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Navigator

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Caramel, citrus and pine on the nose, then toffee and piney hops, with sweetness and bitterness in balance: Navigator is a red IPA at 6.2 %, built on heaps of Columbus hops. It won Gold in the cask IPA category at the 2022 SIBA Wales & West awards, plus Silver in the overall cask final, and Silver for bottle and can IPA in 2025.

ABV
6.2%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceA Few

AWARDS

Gold · 2022
SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Wales & West)
Cask IPA
Silver · 2022
SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Wales & West)
Overall Champion Cask
Silver · 2024
SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Wales & West)
Bottle & Can IPA (5.6% to 7.4%)
Silver · 2025
SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Wales)
Bottle & Can IPA (5.6% to 7.4%)
★Gold — SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Wales & West) (Cask IPA)
★Silver — SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Wales & West) (Overall Champion Cask)
★Silver — SIBA Indie Beer Awards (regional, Wales & West) (Bottle & Can IPA (5.6% to 7.4%))
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
pineycaramelhoppy
piney
caramel
hoppy
citrusy
resinous
Aroma
The nose opens with bright citrus notes and pronounced pine resin from the Columbus hops, layered beneath toasted caramel and toffee sweetness from the malt bill.
not found:juicy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Navigator

◎ Appearance

Navigator presents a warm amber to copper hue, characteristic of the Red IPA style at SRM 8. The beer shows good clarity with a persistent cream-colored head that clings to the glass, demonstrating solid foam retention and fine lacing patterns down the sides.

amber-copperclearpersistent head

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with bright citrus notes and pronounced pine resin from the Columbus hops, layered beneath toasted caramel and toffee sweetness from the malt bill. There is an elegant balance between the candy-like warmth and the sharp, herbal hop character, with no rough edges or oxidation.

citrus, pine resincaramel, toffeeherbal, resinous

◐ Taste

On entry, toffee sweetness and subtle malt depth establish a rounded foundation before the Columbus hops come forward with pine and citrus bitterness. The mid-palate maintains equilibrium between residual sweetness and hop bitterness at 60 IBU, avoiding excessive harshness while delivering genuine hop character without cloying.

toffee, malt sweetnesspine, citrus bitternessbalanced, clean

◑ Finish

The finish is dry and sustained, with lingering pine and citrus notes fading gradually into a subtle toffee echo. Drying bitterness persists through the aftertaste without becoming harsh, leaving the palate clean and refreshed.

dry, lingeringpine finish
84
hopIQ score
Aroma
85
Taste
84
Appearance
82
Finish
83
Serve at 8–11°C

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

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.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Navigator

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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 piney, caramel, hoppy character as Navigator will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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