Greene King IPA - Greene King / Morland Brewery

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

2.88/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This ENGLISH BITTER was poured from a 500ml can into a pint glass.

Pours a nice amber colour with a decent head and some lacing.

Smells slightly off, malty and hoppy though.

Tastes even more off, nice balanced malts and hops but with a distinctive artificial/chemical tang.

Overall this beer is ok. Rubbish compared with other good bitters though.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 21:06:09 | More by CwrwAmByth

rapayn01

Kentucky

2.68/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I drank this beer from the bottle at a barbeque in Brighton. It was part of a 4-for-3 sale at the Waitrose that weekend and I should have purchased more bottles of Jaipur IPA instead. This is a fairly bland IPA -- not very flavorful, though I rightly expected a greater hops taste.

The beer is a fairly nice brownish color in the clear bottle and I did not note anything special about the smell. I may have picked up some mild hints of citrus -- or perhaps a hint of soft flowers.

I've now had 2 different beers from Greene King and would encourage them to up their hop quotient.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 15:22:05 | More by rapayn01

vancurly

Australia

3.28/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

a) Clear amber, soft 1" white head
s) Lemon zest, black tea, iced cup cakes or brandy snaps. An English tea-time ale.
t) Biscuits, bread crusts floral notes. Ginger ale / Earl Grey tea. Mild bitterness
m) Quite light, quick over the tongue, more like lemonade than ale. Slightly tart finish.
o) A flavoursome session ale, quite delicate in profile and easy to drink. Not exactly a benchmark IPA, but decent hop flavours nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 22:27:57 | More by vancurly

opalchemist

United Arab Emirates

3.38/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Nice copperish amber with shortlived cream white head.

Nose: Fresh and piney; a bit sour.

Tongue: a bit like weak malty coffee, slightly creamy, with bitterness [strangely not very hoppy]. Not very persistent.

Mouthfeel: again like slightly creamy coffee, less carbonization.

Afterthought: surprisingly short.

Overall: Not a bad beer - but comically without a lot of character. Still very drinkable...

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 00:42:43 | More by opalchemist

mulder1010

Australia

3/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

500 ML poured into a SA Perfect Pint

A-- Poured a clear, dark amber color. Very short lived off white head that quickly went to film. Decent head retention as head goes to one finger and slowly dies off. Little bit of carbonation showing in pour and just a few wisps of film.

S-- Stewed asparagus, stewed cabbage and a bit of cat pee. Using a sav blanc reference. A bit herbal skunky and soapy but does have some freshness to this. Nose softens up a bunch with air and gets more palatable.

T-- Lots of hop presence in the taste. Mostly spicy vegetable hop taste but not that bad. Not a fruit or pine bitterness and it is very short lived.

M-- Thin and sweet. Very much like a simple syrup taste. Hops drop off and get a lot of residual sweetness. Keep thinking thin iced tea but quite clean. Light feel and medium carbonation.

O-- Not a lot to this and not all that bad. As a palate changer it works. Not something I would want a lot of but it works in some odd way.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 14:39:35 | More by mulder1010

inthebeeraisle

Oregon

3.15/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a clear glass bottle at John's Market in Multnomah Village. Not into clear glass, & I know this isn't a high volume mover. What the heck. I was feeling like a British beer. Poured into an Imperial pint glass, perfect fit.

A: Pours a clear copper with a rich white head that dies down quickly. Doesn't seem to carbonated, but upon further inspection there are plenty of bubbles.

S: Smells a little skunked. Kind of a dutch lager smell. Hops are barely there.

T: A tame IPA for sure. Given the 5.0% abv & English origins I am not surprised. Not as sweet as other English IPA's I've had before. Low hop character with a mellow smooth finish.

M: Once again smooth, rich mouthfeel that seems to coat the palate. Clean taste without having much going on.

D: A very easy to drink beer. I'd like to try it from a can or on tap next time.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 01:35:21 | More by inthebeeraisle

Wattsox

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

3.93/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pleasant dark amber colour. Thin head which didn't stay around too long, though was served in two pours into a smaller beer glass which could account for it.

S: Caramel / malts the most obvious smell, light on hops.

T: Quite nice for a session beer, malty with a touch of bitterness on the end.

M: Light carbonation, not too heavy, quite a smooth, light drink overall.

D: Nice and smooth, very easy to drink. Could very well be a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2010 03:04:23 | More by Wattsox

robnews

New Brunswick (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a Stella chalice.
Not much head to speak of. Very thin. Nice dark red orange appearance.

Caramel smell is the first thing noticeable.

Tastes nice initially, bitter near the end covered in moderate carbonation. malty and caramel throughout. lingering bitterness afterwards. Not a bad beer...no hop flavor present.

Tasty IPA, though not a strong one. A good beer to try. I have it regularly.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2010 23:45:42 | More by robnews

shamus

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This IPA has a very strong malt flavour. That being said it's a nice one. You can taste the mashed grains in the body. It's smooth and very nice when chilled. It's sweeter than what i like but this is a confidently produced product that is sure to make some people very satisfied. I'm just not getting much in way of hops in this but that's okay since overall it is quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2010 20:20:49 | More by shamus

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

3.48/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a nonic. This one's the 5% export with no clear freshness date. Pours a robust amber-brown hue, with a few scattered bubbles for the head, which dissolved entirely, leaving no trace of head or lacing. Oh well...

The nose is slightly hoppy, with a touch of malts and caramel.

Surprisingly sweet and malty to begin, with the hop bitterness arriving later and lingering for a while. Not as sharp as I'd like it, but it'll do nicely for a bitter. Notes of toffee, caramel and lemon as well.

Mouthfeel is medium-slick, with decent carbonation, making this highly quaffable.

Not bad at all. Could use a bit more work to get it more within the bitter/IPA range, but still a fairly sessionable bitter.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2010 17:59:11 | More by JohnnyBarman

fullsweep

United Kingdom (England)

3.88/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 mL clear bottle poured into a pint glass.

Out of the three formats I've tried, bottled is my favorite (can, cask, bottle).

A: brownish-copper beer has clarity, 1-finger head with minimal lacing.te

S: sourish-sweet and malty.

T: the flavors are more pronounced here in the bottled version for whatever reason. While I found the canned and cask versions to be a bit on the bland side, this one had a bit more umph to it.

M: nice carbonation, moderate body.

D: very refreshing!

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2009 23:30:20 | More by fullsweep

PartyBear

United Kingdom (England)

4.22/5  rDev +27.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a chilled 660ml bottle in to a traditional pint glass.

A - Dark to medium brown in colour. Pours with a good head, however this fades fast. Doesn't appear very lively.

S - Quite sweet malty aromas, overall very mild though.

T - The initial taste is bready malts, which is followed by a mild bitter hoppiness. The flavours are very subdued, and not over powering, ending in a slightly bitter creaminess.

M - Smooth, and refreshing yet carbonic. Light for an IPA.

D - I personally love this beer and have been drinking it for years. I think it demonstrates that you don't need excessive alcohol and brutally strong flavours to make a great beer. I can understand the lower ratings from the American drinkers as they are used to IPA that attacks the palete with an onslaught of bitter hops but that is not what the English IPAs are about. Try it and enjoy it for what it is; an easy to drink English IPA. Also, a word of warning, this IPA is far superior on cask and bottle in comparison to cans.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2009 18:25:55 | More by PartyBear

Seanstoppable

Nova Scotia (Canada)

3.05/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pouring into a mug results in a brownish amber ale with a finger of head.

Smell consists of a minimal hop scent, as well as something similar to nectar.

Taste is somewhat complex. Some sweetness rolls over the tongue initially, which evolves into some bitterness and earthiness. An earthy aftertaste stays in your cheeks for a bit after.

I don't know if I would call the finish crisp and refreshing, but overall it is a decent brew. Unfortunately for it, I know better bitters and IPAs for its price point here.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2009 21:39:43 | More by Seanstoppable

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.83/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I was suprised to see I hadn't reviewed this beer before, must have missed it somehow.

Anyway, I am having a Pale Ale day and this is my first one (Purity Mad Goose, Brew Dog Punk IPA and a Brooklyn East India Pale Ale to follow).

The 660ml brown bottle was out of date by two months on opening and was poured into two vase shaped glasses, one a pint, the other a half.

Looked fine, clear and mid-amber in colour, the head was almost white and full, staying for most of the tasting.

Hops dominated the aroma, not 'in your face' nasty, just a good harty smell (First Gold and Challenger are used).

The hops are also the main feature of the taste, again not over the top. The beer has a good balance and all the ingrediants blend together to produce an easy drinking ale with a typical English IPA feel to it.

At 3.6% you don't get a huge mouthfeel or heavy body, but you would never guess it had such a low alcohol content.

I am not a big fan of Greene King (for many reasons), but credit where credit is due, this is a good beer and one I have often drunk, although normally in cask form.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2009 09:24:35 | More by BlackHaddock

ThatWineGuy

Ontario (Canada)

2.3/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured chestnut / mahoganey hue, perfectly clear. One finger off-white head quickly settled and left a thin, disappearing surface coating with a fading ring. No lacing and lazy carbonation. Smell was grassy, musky, hint of malt but mostly absent. Very little by way of hops, some malt, bitterness front and centre but with an astringent metallic cloying thud lingering in a non-favourable way. Overall impression not very good. The label says to be drunk with spicy foods like curries and that's not a bad idea as it might overshadow some deficiencies in the brew. Least favourite of the three I've had from this brewery so far.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2009 00:43:17 | More by ThatWineGuy

ecoastman

Ontario (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 500 mL bottle bought at store.

Appearance - color is copper amber, carbonation, head full to start but short retention. Clear and inviting.

Smell - sweet, nutty, caramelly. Slight skunkiness after pour quickly disappears.

Taste - Similar to what you smell. Very mild and easy to drink. Might be accused of being borderline watery. Slight bitter finish.

Mouthfeel - Light and thin / watery and smooth. Slightly flat.

Drinkability - Easy to drink and would order if no other choices seduced me to try something else.

Overall - representative of the intent of an English bitter.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2008 03:48:10 | More by ecoastman

TerryW

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clear amber pour with a moderate head that ettles to a heavy film, but gives up lots of lots of lace. Good looking beer.

Hoppy nose with a whiff of malts and caramel. Taste is hoppy and nicely bitter. Biscuit and carmel from the malt compliment the hops. Nice gentle lingering bitter finish.

Overall a decent enough brew without being outstanding in any way. Drinkable, properly made and worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2008 00:11:52 | More by TerryW

GodOfBeer

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep red/amber colour with a nice frothy head that sadly dissipates.

Smells pretty skunky? Maybe because of the clear bottle, but I don't mind this at all. Very malty, some caramel aswell.

Tastes like it smells, skunky at first with some biscuity and caramel malts, finishes dry, burnt and bitter, and a bit of citrusy aftertaste, I enjoyed this.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2008 21:33:46 | More by GodOfBeer

SirSaranac

New York

3.13/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This was a big bottle that poured a dark copper. 1 1/2 finger head with average retention. Deep malty scent.... smells almost like pancake syrup... very faint dark fruit too? odd scent... I don't really smell any hops.
This brew confused me... The bottle says IPA (obviously an English IPA), but the style here says "English Bitter". Either way, this brew is rather malty, and hops are weaaak. This isn't a bad tasting brew... just unsure of what style this really is. I've tasted much better english IPA's.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2008 05:25:30 | More by SirSaranac

merlin48

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle pours a clear copper body topped by a small offwhite head. Some frothy lacing is left on the pint glass. Aroma is toffee malt and a hint of floral hops. Light medium body with medium carbonation. Taste is toffee sweetness with a vague hint of pear fruitiness and a subdued hop bitterness that is earhty and floral. More of a Bitter than an IPA but pleasant enough to enjoy a pint or two, but not really one to seek out.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2008 13:51:26 | More by merlin48

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

2.7/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A 440ml can with a BB of Nov 2012. Picked up from a supermarket a while back.

Poured into a tulip pint glass. A clear dark amber colour with medium carbonation. Forms a large head of creamy white foam with decent retention; this slowly subsides to a patchy surface layer. Aroma of caramel malt with notes of grass, hay and stewed hops. A stale hint of cardboard/sherry in the background.

Tastes of caramel malt with a dry bitter finish. Notes of grass, hay, stewed leaves and hints of wet cardboard. A restrained, earthy bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth, dry and tingly, with decent body. Mildly astringent, with an aftertaste of bitter stewed leaves and faint caramel.

Meh - a pretty bog standard bitter from one of the biggest ale brewers in the UK. Not much cop as an IPA, and even taken as a bitter it's bland. The aroma and flavour are uninspired - mild hop notes and a crisp but understated bitterness. The relatively low carbonation is OK, though the body could be thicker. Decent balance. This is drinkable and I'd turn to it in an emergency, but it's dull fare. No need to seek it out.

Serving type: can

11-16-2012 22:05:45 | More by jazzyjeff13

rarbring

Sweden

3.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The brew is clear light amber, has an off-white head with little lacing and small curtains.

Smelling of apples. grass and nettles.

The taste starts with sweet toffee, then some pears and also lemon peel.

Little carbonation, a soft texture, medium body and a light dry finish.

A good medium alcohol brew, decent and British.

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2012 16:37:55 | More by rarbring

dansmcd

Australia

2.5/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

A - Clear red amber topped by a tight white head and nice drools of lacing.

S - Mild. Subtle biscuity caramel.

T - Follows the nose, basically pretty flavourless, even for the style.

M - Thin watery body, low carbonation.

O - I know the style is mild but this is just too featureless my for taste.

Serving type: can

03-31-2012 13:57:50 | More by dansmcd

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

First had: cask at Yards Brewing Co., Philly, PA, for their 5th Annual Real Ale Festival 2012

Poured a slightly hazy amber color with a small cap of foamy white head. Not too aromatic; scents of pale malts and grassy hops. Simple taste, a bit watery; light, biscuity malts, bitter, grassy hops, some earthiness, thin and not too interesting overall...a problem I have with many British beers. Light mouthfeel, bitter aftertaste, fairly drinkable, not entirely bad, but really not my thing.

Serving type: cask

03-28-2012 01:40:19 | More by Rifugium

Amalak

New York

3.13/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

It has a dry and flavorless taste. It has no discernable flavor...no bitter. Maybe a touch of sour aftertaste. Very plain on the tongue. Easy to drink/light. Unimpressive but at least it goes down smooth.

I like cask beers, but if you call yourself an IPA I need bitter hops and some sort of a kick.

Serving type: cask

02-25-2012 01:48:13 | More by Amalak