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Whitstable Bay Lager

Shepherd Neame
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🌍 United Kingdom · Blonde Lager · One of 2 Blonde Lagers in hopIQ

A blonde lager with an unusual trans-Atlantic hop bill — English Challenger for structure, Czech Saaz for noble florality, American Centennial for the citrus top-note. Pale gold, spicy nose, fresh-floral balance, a bone-clean finish. Surprisingly hop-characterful for a lager.

ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter24 IBU
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
pale gold4
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Lean body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Soft bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

A sharp texture drives the beer — a clean, direct pour with room for the palate to fill in.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Blonde Lager.
Hop character
citrusy
floral
noble hop
Fermentation & yeast
clean
Distinctive notes
spicy

FEATURED IN

#1 of 50The Best British LagersFeatured inThe Best British Beers

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Whitstable Bay Lager

Appearance

Pale gold with excellent clarity and bright translucence. A fine white head forms readily and maintains discrete lacing down the glass. Carbonation appears brisk and well-integrated.

pale goldbright claritypersistent head

Aroma

The nose leads with spicy, peppery notes characteristic of Challenger hops, followed by delicate floral and herbal undertones from Saaz. A citrus top-note—grapefruit zest and mandarin—arrives from Centennial, creating an unusual but cohesive profile for a lager. The malz base remains subtle and clean throughout.

noble-hop floralityspicy, pepperycitrus zest

Taste

Entry is crisp and refreshing, with a light, dry palate that avoids heaviness. Mid-palate develops a balanced interplay of floral and citrus character, while Challenger imparts a structured, gently spicy backbone. Bitterness remains restrained—24 IBU provides definition without assertiveness—and resolves cleanly.

crisp, dryfloral-citrus balanceclean bitterness

Finish

The finish is bone-clean and dries quickly, leaving a faint noble-hop florality and citrus whisper in its wake. No lingering sweetness or heaviness.

bone-drylingering florality
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
78
Appearance
80
Finish
75
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Whitstable Bay Lager

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein
Recommended for this style

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Whitstable Bay Lager

About Blonde Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Blonde Lager?

Blonde Lager 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 Blonde Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same clean, floral, crisp character as Whitstable Bay Lager will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Blonde Lagers in hopIQ

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