Brewery Samuel Adams has launched a reformulated variant of its flagship beer expression Rebel IPA, with new hop varieties.

Initially launched in 2014, the new variant of Rebel IPA has been released after multiple experiments with various trial batches at the Boston Brewery. The brewery has experimented with the flavour of each hop variety by changing the blend and ratio.

The new IPA is claimed to impart an increased citrus flavour and offers a crisp and clean finish. It consists of original hop varieties such as Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe, and Chinook along with Mosaic hops, proprietary hop HBC 566 and a experimental bittering hop HBC 682.

Samuel Adams' founder and brewer Jim Koch said: "This is the first time we've significantly changed the recipe of a flagship beer. As hop varieties evolve, we want to use the new varieties to keep brewing the best beer possible.

"Our goal was to showcase the intricate aromas and flavors of hops."

"Like with the original Rebel IPA recipe, this release isn't a palate-scorching hop-bomb. Our goal was to showcase the intricate aromas and flavors of hops, especially with new experimental hop varieties HBC 566 and HBC 682."

HBC 566 imparts lemon, lime, orange, and eucalyptus flavours to the beer, while HBC 682 contributes a slight bitterness. The tropical, fruity, and pine notes are due to Mosaic hops, while Cascade hops impart floral, spicy, citrus, and grapefruit flavours and Simcoe hops give piney, apricot, and citrus notes.

To make the brew less malty and more clean, the brewery has removed caramel malt from the grain bill and brewed using Samuel Adams two-row malt blend.