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Nosferatu

Great Lakes Brewing Company
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🌍 United States · Red IPA · One of 16 Red IPAs in hopIQ

A strong red IPA that began at the Cleveland brewpub in the early 1990s and now returns every August in the Double Feature series. Simcoe and Cascade hops meet a grist of two-row malt, Crystal 77 and Special Roast. It pours deep ruby to chestnut under a tan head. Toasted bread crust, caramel and a light roast sit beneath grapefruit and pine resin, with an earthy, woody edge from the hops. The body is full, the bitterness firm and lingering, and the finish turns dry with some alcohol warmth.

ABV
8%
Bitterness
Very bitter70 IBU
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Substantial body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Bone-dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Sharp bitter finish.
mildbitter
Texture
Balanced mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Assertively bitter and very dry.

The malt sets the frame and lets the hops carry the flavour.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Red IPA.
Hop character
hoppy
piney
citrusy
earthy
Malt character
toasty
caramel
roasted

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Nosferatu

◎ Appearance

Nosferatu presents a deep ruby to chestnut hue, characteristic of its Red IPA classification and malt bill. A tan head forms and maintains moderate retention, settling into persistent lacing. The beer displays excellent clarity with bright light transmission through the glass.

deep ruby to chestnuttan head, good retentionbright and clear

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with toasted bread crust and caramel sweetness from the Crystal 77 and Special Roast malts. Grapefruit and pine resin from the Simcoe and Cascade hops emerge in the mid-register, layered beneath a woody, earthy undertone. The overall composition balances malt-derived warmth with assertive noble hop character.

toasted bread, caramelgrapefruit, pine resinearthy, woody hop edge

◐ Taste

The palate enters with full body and pronounced bitterness that builds and lingers across the mid-palate. Caramel and toasted grain flavors provide backbone, while citrus and piney resin notes from the hops cut through with precision. The 70 IBU rating manifests as a firm, measured bitterness rather than harshness, balanced against the beer's 8% alcohol presence.

full-bodied, firm bitternesscaramel, toasted graincitrus and pine resin

◑ Finish

The finish turns distinctly dry, with lingering bitterness and a light alcohol warmth in the throat. The aftertaste leans toward wood and hop resin, fading gradually with no cloying sweetness.

dry finish, lingering bitternesslight alcohol warmth
83
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
85
Appearance
81
Finish
80
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Nosferatu

Serve at 8–11°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Tulip glass
Recommended for this style

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

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Nosferatu

About Red IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Red 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 Red IPA

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

Other Red IPAs in hopIQ

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