Kipling - Thornbridge Brewery

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.33/5  rDev -18%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

500ml bottle: slightly out of date when poured into an 'Old Speckled Hen' badged pint vase on 9th Dec 2012.

Pale yellow body with a slight haze to it: on top a rippling uneven head of white bubbles.

Tropical fruit aroma: the taste is simular but more citrusy with the dry citrusy bitterness getting stronger as the mouth loses the last drop of beer in each sip/gulp. This is a summers day brew, not a cold December evening one. Refreshing but not at all warming or cosy.

Well crafted but not a beer I'll be trying to find again: my taste buds prefer sweeter, maltier flavours.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 19:26:22 | More by BlackHaddock

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.01/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A- pours a cloudy colour of apricot, very small head of foam, doesn't leave much lacing.

S- aromas of tropical fruit, some sweetness and citrus.

T- tarts with tropical fruitiness and sweet malt and bread, gets a bitter mid palate and in the finish with some lemon and grapefruit. Pretty balanced and flavourful..yeah, I'm a fan of Nelson Suavin hops, and Thornbridge did a good job with them here.

M- medium bodied, rather light with the carbonation, good mouthfeel.

O- a tasty 5.2% abv brew that's easy drinking and quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 13:02:56 | More by Bitterbill

KTCamm

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Discovered on tap at The Little Pub in Ridgefield CT.

Pours yellow, dark and cloudy. Fluffy white foam that is clingy. Fruity passion fruit nose. Malty too. Quite peppy. Smooth full tasty fruit tones, firm hop. Smooth throughout. Leaves a pleasant follow through taste. Surprisingly really good,.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 22:41:02 | More by KTCamm

ngeunit1

California

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy golden-yellow with a finger of frothy white head.

S - Caramel and biscuit malts, citrus, pine, and floral hops, English yeast.

T - Sweet caramel and biscuit malts, grapefruit, citrus, pine, and floral hops, slightly resiny bitterness, English yeast, lemon zest.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a sweet, lightly bitter finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice balanced hoppy English Pale Ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 07:41:26 | More by ngeunit1

GrantBrennan

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.5%

04-28-2013 22:52:34 | More by GrantBrennan

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

From old notes.

A - Poured with a light golden colour and a two finger fluffy white head. Bright. Very carbonation, good thick lace rings and a half finger of retention.

S - Light fruits, very tropical, mango, crackers.

T - Fruit juices, tropical fruit, some nice sugary fruit sweetness. Mango, grass, juicy sweet fruits up front then a deeper flavour in the back.

M - Decent bite in the finish, good carbonation but maybe a bit much, light to medium body.

O/D - Nice and fruity. Shows off Nelson well. Light and easy to drink, yet flavourful and complex.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 14:36:22 | More by tbeckett

fdig23

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.5%

04-21-2013 01:31:03 | More by fdig23

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -1.5%

04-01-2013 09:00:36 | More by RedneckBeerz

His_Royal_Hoppiness

United Kingdom (England)

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%

03-28-2013 22:13:44 | More by His_Royal_Hoppiness

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a tulip glass)
A- This beer has a slightly hazy lemon yellow body with a big bubbly dish soap head of white.

S- The clean papery green hops have a nice green lemon aroma to follow

T- The green papery English hops are followed by a gentle green herbal hop flavor that lingers as a nice mellow pungency with no real bitterness.

M- The medium mouthfeel is smooth with no alcohol heat

O- The fresh easy drinking beer has great hop flavor but the malt and yeast profile are pretty well hidden. It still very drinkable and would be lovely as a British pint instead of a 10oz. tulip.

Serving type: cask

03-27-2013 14:22:40 | More by rhoadsrage

iD9

California

3.88/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from the bottle into a 8 oz. cognac snifter.

Appearance: Bright straw-yellow color with a foamy head. Little retention, immediately boils down to a minimal lace. Notable carbonation in the glass. Brew is clear through-and-through. A slight golden tint through the body of the beer.

Smell: Slight earthy nose, and a touch of piney aroma. Ends with a mild fresh-hop finish. Aromatics are inoffensive and fit the style.

Taste: Dry throughout, with a hint of malt towards the back end. Finishes with a touch of hop bitterness but, again, very mild.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied and crisp. As the carbonation dies down some the body fills out a touch but is still notably effervescent.

Overall: Infinitely quaffable. Light, crisp characteristic with a mild aromatic profile and refreshing array of flavors make Thornbridge's Kipling and excellent summer beer. A definite improvement on many summer standards. I approve.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 22:13:57 | More by iD9

JohnQVD

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured on Feb 19 from a growler filled on Feb 16.

Straw colored with a light layer of foam. Mildly effervescent. Nose is grapefruity and floral with pine resin. Mouthfeel is light and bright. Taste is bitter and tart at first, with a hint of mineral and a slightly bitter, nutty aftertaste.

Overall, this beer is well balanced, tasty and refreshing.

Serving type: growler

02-20-2013 01:55:42 | More by JohnQVD

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: medium yellow-gold color, with a touch of haze....topped with a bright, off-white, soft-foamy head....very nice, narrow bands of lace, some smears

S: fresh, green cereal grass, earthy and woody....lemon or grapefruit peel....sweet, sugary crystal malt and some light toffee....some faint toasted pale malt

T: earthy, "plant-like" hop flavor, potent, vibrant...nice hop bitterness, balanced well with the honey-ish, slightly doughy malt flavors....moderate, smooth citrus-zesty zing...touch of sweetness....refreshingly bitter and fruity (white grape, lemon) through a dry enough finish

M: light, yet malty, in a Czech Pils fashion....perhaps some delicate graininess

O: fantastic English pale....more like a prototypical American pale, but with very (or entirely) English nuances....could see this being misinterpreted and/or underrated (though I see here many agree with me on its merits)

Serving type: on-tap

02-09-2013 19:04:48 | More by Bouleboubier

Pelicanrocks

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev -1.5%

02-01-2013 20:11:38 | More by Pelicanrocks

MikeyMikee

New York

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

01-26-2013 21:27:50 | More by MikeyMikee

westcoastbeerlvr

California

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

01-11-2013 17:41:23 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The best American-style pale ale I have ever enjoyed from a British brewery. As a self-professed "hop head", this beer is an exceptionally pleasant surprise.

Pours a hazy and insipid yellow with a limited white head that did not offer great expectations. However a delightful hop-forward aroma of tropical fruits with a mild citrus undertone hints at the upcoming flavour profile. Enough malted barley for a decent body and mouthfeel, but an impressively wide hop palate: mango, pineapple and other tropical fruits with pine resin and citrus elements. Nice balance of sweet and dry across the body with a lingering bitterness to the finish.

Rating it based on enjoyment rather than style, as this is unlike any other "British" ale I have had... would definitely recommend!

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 00:09:58 | More by hopsolutely

samEBC

Belgium

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

12-18-2012 20:09:41 | More by samEBC

VaporDome

New York

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

12-09-2012 21:09:32 | More by VaporDome

rolive

4.75/5  rDev +17%

12-03-2012 00:37:30 | More by rolive

cfalovo97

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -26.1%

11-22-2012 01:54:06 | More by cfalovo97

nikbullet

4/5  rDev -1.5%

11-15-2012 02:48:49 | More by nikbullet

BGDrock

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: white head, thick and bubbly; golden like a pineapple; clear

Aroma: pineapple and mango slap you in the face, with fresh hop bitterness balancing it out

Taste & Mouthfeel: medium-light body and silky smooth; mild sweetness is very different and balanced just right with bitterness - this ones is all about the hops; specific flavours don't play in taste as much as did in the aroma, but the fruit is definitely tropical

Overall: a great choice for summer with light, unusual flavours, and very easy-drinking

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 01:11:38 | More by BGDrock

Polasiuss

Ireland

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%

11-01-2012 23:47:05 | More by Polasiuss

haz77

United Kingdom (England)

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a clear straw with a finger of frothy white head. The quickly recedes but a swirl of the glass easily refreshes it. A couple of streamers are visible.

S - Biscuity malt, guava, passion fruit, pineapple, some grassy (?) hops buried behind all of this. Fairly tempting.

T - The start is all biscuity malt before the tropical fruit really moves forward in the middle. Guava and passion fruit in particular are prominent at the end along with bubblegum. A lightly dry bitter aftertaste lingers for some time. Very pleasantly and easily quaffable, if lacking some depth of interest.

M - Medium body with soft, persistent carbonation, which finally fades at the end of the drink, leaving the hop bitterness to cleanse the palate. Solid.

D - Well crafted, solid brew. An easy drinker with just enough punch to catch you out.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 11:52:52 | More by haz77