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

... 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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Me too. Do quite enjoy a pint of Abbott

 

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!

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

That Doom Bar is crap 'an all!

 

I have to agree, it is pants.

 

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

 

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

 

Tastes like it was fermented too hot!

 

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?

 

Brewed to be dQQmed :/

 

Best selling cask ales in the UK

1. Doom Bar
2. Greene King IPA

And we almost all think they’re both rubbish.