If there’s one brand that ripped up the beer rulebook, smashed it over the bar, and poured a punk-infused IPA on top—it’s BrewDog. Since its launch in 2007 from an industrial unit in Fraserburgh, Scotland, BrewDog has morphed from a bold little brewery into a global force that spans taprooms, hotels, rooftop bars, and a full-blown cult following.
But here’s the kicker: they did it without ever fully “corporatising” their soul. BrewDog still talks like a rebel, brews like an artist, and markets like a brand that doesn’t know what a focus group is. And you know what? People love them even more for it.
Let’s take a walk through why BrewDog continues to shake up the drinks world—IPAs, lagers, stouts and all.
Beer with Attitude (and Flavour to Back It Up)
What separates BrewDog from the crowd? It’s not just quirky can art or an edgy social media presence. The beer is actually good. Often, exceptionally good.
It all started with a bottle of Punk IPA, which remains their best-selling product to this day. It was bold, tropical, unapologetically bitter—and it tasted like nothing else on supermarket shelves back in the mid-2000s. This wasn’t bland lager. This was a wake-up call in a bottle.
Since then, BrewDog has brewed up a deep, varied collection that all hits differently:
- Punk IPA – The flagship. Grapefruit and mango punch, with a satisfying bitterness. It’s become the entry point for countless craft beer converts.
- Elvis Juice – A grapefruit-infused American IPA with rich citrus and caramel undertones that make your taste buds do a little dance.
- Lost Lager – A clean and crisp German-style pilsner with an environmentally friendly twist (it’s brewed to be carbon negative).
- Hazy Jane – A juicy, New England-style IPA that can win over even the most hop-averse drinkers with its low bitterness and full mouthfeel.
- Dead Pony Club – A sessionable pale ale that doesn’t short-change flavour, even at a lower ABV.
These aren’t just beers—they’re liquid statements. Every can and bottle feels like part beverage, part brand manifesto.
That Merch Game? Surprisingly Strong
BrewDog understands that they’re not just in the beer business—they’re in the lifestyle game. And that means merch. T-shirts, hoodies, bar mats, growlers, glassware, socks—you name it, they probably sell it. But it’s not generic slap-a-logo stuff. Their designs are sharp, minimalist, and often as Instagrammable as their beer cans.
Their bestsellers? The BrewDog logo hoodie (black, of course), limited-edition collab tees, and the slightly chaotic but weirdly trendy “Beer is Dead. Long Live Beer” tote bag. It’s the kind of merch that doesn’t feel like you’re a customer—but a long-lost bandmate from their brewing garage days.
Oh—and if you’re ultra-committed? You can get a tattoo of the BrewDog logo, and they’ll reward you with free beer for life. Not kidding. People actually do this.
From a Brewery to a World of Bars and Hotels
BrewDog didn’t just stop at cans and kegs. Over the past decade, they’ve cemented one of the most successful beer bar empires out there—without going stale.
Their bars are now in cities like London, Paris, Berlin, Sydney and New York. Each one has the unmistakable BrewDog DNA: exposed brick, industrial chic interiors, long taplists, plant-based menu options, and a soundtrack that sways from punk to indie to electro—no elevator music here.
Want the full experience? Check into the BrewDog DogHouse Hotels in places like Manchester or Columbus, Ohio. These aren’t gimmicky crash pads. They’re beer-themed boutique havens: in-room taps, shower beer fridges (yes, you heard that right), and brewpubs downstairs.
Even their working headquarters—called The EcoDog Campus—has a bar, hotel, brewery, and plans to expand with sustainable eco-lodges. Because why not?
The Equity for Punks Movement
Let’s talk ownership. In one of the boldest moves in recent crowdfunding history, BrewDog launched Equity for Punks—a direct-to-fan shareholding model that gave everyday drinkers a piece of the business.
Over 200,000 people have signed on, making this arguably the biggest beer-backed grassroots equity movement around the world. Shareholders get beer discounts, exclusive shareholder beers, invites to AGMs that feel more like music festivals, and more.
It gave BrewDog brand ambassadors more than just good reasons to drink their beer—it gave them actual skin in the game.
And yes, we know—corporate critics have raised eyebrows about everything from PR stunts to management. But fan-investors argue it’s part of being radically transparent in an industry built on keeping things behind the scenes.
Green is the New Hoppy
Say what you want about big breweries and their carbon footprints—but BrewDog wasn’t going to sit on the sidelines. They’ve declared themselves the world’s first carbon-negative brewery, and they’re not phoning it in.
They’ve invested in their own forest, called the BrewDog Forest, designed to sequester carbon and support biodiversity. On top of that, they brew all electricity from wind power, recover and reuse CO₂, and use waste beer to create hand sanitiser (because why not solve multiple problems at once?).
