8.6 I.P.L
Swinkels Family Brewers
- From:
- Swinkels Family Brewers
- Netherlands
- Style:
- India Pale Lager (IPL)
Ranked #64 - ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 82
Ranked #34,357 - Avg:
- 3.52 | pDev: 10.8%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 10
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 28, 2025
- Added:
- Aug 01, 2018
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
82
Good
82
Good
The “werewolf” within the pack. A lager Transforming into an Intense Pale Lager when the moon is bright!. The 8.6 IPL is a cross between a drinkable, powerful lager and a firm hoppy IPA. A freshly bitter hop flavour and a softly sweet malt base fight for the attention of your taste buds in this lager. A duality to which even Little Red Riding Hood would surrender. For all you “werewolves “out there!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by dano213 from Pennsylvania
3.34/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.34/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Catching up on a few beer reviews that I recorded on paper during my vacation in Israel
500mL can purchased from the fridge as a single. Not sure how much it was, but it was probably around $4.
Look: Pale gold color with a thick 1 1/2 finger of fluffy, frothy white head. Visual carbonation.
Smell: Nice citrusy hop aroma. Kind of has a Belgian aroma vibe with clove and Noble hop aromas. Candy sugar faint peach aroma, kind of like peach hard candy.
Taste: Way too sweet. The fourth ingredient, after natural mineral water, barley malt, and wheat malt is glucose syrup, then hops. Is the glucose used in place of malt as a fermentation source? Up front, it's cloyingly sweet with the subtle peach flavor. Finish is a bit peppery and thankfully, drier than the palate up front.
Feel: Light to medium bodied. A bit of a syrupy mouthfeel, not in a good way.
Overall: This does not taste like an IPL to me. It just tastes like a sweet IPA to me. Drain pour.
Sep 02, 2025500mL can purchased from the fridge as a single. Not sure how much it was, but it was probably around $4.
Look: Pale gold color with a thick 1 1/2 finger of fluffy, frothy white head. Visual carbonation.
Smell: Nice citrusy hop aroma. Kind of has a Belgian aroma vibe with clove and Noble hop aromas. Candy sugar faint peach aroma, kind of like peach hard candy.
Taste: Way too sweet. The fourth ingredient, after natural mineral water, barley malt, and wheat malt is glucose syrup, then hops. Is the glucose used in place of malt as a fermentation source? Up front, it's cloyingly sweet with the subtle peach flavor. Finish is a bit peppery and thankfully, drier than the palate up front.
Feel: Light to medium bodied. A bit of a syrupy mouthfeel, not in a good way.
Overall: This does not taste like an IPL to me. It just tastes like a sweet IPA to me. Drain pour.
Reviewed by Sinte from Italy
2.9/5 rDev -17.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.9/5 rDev -17.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Can 0.5L.
Clear pale golden body with an average, frothy, white head, mostly diminishing with virtually no lacing.
Moderate hoppy (flowers, citrus) and light-to-moderate malty (grains) aroma with notes of alcohol.
Moderate bitter and light-to-moderate sweet flavour; short bitter/sweet finish.
Light-to-medium body with watery-to-oily texture, soft carbonation.
Jul 05, 2025Clear pale golden body with an average, frothy, white head, mostly diminishing with virtually no lacing.
Moderate hoppy (flowers, citrus) and light-to-moderate malty (grains) aroma with notes of alcohol.
Moderate bitter and light-to-moderate sweet flavour; short bitter/sweet finish.
Light-to-medium body with watery-to-oily texture, soft carbonation.
Reviewed by DraftMonger from Denmark
2.94/5 rDev -16.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
2.94/5 rDev -16.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Sestri Levante 17/7 2024. 50 cl can from Carrefour Express, Via Nazionale, Sestri Levante. White can with Bavaria’s usual design for their 8.6 line of beers with a Wolf head en face.
Pours clear pale yellow with a big white head. A bit bubbly. Settles as a thin, almost transparent layer of foam stretching to cover the surface of the beer. No lacing.
Aroma is medium intense with a sweet malty odor mingling with q bit of the scent of citric hops. Sweet pale malts and bread. Lemon and lime. Sour grins and alcohol.
Light carbonation. Slightly thick oily, soft, lightly tingling texture.
Flavor is medium intense with a medium strong sweetness followed by a slightly more moderate citric bitterness. Aftertaste is tart and a bit bitter. Lingers for a while. Finish is citric and a bit sour.
Not as alcohol forward as most ventures in Bavaria’s 8.6 series.
Feb 11, 2025Pours clear pale yellow with a big white head. A bit bubbly. Settles as a thin, almost transparent layer of foam stretching to cover the surface of the beer. No lacing.
Aroma is medium intense with a sweet malty odor mingling with q bit of the scent of citric hops. Sweet pale malts and bread. Lemon and lime. Sour grins and alcohol.
Light carbonation. Slightly thick oily, soft, lightly tingling texture.
Flavor is medium intense with a medium strong sweetness followed by a slightly more moderate citric bitterness. Aftertaste is tart and a bit bitter. Lingers for a while. Finish is citric and a bit sour.
Not as alcohol forward as most ventures in Bavaria’s 8.6 series.
Reviewed by FLima from Brazil
3.32/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.32/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Light yellow color with a thin head.
Mild, but nice assertive Citra aroma with notes of pine, passionfruit and faint mango once it warms up.
Flavor with notes of piney and spicy hops, some mango, malt sweetness, somewhat flowery and a bit of Lager yeast. Dry and bitter aftertaste.
Light body with appropriate carbonation. Alcohol of 7% is well disguised regardless of the thin body.
Assertive and refreshing piney and citric IPL. I was expecting much less from this.
Jul 25, 2024Mild, but nice assertive Citra aroma with notes of pine, passionfruit and faint mango once it warms up.
Flavor with notes of piney and spicy hops, some mango, malt sweetness, somewhat flowery and a bit of Lager yeast. Dry and bitter aftertaste.
Light body with appropriate carbonation. Alcohol of 7% is well disguised regardless of the thin body.
Assertive and refreshing piney and citric IPL. I was expecting much less from this.
Reviewed by MadMadMike from France
3.6/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pounder can, straight up, in Toulouse, France.
Thought I’d embarassed myself for cheaping out on a refresher. I was wrong. This is an aight lager - IPA hybrid that I’d probably pour out properly next time. Maybe.,
Mar 27, 2024Thought I’d embarassed myself for cheaping out on a refresher. I was wrong. This is an aight lager - IPA hybrid that I’d probably pour out properly next time. Maybe.,
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.52/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
500 mL can from TBS; best before Nov 2022 and served well chilled. I've disliked every other 8.6 I've had, but I've got a good feeling about this one.
Pours a brilliantly clear, bright golden-yellow colour, producing more than an inch of rocky, foamy white head that dissipates within five minutes or so. A frothy collar and patchy cap of suds remain in place, as well as a glorious coat of doily patterned lace - looks fantastic so far. Floral on the nose, with grapefruit and soapy lemon also figuring in prominently.
It's surprisingly not bad at all, and the 7% is also well-masked - particularly when served cold (it gets a little more noticeable as the glass warms). The malt flavours are doughy, with hints of honey sweetness and bread; the hops lean toward the floral, grassy, earthy sides of the spectrum, with added citrusy hints of lemon rind. These flavours weaken into a malty, slightly boozy-sweet aftertaste that dissipates within a few seconds. Medium in body, with moderately low carbonation that gently tickles the palate; feels smooth and a little slick/syrupy on the tongue. It's drinkable enough, but by the last gulp I was plenty ready to move on.
Final Grade: 3.52, scrapping out a B grade. 8.6 I.P.L. is a peculiar & unique beer, or at least it is here in Canada. This fad style never really took off, and 'strong' variants such as this are downright uncommon. The fact that it's a Dutch export and tied to a Euro malt liquor brand that I disdain only adds to the peculiarity. It's not something I'd want to drink regularly, but I think it could really hit the mark in the right circumstances - i.e. if you're a (not especially picky) hophead looking for something strong and poundable. Worth taking a flyer on.
Sep 21, 2022Pours a brilliantly clear, bright golden-yellow colour, producing more than an inch of rocky, foamy white head that dissipates within five minutes or so. A frothy collar and patchy cap of suds remain in place, as well as a glorious coat of doily patterned lace - looks fantastic so far. Floral on the nose, with grapefruit and soapy lemon also figuring in prominently.
It's surprisingly not bad at all, and the 7% is also well-masked - particularly when served cold (it gets a little more noticeable as the glass warms). The malt flavours are doughy, with hints of honey sweetness and bread; the hops lean toward the floral, grassy, earthy sides of the spectrum, with added citrusy hints of lemon rind. These flavours weaken into a malty, slightly boozy-sweet aftertaste that dissipates within a few seconds. Medium in body, with moderately low carbonation that gently tickles the palate; feels smooth and a little slick/syrupy on the tongue. It's drinkable enough, but by the last gulp I was plenty ready to move on.
Final Grade: 3.52, scrapping out a B grade. 8.6 I.P.L. is a peculiar & unique beer, or at least it is here in Canada. This fad style never really took off, and 'strong' variants such as this are downright uncommon. The fact that it's a Dutch export and tied to a Euro malt liquor brand that I disdain only adds to the peculiarity. It's not something I'd want to drink regularly, but I think it could really hit the mark in the right circumstances - i.e. if you're a (not especially picky) hophead looking for something strong and poundable. Worth taking a flyer on.
Reviewed by leaddog from Canada (AB)
3.87/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.87/5 rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Appearance - Pours a clear gold with four fingers of frothy white head.
Smell - earthy, leafy, citrus, and grassy hops, lemon, hay aromas, bready and biscuity malts, and earthy yeast.
Taste - mild earthy, leafy, citrus, and grassy hops upfront. The lemon, apple, and hay aromas come through next. The bready and biscuity malts alongside the earthy yeast round out the brew.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Finishes a touch sticky with the hops and the sweetness of the malts lingering.
Overall - An easy drinking IPL that has some characteristics down. I just wish the hops were a bit more pronounced in it but otherwise a nice crushable brew.
May 08, 2022Smell - earthy, leafy, citrus, and grassy hops, lemon, hay aromas, bready and biscuity malts, and earthy yeast.
Taste - mild earthy, leafy, citrus, and grassy hops upfront. The lemon, apple, and hay aromas come through next. The bready and biscuity malts alongside the earthy yeast round out the brew.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Finishes a touch sticky with the hops and the sweetness of the malts lingering.
Overall - An easy drinking IPL that has some characteristics down. I just wish the hops were a bit more pronounced in it but otherwise a nice crushable brew.
Reviewed by Pmicdee from Canada (ON)
3.94/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours crystal clear gold colour with a thin and loose white head. The smell/taste are corny and grainy, but also a lot hoppier than expected. A bit of a sweetness on the back end. Nothing offensive at all. Nice effervescence
April 18 2022
Apr 19, 2022April 18 2022
Reviewed by Tony787 from Canada (ON)
3.74/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I bought a can at the LCBO in Ontario Canada 8.6 India pale ale at 7%.
My can says brewed and canned in Holland by Bavaria brewery..
Poured a 1finger head into glass clear golden color slow carbonation .
Leaving a lace as you drink it .
Tropical fruit flavors with a low bitterness level makes it easy to drink.
Overall a good IPL
Cheers.
Dec 14, 2021My can says brewed and canned in Holland by Bavaria brewery..
Poured a 1finger head into glass clear golden color slow carbonation .
Leaving a lace as you drink it .
Tropical fruit flavors with a low bitterness level makes it easy to drink.
Overall a good IPL
Cheers.
Rated by Ushouldbeworkinh from England
3/5 rDev -14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Suite liked it
Nov 30, 2020
Reviewed by josanguapo from Spain
3.37/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.37/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
De Carrefour. En copa Teku. En almuerzo, con macarrones bechamel + pollo guisado. De vuelta de festival medieval de Gines. Mas ajustada a estilo de lo esperado. Sin bien se nota algo de dulzor alcoholico, no molesta y el lupulado citrico es apreciable y agradable
Dec 16, 2018
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