BrewDog Counter Strike Review

A West Coast IPA that aims for nostalgia, but plays it a little too safe.

I was genuinely excited to try BrewDog Counter Strike. Partly because, despite everything, I do still kinda like BrewDog. Partly because I love a good West Coast IPA. And partly because, many years ago, I played far too much Counter Strike. Just to be clear, though, this beer has absolutely nothing to do with the Valve game of the same name.

Marketed as a West Coast IPA at 6.8 percent ABV, Counter Strike promises punchy bitterness, pine, resin, and a clear fruit edge. On paper, it hints at a style many of us still miss. Crisp, dry, unapologetically bitter, and not afraid to leave a mark.

The real question for me was simple. Can BrewDog still deliver a straight West Coast IPA without the noise, the stunts, and the usual hype?

The £3.75 I paid for this 440ml can in Sainsbury’s was me hoping they were back to their best.

 

Appearance

Alarm bells started ringing as soon as I poured the beer. Counter Strike sits a pale golden colour in the glass, lighter than the amber hue I associate with classic West Coast IPAs. It’s slightly cloudy but mostly clear.

The head is off-white, modest in size, and fades fairly quickly, leaving only a thin lace behind. There’s nothing wrong with it, but there’s nothing that excites either. For a beer marketed as bold, the visual presence feels restrained.

No wow factor. Just a standard IPA pour.

 

Aroma

The aroma is better than the appearance suggests, but it still stops short of what I was hoping for. On the pour, there’s a light citrus note, and with a deeper sniff you do pick up hints of pine and grapefruit.

The problem is that it all feels a bit fleeting. There’s a whisper of resin, but it never really develops. Compared to classic West Coast IPAs, the aroma isn’t aggressive or assertive. It doesn’t punch you in the nose in the way the style traditionally should.

It’s pleasant enough, but it doesn’t promise the depth or intensity that the label suggests.

 

Taste

This is where BrewDog Counter Strike really starts to show its weaknesses. The bitterness is there, but it’s muted. The fruity character is present, but surprisingly subtle. You get a touch of citrus and a light pine note, but neither hangs around long enough to make an impression.

A good West Coast IPA should hit with hops up front, find balance through the malt in the middle, and finish clean, dry, and persistent. Counter Strike feels like it’s ticking those boxes on paper, but not quite delivering them in practice.

The finish is short, leaving the palate a little unsatisfied. It’s not unpleasant, but it is forgettable. Compared to classic examples of the style, it falls short on punch, depth, and memorability.

 

Mouthfeel

The mouthfeel is medium-light, with relatively low carbonation and a smooth texture. It drinks easily, which is probably intentional, but in a West Coast IPA, easy drinking shouldn’t come at the expense of impact.

Nothing about the body or carbonation elevates the beer or helps the flavours linger. This is a beer that goes down quickly, and fades just as fast from memory.

 

The Verdict

BrewDog Counter Strike is a polite West Coast IPA. It looks clean, drinks easily, and won’t offend anyone. In fact, I’ll admit it’s a beer I could see myself buying again.

But if you’re expecting bold bitterness, lasting resinous character, or a hop punch that really grabs hold of the palate, you’ll probably be disappointed. It feels close, but not quite there.

For that reason, I’d describe Counter Strike as a gateway beer. It’s one you might reach for if you’re curious about West Coast IPAs but don’t like the idea of a big, bitter experience. In that sense, it does have a place.

BrewDog had an opportunity here to deliver a no-nonsense IPA without gimmicks, and for me, they fell short. It’s not a disaster, but it’s not the beer many fans were hoping for either.

If you’re looking for a West Coast IPA with real presence and punch, there are smaller, sharper brewers doing it far better right now.

For BrewDog, Counter Strike is a reminder that scaling up and aiming for accessibility can sometimes dilute what made the beer, and the brand, feel special in the first place.

Score: 7/10. It would have been a 6, but its role as a gateway beer nudges it up a point. Polite, approachable, and ultimately a little underwhelming.