Challenger (IPA Is Dead)
BrewDog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A - Pours a clear amber under a finger of frothy white head and spotty lacing.

S - Nothing big and brash about this, some tame fruity hops and tea and not a lot else.

T - Earthy english hops, earl grey tea, some lemon and herbs. Subdued for a supposed Amercian style IPA.

M - Light to medium body with decent carbonation.

O - I probably won't revisit this.

Pours dark amber with a small head.
Nose shows honey and herbal notes, also spicy and grassy hops along with biscuit notes.
Weird flavours, very herbal, earthy and spicy. Some caramel underneath, followed by an assertive but well-balanced bitterness.
Could use more carbonation.

The colour is gold with a tint of brown, the liquid is clear. The finger thick head is off-white and compact. It leaves some lacing.

The smell got notes of lemonade and summer meadow flowers. Buttercups and fruit candy.

The taste got quite a lot of fruit esters. Summer flowers, but also an artificial note of citric scent block. Elegant and smooth flavours, although a bit artificial. Balanced aftertaste with flowers and a touch of citric peels. The finish is long and smooth.

The carbonation is smooth, the many bubbles small. The liquid is smooth.

I reviewed it together with the three other IPA Is Dead ales, and this one was the most complex one. Shame about the artificial flavours.

 

 

BB 2013

Pours cloudy amber - pillowy white head fizzes and dies. Spotty lace.

Aromas of citrus mandarins - but add earthy herbal notes

Taste less good, more tea-like, with earthy herbal hops, you almost forget citrus in an AIPA!!

Mouthfeel nicely carbonnated, medium bodied. All good here again.

Worst of IPA bunch - well made beer, I just don't like the taste

 

The third in the fourpack that im trying and pours a hazy golden honey hue which leaves a two finger head and sporadic lacing,the smell is lemon tea,freshly picked blackcurrants,herbal hops,caramel malts and honey,the mouthfeel is medium bodied and suits better than the other two previous sampled with tastes of lemon honey,herbal earthy hops,nectarines,lemongrass,toffee malts and finished with a herbal bitterness and overall not a bad IPA and i must admit these showcasing of single hops is a good thing i know Mikkeller was the first one to do it but it really does give certain hops the justice they deserve on their own cheers.

The beer is almost clear amber, small bubbles, an off-white head with some lacing, but rather good curtains.

The smell is lemon, black currant and a hint of smoke.

The taste is rather sweet, toffee and bread, some nuts, grass and nettles.

Medium low carbonation, soft and oily, a good body, a slow dry finish.

A nice calm and harmonic single hop, that's good.

Tihs is one of four I'm reviewing from the second 4-pack single hop AIPAs called IPA is dead. I'm gonig to review them side by side.

A: Pours copper with some small bubbles in the liquid. A medium large but soapy uneven head leaves decent lacings.

S: Sweet caramell malt with lots of floral and also some bitter hops (in this case Challenger). Blood-grapefruits and oranges.

T: Sweet caramell malts, rich bitter hops some faint piney and citric notes.

M: Aftertaste lingers with nice bitterness. Body is full while carbonation is moderate.

O: A nice AIPA. The Single hopping makes it less complex.