Judge's Review: 89 Rating - Bent Hop by Bent Paddle Brewing Co.

Bent Hop Golden IPA by Bent Paddle Brewing Co is a rather subtle yet clean IPA. This one goes against the grain when it comes to most recent IPAs as it will not knock you over the head with over-the-top hop character. However, hops are still the star of the show in this one, due to the malt character being quite subdued. This beer is being evaluated as a Category 21A American IPA as per the 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines.

A mild earthy, citrus and dank piney hop character comes through in the nose, along with some light fruitiness from esters and a touch of melon. Very little malt is evident. The beer is a golden color with great clarity and a solid, rocky, white, small-bubbled head with lace that persists throughout the drink. It is a very attractive finished product.

The flavor mirrors the aroma quite well. A piney earthy hop flavor comes through up front in this moderately carbonated offering. The body is a light medium.  Hop bitterness is on the medium side and seems slightly low for the style. The middle does retain some of the flavor character, though it does recede through to the finish, replaced by a light fruitiness as the drink proceeds along with a touch of soapiness. The finish is rather dry with bitterness coming to the fore, preparing the palate well for the next sip. 

Overall, this brew is a very easy-drinking light IPA. Definitely not a palate wrecker, it is certainly crushable and quite refreshing. A little more malt complexity would have been appreciated.  Cheers and enjoy!