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Sean Coughlin's picture

Judge's Review: 91 Rating - Low Viz IPA by Arches Brewing

July, 2019

Low Viz

Judges Rating: 
91
Aroma: 
23 / 24
Appearance: 
6 / 6
Flavor: 
37 / 40
Mouthfeel: 
7 / 10
Overall Impression: 
18 / 20

Low Viz IPA by Arches Brewing is being evaluated as a New England-style IPA (Category 21B: Specialty IPA - New England IPA) according to the 2015 BJCP guidelines.  

The aroma features a cornucopia of tropical and citrus hops with notes of orange, lime, tangerine, mango and cantaloupe. While complex, the hops harmonize well with one another and avoid clashing profiles. Freshly grated lime zest increases its intensity as the beer warms. Any malt character is completely buried beneath the dense hop aroma with a seemingly clean fermentation profile. This beer is a medium gold with dense haze but no particulate present. A medium-sized white head is densely packed with fine bubbles and sustains itself well.   

The bitterness seems a bit restrained overall for an IPA but is within an acceptable range for a New England variety. Medium-high hop flavor is mostly comprised of lime and orange but fades quickly from the palate. The beer finishes dry and crisp, lacking a bit of the softer, "pillowy" mouthfeel that the best examples of the style have. This beer has moderate carbonation, zero hop astringency and a light alcohol warmth that is pleasant. This is an enjoyable and refreshing take on this style that only needs a silkier mouthfeel to hold its own against the best examples in the field.