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Life & Death

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Vocation's flagship and bestseller, brewed to the same recipe since 2015 and described by the brewery as a hop-forward, US-style IPA. Tropical fruit leads on the nose with a sharp citrus edge, followed by floral and piney notes. A smooth malt base carries the hops before a firm, lingering bitterness takes over in the finish. Full-bodied at 6.5% and available year-round, including on draught.

ABV
6.5%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceTwo or Three

AWARDS

Silver · 2025
World Beer Awards
Bronze · 2022
European Beer Challenge
★Silver — World Beer Awards
★Bronze — European Beer Challenge
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
hoppytropicalcitrusy
hoppy
tropical
citrusy
floral
piney
clean
Aroma
The nose leads with distinct tropical fruit notes—mango and citrus pith—layered with floral hop character and a underlying piney resin.
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Life & Death

◎ Appearance

Light golden in color with bright clarity and a fine, persistent head. The carbonation is lively, and the beer presents with clean edges and strong lacing that clings to the glass.

light goldenclearpersistent headwell-carbonated

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with distinct tropical fruit notes—mango and citrus pith—layered with floral hop character and a underlying piney resin. The aromatic profile is crisp and inviting, with the hop identity clearly at the forefront throughout.

tropical fruitcitrus pithfloral hopspiney

◐ Taste

A smooth, clean palate entry with tropical and citrus hop flavors developing across the mid-palate. The full-bodied malt base provides balance without sweetness, allowing the bitter backbone to emerge progressively. The finish builds into a firm, lingering bitterness that defines the beer's character.

smooth entrytropical citrusfull-bodiedfirm bitterness

◑ Finish

The bitterness persists cleanly through the finish with a dry, hoppy aftertaste. No harshness or astringency mars the departure, leaving a distinctly herbal and piney impression.

lingering bitterdry finishherbal fade
81
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
82
Appearance
80
Finish
78
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 Life & Death

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About American IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a American 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 American IPA

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same hoppy, full-bodied, tropical character as Life & Death will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other American IPAs in hopIQ

FEATURED IN

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Compare with another beer →Explore all American IPA beers in hopIQ →New to American IPA? Read our guide →Browse United Kingdom beers →