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Island Life

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Island Life is a pale golden ale with citrus aromas, mouth-watering grapefruit and peach and a crisp, bitter, zesty finish. Citra, El Dorado and Cascade ride on pale and wheat malt, and at 3.7% it stays light in strength. The name salutes island life on Orkney, regularly named one of the finest places to live in the British Isles. Bronze at SIBA Scotland 2025.

ABV
3.7%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter32 IBU
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceSession

AWARDS

Bronze · 2025
SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Scotland)
Cask Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%)
Bronze · 2022
SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Scotland)
Cask Session Pale Ale
★Bronze — SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Scotland) (Cask Session Pale Ale (up to 4.4%))
★Bronze — SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Scotland) (Cask Session Pale Ale)
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
citrusypeachhoppy
citrusy
peach
hoppy
wheat
malty
clean
Aroma
The nose opens with vibrant citrus and tropical stone fruit character driven by the Citra, El Dorado and Cascade hops.
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Island Life

◎ Appearance

Island Life presents a bright pale golden hue with excellent clarity and a white, fine-bubbled head that clings persistently to the glass, leaving delicate lacing on the walls. The carbonation is crisp and lively, creating a steady stream of fine bubbles that sustains the foam's presence throughout the tasting.

pale goldenbright and clearpersistent white headlively carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with vibrant citrus and tropical stone fruit character driven by the Citra, El Dorado and Cascade hops. Grapefruit zest and ripe peach are immediately apparent, supported by a clean pale malt foundation with subtle wheat notes that add a light, grainy softness without heaviness.

citrus zestgrapefruit and peachtropical hop characterclean malt base

◐ Taste

The palate enters light and refreshing, with the citrus and stone fruit notes from the aroma translating directly to the taste. A gentle malty sweetness from pale and wheat malt balances the 32 IBU bitterness, which builds steadily mid-palate as a zesty, mouth-watering edge that keeps the beer crisp and engaging without overwhelming at this moderate strength.

citrus-drivenbalanced sweetnesszesty bitternessmouth-watering acidity

◑ Finish

The finish is crisp and dry with lingering grapefruit pith and a pleasant herbal bite that fades cleanly. The aftertaste remains bright and thirst-quenching, never astringent, inviting another sip.

dry and crisplingering citrusclean fade
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
74
Serve at 7–10°C

Serve at 7–10°C. Light and refreshing — serve cold to keep the delicate hop and malt balance intact.

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 Island Life

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About Golden Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Golden Ale?

Golden Ale 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 Golden Ale

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

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