Challenger
Kingstone in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales 🏴
Bitter Regular|
Score
6.13
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The Challenger hop has become a firm favourite of the UK brewing industry, having been bred by the famous Wye College of Agriculture in Kent, from the Northern Brewer variety in the 1960s. It is one of the few recognized dual-purpose hops combining moderate amounts of alpha acids with a good kettle hop aroma. Challenger is fruity, almost scented, with a hint of spice and it produces a fine backbone of bitterness to any ale.
To create this quenching brew we mix barley and wheat malts and add generous amounts of Wye Challenger hops for both the bittering and flavouring. Challenger is a smooth and richly hoppy well-balanced ale with a malted nose and toffee undertones.
To create this quenching brew we mix barley and wheat malts and add generous amounts of Wye Challenger hops for both the bittering and flavouring. Challenger is a smooth and richly hoppy well-balanced ale with a malted nose and toffee undertones.
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6.3/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Old rating from 22-12-14 - 500ml bottle from the brewery on my Wales trip. Poured at home in Jersey, it's light chestnut in colour with a off white foamy head. Aromas & tastes of fruits, caramel, flora, nuts & malt. Medium body. Mildly fruity slightly bitter finish. Decent bitter
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Jun 2025
at 16:19
6.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask at the Bree Louise, London. Pours clear amber with a foamy, white head. Lots of twigs in the nose, toasty with mild fruits, too. Medium sweet flavor with doughy malts, toasty sugar and creamy, toasty malts and semi-dark fruits. Light bodied with fine carbonation. Perhaps some caramel or toffee to finish, lightly sticky. A sweet but basic bitter.
Tried
from Cask
on 23 May 2012
at 16:20
5.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 4.5
Bottled. Cloudy brownish amber, rich head. Muddle floral caramel aroma. Medium bodied with rounded mouthfeel. Overly caramelly with slight floral hops and mid-bitter finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Jul 2011
at 02:56
5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 4
31st May 2009
Hazy brown beer. Low carbonation. Dry palate. Sweetish malt with a hint of banana at the end. Not much hop. A dry finish.
Hazy brown beer. Low carbonation. Dry palate. Sweetish malt with a hint of banana at the end. Not much hop. A dry finish.
Tried
on 29 May 2011
at 04:08
5.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Bottled. A hazy amber beer with a thin orangey head. The aroma has notes of malt and caramel. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt, straw, caramel, spices, and flowers.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Jan 2011
at 13:01
5.3/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5
Bottle 50cl.Clear medium amber color with a small, fizzy, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is light to moderate malty, caramel, light hoppy, orange chlorine. Flavor is moderate sweet and light bitter with a average duration. Body is light to medium, texture is watery, carbonation is soft. [20090724]
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Oct 2009
at 03:00
6.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Bottle 50 cl. Courtesy of madmitch76. Clear amber golden with an off-white head. Nutty aroma. Light body, nutty and caramellish, a little flat. Dry and hoppy finish. 240709
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Sep 2009
at 14:11
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
bottle from Spar Usk/Brynbuga. Hazy deep golden/amber coloured, small off-white head. Fruity and malty with hints of caramel. Pleasantly hoppy in the bitter-sweet finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Aug 2009
at 10:35
6.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
50 cL bottle. Pours clear and golden orange with a small white head. Aroma is mild caramelish. Bitter, light herbal and vague roasted flavoured. Bitter and dry malt flavoured finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Jul 2009
at 12:50
6.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
BCA. Bronze coloured with minimal head. Aroma of caramel with some earthy hops. The flavour started off sweet before a decent dry finish. Good.
Tried
on 08 Oct 2007
at 13:48