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Sleeping Giant

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Piney, resinous overtones sit on a slightly darker body in this session-strength IPA, which takes its cues from American-style pales rather than a light malt base. Sleeping Giant has Bristol folklore roots and is a limited edition at 3.7%, gentle by strength but giant in flavour.

ABV
3.7%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden6
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
resinouspineyhoppy
resinous
piney
hoppy
citrusy
Aroma
The nose is dominated by pine and resin-forward hop character, evoking American pale ale aromatics rather than delicate session notes.
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Sleeping Giant

◎ Appearance

A pale golden hue with a slight amber tint, characteristic of its session IPA profile. The beer presents good clarity with a white, persistent head that clings to the glass with moderate lacing. Carbonation is crisp and visible, supporting a clean, inviting presentation.

pale goldenslight amber edgepersistent headwell-carbonated

◌ Aroma

The nose is dominated by pine and resin-forward hop character, evoking American pale ale aromatics rather than delicate session notes. Beneath the prominent Edelhopfen profile lies a subtle malt backbone with gentle grainy undertones. There is no notable yeast esters; the focus remains squarely on the hop expression.

piney resinAmerican hopsgrainy malt undertone

◐ Taste

Entry is crisp and refreshing, with immediate hop bitterness that carries resinous and citrus notes across the mid-palate. The malt structure is light but present, providing just enough body to balance the assertive 40 IBU charge without overwhelming the low alcohol strength. Bitterness lingers pleasantly without harshness, finishing with a dry, hoppy snap.

resinous bitternesscitrus notesdry finishbalanced for session strength

◑ Finish

A clean, medium-length finish dominated by lingering hop resin and gentle pine notes. The aftertaste remains refreshing and crisp, with no cloying sweetness or lingering warmth.

dry hop resincrisp aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
82
Appearance
75
Finish
76
Serve at 7–10°C

Serve well-chilled. Session IPAs are at their best cold — the lower ABV means less warmth to balance the hops.

Tulip glass

The curved shape concentrates hop aromas and supports a thick head. Essential for aromatic ales and IPAs where the nose is half the experience.

Drink fresh. Session IPAs are brewed to be consumed young — the hops are at their best now.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Sleeping Giant

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About Session IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Session IPA?

IPAs are hop-forward ales with 5.5–7.5% ABV and IBU 40–70+. Bold hop aroma — citrus, tropical, resinous — with firm bitterness and a dry, clean finish.

Finding a similar Session IPA

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

Compare with another beer →Explore all Session IPA beers in hopIQ →Browse United Kingdom beers →