote of confidence for London’s position as one of the craft beer capitals of the world.

Further pub openings in London planned for this year include sites in Angel and Brixton.