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Key Lime Pale

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A freshly zested lime zing underpinned with fruity, floral notes and a smooth mouthfeel. Key Lime Pale is a 4.5% pale ale brewed with 100% New Zealand Wakatu hops in the copper and 100 freshly cut real limes, then dry-hopped with more Wakatu. It comes from Hogs Back in Tongham, Surrey, and is one of the brewery's fruited pales.

ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
citrusyfruityfloral
citrusy
fruity
floral
hoppy
tropical
clean
Aroma
Fresh lime zest leads immediately on the nose, backed by delicate floral notes from the Wakatu hops.
also:malty
not found:juicy,caramel,sour,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Key Lime Pale

◎ Appearance

Pale golden hue with excellent clarity and a fine, persistent white head that clings to the glass with good retention. Bright carbonation visible throughout, giving the beer a lively, inviting appearance that speaks to its refreshing character.

pale goldenbright claritypersistent foamlively carbonation

◌ Aroma

Fresh lime zest leads immediately on the nose, backed by delicate floral notes from the Wakatu hops. Below this citrus-forward impression lies a subtle fruity undertone with gentle tropical fruit character, while the pale malt provides a clean, neutral base that allows the hop character to shine.

fresh lime zestfloral Wakatutropical fruitclean malt base

◐ Taste

Bright citrus dominates the palate, with the lime character providing zesty, refreshing acidity that drives engagement across the tongue. The mid-palate develops fruity, floral hop flavors alongside a smooth, approachable bitterness that sits at a moderate level without overwhelming. The malt provides gentle sweetness and body that balances the hop-forward profile without heaviness.

citrus-drivenmoderate bitternesssmooth mouthfeelfruity hops

◑ Finish

Clean, dry finish with lingering citrus notes and subtle floral hops that fade gracefully. The aftertaste remains refreshing and crisp, with no astringency or sticky residue.

dry finishlingering citruscrisp aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
80
Appearance
78
Finish
75
Serve at 7–10°C

Cold enough to sharpen the hop aroma without numbing the palate. Around 7–9°C keeps the citrus and pine vivid without losing bitterness definition.

Pint glass

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

Drink fresh — hop aroma fades fast. Best within 3 months of canning or bottling.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Key Lime Pale

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About Pale Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Pale Ale?

India Pale Ales are hop-forward ales with ABV typically 5.5–7.5% and IBU 40–70+. Bold citrus, pine or tropical aromas alongside firm bitterness and a clean dry finish.

Finding a similar Pale Ale

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

Compare with another beer →Explore all Pale Ale beers in hopIQ →Browse United Kingdom beers →