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Dragon's Blood

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A golden-amber strong bitter that Holden's brews as its autumn seasonal. The brewery describes an assertive hop character with fruitiness running through the whole beer and an intense finish that is hoppy and fruity at once; it is made with Fuggles hops and English malts. Drinkers tend to stress the malty, slightly sweet side, which gives the 5.6% some roundness. The brewery lists it for the last three months of the year.

ABV
5.6%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
SRM
amber12
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
fruityhoppymalty
fruity
hoppy
malty
caramel
Aroma
The nose leads with the characteristic herbal and earthy signature of Fuggles hops, grounded by warm biscuit and honey notes from the English malts.
not found:juicy,roasted,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Dragon's Blood

◎ Appearance

Dragon's Blood presents a golden-amber hue with excellent clarity and a pale, persistent head that clings to the glass with fine lacing. The carbonation is lively and well-integrated, creating a visually appetizing pour that speaks to careful conditioning and serving.

golden-amberbright claritypersistent head

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with the characteristic herbal and earthy signature of Fuggles hops, grounded by warm biscuit and honey notes from the English malts. Fruit esters emerge in the background—subtle stone fruit and light citrus—creating a balanced and inviting aromatic profile without aggression.

Fuggles herbal characterhoney, biscuitstone fruit esters

◐ Taste

The palate opens with a rounded, slightly sweet maltiness that softens the 5.6% ABV and creates immediate fullness. Mid-palate reveals the interplay between malt sweetness and hop fruitiness, while the 28 IBUs provide a measured, clean bitterness that builds gradually toward the finish without overwhelming the malt foundation.

malty sweetnesshop-fruit balanceclean bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is notably long and layered, with hoppy and fruity notes persisting alongside lingering malt warmth. The bitterness extends gracefully without harshness, leaving a dry, slightly astringent aftertaste that invites another sip.

hoppy-fruity finishlong, dry aftertaste
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
83
Appearance
85
Finish
82
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 Dragon's Blood

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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 fruity, hoppy, malty character as Dragon's Blood will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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