Sixpoint Bengali Review

Name: Sixpoint Bengali
Style: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.5%
IBUs: 69

I'm currently at the hospital right now on account of my wife having surgery. Since I'll be here most of the afternoon and possibly the first half of the evening due to it being a same-day surgery, I figured I'd spend the time here wrapping on some reviews that I've had on the back burner while the wife is recovering.

The first beer I'll be looking at is from a brewery that just entered the Minnesota market about 4 weeks ago, which is Sixpoint Brewery based out of Brooklyn, New York. The beer in question is their Bengali IPA, a beer I recall seeing on store shelves at Binny's back when I lived in Chicago. I also remember it being once called "Bengali Tiger" but they changed the name I believe last year when they tweaked the original recipe.

I would also assume they're trying to go after the Red Bull crowd with their can design. When I first opened the six-pack, it took me a second to figure out that I had a 12oz. can in my hand. I mean, it seriously looks like an energy drink that you would use to chase a shot of Jagermeister with (not that it make it taste any better, but that's another story.)

Appearance - Fairly clear bright orange color with a mild amount of visible carbonation. The head is quite foamy and full of volume; even with a gentle pour and the lacing is also very abundant.

Aroma - Hefty caramel & toffee maltiness with some bitter piney hops. I'm also picking up on some mild orange & grapefruit rinds.

Taste - Much like the nose, very caramel & toffee malt forward, which is followed by some bitter piney hoppiness. In the aftertaste, I'm getting that orange peel and grapefruit rind bitterness with a slight caramel accent. It kind of reminds me of a maltier Surly Furious.

It isn't anything that I already haven't seen, but when it comes to a balanced IPA, it doesn't get much better than this. The hops and maltiness compliment each other nicely, which makes the drinking experience all the more enjoyable. It's worth picking up if you so happen to come across this.

Sixpoint Bengali - 9/10