Had a Greene King IPA in the pub the other day...

[PhilBrew]

Wasn't this stuff awarded Champion Beer of Britain one year or did I get my tablets mixed up again?

... it won in the Bitter category in 2004 (link), over Oakham's JHB which had won Supreme Champion three years earlier. I'm guessing someone was taking something they shouldn't have been, that year ... it then came second to Kelham Island's Pale Rider as Supreme Champion (link), so some level of sanity was restored for that

My guess is there was a mix up in the labelling of a cask of something else, as GK IPA, before the tasting

Cheers, PhilB

 

[CeeGee]

GK IPA is a weak old pint indeed. Pretty much nothing there, taste wise. Most of my locals are Charles Wells or Greene King though, and compared to Eagle Bitter, it’s fantastic.

Will admit to a love for GK Abbot Ale though.

 

[strange-steve]

Will admit to a love for GK Abbot Ale though.

I'm with you there, though perhaps only because it was my first ever taste of "real" beer. It was an eye opener for me.

 

[Arcs]

It is *****, it's an old school bitter not an ipa, like pedigree, London pride, spitfire and a lot of others are not amber ale but bitters rebranded, it really annoys me even woodfords wherry is an old school bitter

Thanks for the advice there Rod, gonna swerve those EB's then

 

[DavidHatton]

Nearly bought a 4 pack from tesco sometime last year, put it down to fatigue, and went straight to get my hand exorcised.

 

[Norfolk79]

GK IPA is a weak old pint indeed. Pretty much nothing there, taste wise. Most of my locals are Charles Wells or Greene King though, and compared to Eagle Bitter, it’s fantastic.

Will admit to a love for GK Abbot Ale though.

Me too. Do quite enjoy a pint of Abbott

 

[Scottyburto]

I'm sure there were a few bland "ipa's" knocking about 15-20 years ago! Flowers IPA anyone? Also I think the 3.6% is a newer lower taxation thing. If my memory serves me right the first time I tried GK IPA it was 99p in a Wetherspoons January sale and it was 4.2-4.5%. I know I wouldn't have touched anything below 4% back then whether it was 99p or not!

 

[foxbat]

Flowers IPA anyone?

Flowers IPA. Wow that gives me flashbacks and not in a good way. If that was an IPA then I'm a haddock!

 

[simon12]

I think its a spectacular example of what war time shortages did to beer but you can deny its been the best selling cask beer for a long time though doom bar overtook it in some years.

 

[ryderkellan]

Very good in some places in Cambridge in the 90s. Not any more - rancid and thin. It was never a modern IPA. More of a classic bitter.

 

[Clint]

That Doom Bar is crap 'an all!

 

[marshbrewer]

I have to agree, it is pants.

 

[Slid]

GK IPA is a weak old pint indeed. Pretty much nothing there, taste wise. Most of my locals are Charles Wells or Greene King though, and compared to Eagle Bitter, it’s fantastic.

Will admit to a love for GK Abbot Ale though.

I used to drink Greene King beers as a student, in the late 1970's in the Cross Keys over the road from the college, or in the college bar. The IPA was OK for a 19 y.o. child and the odd Abbott was just a bit too "much".

But in those days, cider was definitely my preference. What that tells you about beer of the late 70's and early 80's I know not. Now, I won't drink someone else's overpriced beer, but I still buy and drink supermarket cider now and then (added to a stout it makes a very nice cold drink).

 

[Rodcx500z]

First time I had gk ipa was in st neots in Cambridgeshire 1981 on my way to Harwich to get the ferry to Denmark, I remember it was a good pint but I was a bitter drinker even back then, gk was never an ipa nowadays I won' t touch it or doombar, Abbott reserve yes all day long

 

[terrym]

I....but I still buy and drink supermarket cider now and then (added to a stout it makes a very nice cold drink).

= A poor man's Black Velvet. Lovely drink, but only in moderation for me.

 

[MickDundee]

That Doom Bar is crap 'an all!

Tastes like it was fermented too hot!

 

[CeeGee]

Abbott reserve yes all day long

Only had it once or twice from bottle, but delicious. IPA reserve also very good, IIRC. Tastes somewhat like Abbot, as it happens!

Lots of IPA’s were never strong, in fact I can’t remember any being strong until the original, strong and hoppy style of IPA was resurrected quite recently.

How IPA’s deteriorated into what they did is anyone’s guess!

 

[dad_of_jon]

Only had it once or twice from bottle, but delicious. IPA reserve also very good, IIRC. Tastes somewhat like Abbot, as it happens!

Lots of IPA’s were never strong, in fact I can’t remember any being strong until the original, strong and hoppy style of IPA was resurrected quite recently.

How IPA’s deteriorated into what they did is anyone’s guess!

Big corp profit margins I suspect?

 

[Arcs]

That Doom Bar is crap 'an all!

Brewed to be dQQmed :/

 

[Ajhutch]

Best selling cask ales in the UK

1. Doom Bar
2. Greene King IPA

And we almost all think they’re both rubbish.