Beta Test One

Beta Test One by Belching Beaver Brewery was judged as an American IPA (21A BJCP 2021). Befitting the style, this beer is very much hop-dominated in the aroma. Tropical fruit notes and a distinctly pithy, green pepper character (think of the white flesh on the inside of a green pepper) are first noticed. There are not strong malt characteristics coming through, though the background notes are quite clean. The color is pale gold, and a light hazy quality is present. The pour was excessively foamy from what seems to be potential over-carbonation in the bottle. An off-white head lingers on the edges of the glass. The flavor is also pithy, more like what you might get if you chew the white flesh on the inside of an orange peel. This beer has a kafir lime quality that seems like deja vu from another beer I judged in this session, presumably from sharing a hop variety. Some malt sweetness balances the exotic flavors. In the mouthfeel, there is some heat from alcohol and a lingering tangy quality on the top and back of the palate. The flavors and aromas are very well presented and clean with a clearly well managed brew and fermentation process. This beer is a little more one-dimensional than some IPAs, but if you like exotic flavors from hops and less malt complexity in your IPAs, this is one you will enjoy.