Hadouken Amplified IPA Beer Review

Hadouken Amplified IPA comes from the Tiny Rebel Brewery located in Newport, Wales. The name Hadouken referring to a type of punch in street fighter video game. The word Amplified I can only imagine means it has more to it then a standard IPA. But what is it like?

Hadouken Amplified IPA is pretty good, I wouldn’t describe it as amplified, but it is a good beer. It pours a light hazy gold with a one finger head that does fade to a thin cover. On the nose it is hoppy and tropical with plenty of mango and citrus notes. The taste is a similar affair with plenty of hoppy kick up front and citrus notes coming from those tropical fruits. It is quite smooth in the mouth and has a nice bitter finish. A pretty good IPA that gets a rate my beer score of 4.5 out of 5.0.

It’s not a stand out beer and amplified, maybe not, but it is a decent typical modern craft IPA.

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Hadouken Amplified IPA Beer Review

I picked this can up from the Tiny Rebel pub in Cardiff, Wales. And if you get the chance to visit the pub, then do because it is a great pub with a great vibe and great staff.

The beer sits in a bright red and white can with yellow writing, it definitely stands out. I thought that amplified may mean it is a double IPA, but at 6.2% ABV I am not sure that is the case. Although when this beer first came out it was at 7.0% ABV.

Pouring the beer into a glass it settles to a light hazy gold with a tight white foamy one finger head. This does fade fairly quickly to just a thin cover.

On the nose it is hoppy and tropical with plenty of citrus notes, mango, lemon and possibly pineapple too.

The nose sets out the taste because it is the same, a hoppy kick up front with plenty tropical and citrus notes. Again flavours of mango, lemon and pineapple flow around on the carbonation. There is a nice smooth mouthfeel and a grapefruit bitterness on the finish which lingers in the after taste.

For me it is not a stand out beer, but a typical modern craft style IPA with a good bitter finish. I score it a decent 4.5 out of 5.0.

M’Lady is not quite as keen and says “It’s pleasant, but not amazing with a slight blandness to it even though it has tropical flavours. For me there is a flatness to it, definitely not amplified. Lou scores it a 4.0 out of 5.0.

So we both agree that Hadouken Amplified IPA is not amplified, Lou thinks it is a little flat, but I think it is a decent modern IPA.

Tiny Rebel

2024 sees 12 years of the Rebels who started from a garage in 2012, they have come a long way and picked up many awards on their journey.

Started by homebrewer Gareth Williams and his friend Bradley Cummings the mission was to brew great beers and create a strong brand.

I think they have achieved both, and now they are well established with constant growth from day one. In 2019 they started brewing in their new custom built brewery with bigger brewing kit and packaging equipment.

The brewery has a bar taproom and they do brewery tours too. As well as the bar at the brewery they also have a pub in Cardiff too. Which I have to say is a great pub with a great vibe and great staff who know about the beer they serve.

I can only see the Rebels seeing further growth, and I say good luck to them.

Outside The Tiny Rebel Pub In Cardiff

Tiny Rebel Beers

They might be called Tiny Rebel, but there is nothing tiny about their beer range. In fact it is hard to keep up with them, they are relentless brewers.

Visit their online shop and you will always find different beers to try. They also put together some great selection boxes too.

There are some core beers that you will always find, but many others will pop up and then disappear, so you have to be quick.

Here are a few to look out for.

313

313 is a craft lager that seems to have been around for a while, so might be in their core range. Lou and I both tried this on tap at the Tiny Rebel pub and it’s a good lager.

A well balanced lager with a hoppy body and a slight bitter finish. it is refreshing with a nice crisp slightly dry mouthfeel.

It weighs in at 4.6% ABV so it is okay to have a couple, or more as Lou did. If you like a craft lager then this one is worth trying.

BeetlJuice

BeetlJuice is a a watermelon sour beer, not a style I like much. But there is something not quite right about this beer, it is bright green in colour, no, stop it.

It is a limited edition beer, so I guess pops its head up from time to time. At the time of writing this it is on their website, albeit sold out. I am sure it will feature again soon, maybe for Halloween.

This bright green sour beer is not a session beer and weighs in at 5.3% ABV.

Colourway King

Colorway King is a double IPA brewed with Citra, Simcoe and Talus hops, so expect a punchy hit in flavour. It pours a light gold with plenty of haze.

It sounds good on paper, but will it deliver on taste, there’s a good chance with the hop line up. This DIPA weighs in at 7.1% ABV, so definitely packs a punch in strength and is not one to session on.

Final Thoughts

There is no doubt about it, Tiny Rebel do make some great beers. The likes of 313 and Cwtch are stand out beers. Hadouken Amplified IPA is also a good beer, however even though it is called Amplified is not a stand out beer.

But it is a decent IPA and is scored accordingly.

If you like craft beer, then Tiny Rebel is a brewery to check out, you will definitely find some unusual beers, as well as some stand out beers.

If you have tried Hadouken Amplified IPA, then do share your thoughts below and let me know if you think it stands up to its name.

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