Greene King, Very Special India Pale Ale (England) This new bottled beer from Greene King is not a stronger version of the company's long-standing draught beer, IPA. It's the result of many months of research by head brewer John Bexon in to the history of the style and recipes from the 19th and 20th centuries. At 7.5%, the new beer is close to the strength of the beers that were sent in cask and bottle to India, though John tells me he had to cut back on the level of hop bitterness of some 19th century beers, which had close to 100 units of bitterness. However, as the hops would have softened on the long sea journey to Bombay and Calcutta, the beer that arrived in the sub-continent would have lost some of that extreme bitterness. The new beer is brewed form pale malt only, from the spring barley variety Tipple. It has 25 units of colour. The copper hops are English Challenger, First Gold and Target while the late addition of Styrian Goldings gives the beer a pronounced citrus note. Units of Bitterness are 48. The beer has a pale copper colour and a lilting nose of grassy, floral hops, biscuity malt and rich pear drop fruitiness. Spicy and bitter hops are pronounced in the mouth, balancing chewy malt and pear fruit. The finish is long and complex: bitter and hoppy but beautifully balanced by juicy malt and ripe fruit. It's a wonderfully refreshing beer Malt: high. Hops: high. Fruit: high. 7.5% ABV, 35.5cl, 1.99, Waitrose.