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Surrey Nirvana

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Citrus and tropical notes with grapefruit on the high end and a clean, dry finish. Surrey Nirvana is a 4.0% session IPA brewed with Cascade, Mosaic and Centennial, a light-strength way into hop-forward beer. It comes from Hogs Back in Tongham, the brewery that grows its own Cascade just beside the brewhouse.

ABV
4%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Citrus 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
hoppycitrusytropical
hoppy
citrusy
tropical
clean
orange
Aroma
The nose opens with vibrant citrus and tropical character—grapefruit zest and orange peel lead, followed by subtle stone fruit and passionfruit notes from the Mosaic and Cascade hops.
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Surrey Nirvana

◎ Appearance

Surrey Nirvana presents a bright pale golden hue with excellent clarity and fine carbonation that drives a persistent white head. The beer displays good Schaumhaftung, with a thin lacing that clings to the glass as you work through it. Light strikes the beer cleanly, revealing its delicate straw color and inviting visual clarity.

pale goldencrystal clearfine carbonationpersistent head

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with vibrant citrus and tropical character—grapefruit zest and orange peel lead, followed by subtle stone fruit and passionfruit notes from the Mosaic and Cascade hops. A light, clean Malz base provides gentle support without asserting sweetness or grain-forward character. The aroma remains crisp and defined, with no harshness or oxidative notes.

grapefruit zesttropical fruitcitrus-forwardclean hop profile

◐ Taste

Entry is bright and snappy, with immediate citrus and grapefruit bitterness that sits at a moderate 40 IBU—noticeable without overwhelming the palate. Mid-palate shows orange and faint tropical sweetness balancing the hop intensity, while the Malz provides a light, dry framework. The beer finishes lean and refreshing, with no cloying residue or heavy body.

balanced bitternessdry palatecitrus-drivenlight-bodied

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and dry, with grapefruit and orange peel notes lingering gently on the tongue. Carbonation provides a crisp tail-off, leaving no sticky or overly sweet aftertaste.

dry finishcitrus aftertastecrisp
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
77
Appearance
78
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 Surrey Nirvana

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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 hoppy, citrusy, dry character as Surrey Nirvana 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 →