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Exmoor Stag

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Resinous hop aroma leads the nose, with biscuity malt behind it. The palate is full and malty, with hints of chocolate and toffee, matched by a clear, warming fruitiness. The finish is long and dry with a touch of sweetness. A copper-coloured strong bitter, 4.8% in cask and 5.2% in the bottle. It began as a bottled beer for the centenary of a Somerset cricket club.

ABV
4.8%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
amber12
PaceA Few

AWARDS

Bronze · 2017
SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, South West)
Strong Bitters & Pale Ales
★Bronze — SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, South West) (Strong Bitters & Pale Ales)
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
resinousmaltyfruity
resinous
malty
fruity
chocolate
hoppy
caramel
Aroma
The nose leads with a pronounced resinous hop character, immediately assertive and complex.
also:bready
not found:juicy,roasted,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Exmoor Stag

◎ Appearance

Exmoor Stag presents a clear copper hue, bright and well-defined in the glass. The head forms with moderate density and displays good retention, leaving fine lacing down the sides. Carbonation is visible and lively, appropriate to its cask strength.

coppercleargood head retentionlively carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with a pronounced resinous hop character, immediately assertive and complex. Behind this sits a supportive biscuity malt foundation, grounding the aroma in grain sweetness. A subtle fruity undertone completes the opening impression, inviting further exploration.

resinous hopsbiscuit maltfruity undertonescomplex

◐ Taste

The palate is full and malty on entry, with a dense mid-palate that balances chocolate and toffee notes against the dry hop character. Warming fruitiness threads throughout, neither overpowering nor receding. The 28 IBU bitterness is restrained, allowing malt sweetness to hold equal weight.

full-bodiedmaltychocolate and toffeerestrained bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish extends long and dry, with a lingering touch of caramel sweetness that prevents austere closure. The warming character persists gently into the aftertaste, leaving a dry, slightly sweet residue on the palate.

long dry finishcaramel sweetnesswarming
79
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
81
Appearance
80
Finish
75
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°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 Exmoor Stag

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About Strong Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Strong Bitter?

Strong Bitter is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Strong Bitter

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

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