Benford "World's Problem Solver" IPA

Oh, I've got problems. Don't we all right now? Will this beer be the solution? As Homer Simpson declared, beer is the cause of and solution to all of life's problems, so I'm anticipating that this beer will be so great that it will fix all the problems that other, lesser beers might create. So, let's dig into this IPA!

The clear, brass-colored beer has enough head to be carbonated, but it's not enough to impress. There are only occasional bubbles struggling to produce lacing, and they are losing the battle. The aroma is citrus and biscuits. There is pretty clearly bitterness going on with it and maybe some apples.

First sip is bitter, musty, but it doesn't have the overwhelming citrus that I could smell. Yes, there is citrus there, but it isn't dominating the flavor, and I'm not sure that anything really is. The malt is probably the thing holding this up, and it is unsweet caramel more than anything. This is quite the odd duck, and I can't say I'm inclined to sip it much more.

Tip-in is bitter apples and grapefruit with a caramel malt giving substance to the beer. The middle is a rise of the malt with citrus absolutely infused into it and even some tropical fruits popping out while a haze of bitterness lingers around the roof of the mouth. The finish is where the bitterness kicks up before a mustiness trails off.

Bottom Line: They tried for something different, and it's different, but it's not substantially better for the effort.

2.5/5