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Independence

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A pale ale built on American hops: Citra, Mosaic and Nugget, dry hopped twice, over a firm malt base. Judges at the Champion Beer of Britain described a strong citrus nose with piney hops, followed by tangerine, grapefruit and digestive biscuit, and a dry, peppery, bittersweet finish that lingers. The brewery stresses hop character without heavy bitterness. Poured since about 2011, it is sold all year on cask, keg and in cans and is the brewery's best-known beer.

ABV
4.6%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden7
PaceSession

AWARDS

Gold · 2026
Champion Beer of Britain
Supreme Champion
★Gold — Champion Beer of Britain (Supreme Champion)
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
citrusyhoppypiney
citrusy
hoppy
piney
spicy
orange
bready
Aroma
The nose leads with vibrant American hop character: forward citrus notes of ripe tangerine and pink grapefruit, underscored by a bracing piney resin.
also:malty
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Independence

◎ Appearance

A bright golden-amber pour with excellent clarity and a fine, persistent white head that builds structure and clings to the glass throughout service. The carbonation is lively and well-integrated, supporting a clean, inviting visual presentation that speaks to careful conditioning and handling.

golden-amberbrilliant claritypersistent headlively carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with vibrant American hop character: forward citrus notes of ripe tangerine and pink grapefruit, underscored by a bracing piney resin. Beneath the hop-driven profile sits a subtle malt backbone of digestive biscuit and light grain sweetness that grounds the composition without competing.

citrus and grapefruitpiney, resinous hopsbiscuit maltclean, bright

◐ Taste

The palate opens dry and crisp, the American hops delivering layered citrus and stone fruit flavors with a gentle peppery spice in the mid-palate. A firm malt foundation provides textural weight and subtle digestive-biscuit sweetness, while the 38 IBUs offer clear bitterness without harshness or excess astringency.

dry, refreshingcitrus-forwardpeppery spicebalanced bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is dry and lingering, with the peppery, bittersweet quality of the hops extending cleanly through the aftertaste. A light residual malt sweetness fades gracefully, leaving a pleasant drying sensation that invites the next sip.

dry and pepperylingering aftertasteclean fade
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
85
Taste
83
Appearance
80
Finish
79
Serve at 7–10°C

Serve at 7–10°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Independence

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About American Pale Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a American Pale Ale?

Pale Ales balance malt sweetness with moderate hop character at 4.5–6% ABV and IBU 20–40. Approachable with floral, citrus or earthy notes over a biscuit malt base.

Finding a similar American Pale Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same citrusy, hoppy, piney character as Independence will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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