Semper Ardens First Gold I.P.A.
Carlsberg Danmark A/S

(700 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). Good to moderate head, deep golden colour. Nice floral and fruity aroma, tones of butterscotch and mild spices. Tastes like a very strong English bitter, the hoppy bitterness in the finish is there, but "intense" is not the word I'd use. The Semper Ardens Winter Rye is more like an IPA than this one. Decent enough, but there are better beers around.

Coming from many American IPAs and a few European IPAs, I love the immersion in hops every time I get to drink one. This beer is from the Carlsberg brewery and a part of one of their premium lines. I was naturally expecting to be impressed. The problem though, was that this is a very mild IPA. Some might not even call it one. Even though it wasn't an IPA to my standards, it was still a very smooth and impressive beer. I am glad I had it, and would recommend it, just not as an IPA.

The colour is amber-copper. The finger thick airy off white head sinks very slowly down leaving almost none lacing.

The smell is mild and creamy with a fine fruity bitterness and sweet hints of somewhat roasted malt and dry yeast.

The overall taste is bitter, but not in an extreme way. The bitter hops are accomplished by a gentle sweetness and fruity notes of apricots, orange peel and tangerines. The body is low-medium. The aftertaste is bitter with some sour notes and a lightly roasted flavour.

The carbonation is surprisingly strong; it is more like a Danish lager than an English IPA: Lots of medium-sized sharp bubbles. The liquid is a bit smooth.

Although Carlsberg markets this beer as a top-premium one, it is a very average English IPA. Good for a Carlsberg, though.

Appearance: light copper, great clarity, medium layer of frothy off-white foam, OK head retention, bit of lace

Aroma: floral/citrusy hops, fruity (Asian pears?), malty backdrop, blonde raisins

Flavor: initial malty sweetness with threads of caramel, then a rather complex hop flavor (green, citrusy, piny, delicate), finishes semi-dry with a mild bitterness and an aftertaste of caramel, pine, grain husks, and fresh wort

Mouthfeel: medium body, fine carbonation, only a touch minerally (despite them saying the water has been "Burtonized")

Other comments: Perhaps my tastes (as far as hop-centric beers are concerned) have been Americanized, but this is a bit too sweet for an IPA. It doesn't dry out enough. A smooth bitterness builds up, but doesn't quite peak. That being said, it still is an achievement for this brewing giant. Proves they're capable of more than just making a plebian pilsner.