Sixpoint Bengali
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Tasting Notes
Bengali pours with a nose that leads with citrus rind — grapefruit and orange peel — followed by a mild resinous pine note that keeps things grounded. On the palate it's medium-bodied with a clean malt backbone that doesn't compete for attention, letting the hops run the show through the mid-palate. Bitterness is firm but not aggressive, landing somewhere between assertive and approachable. The finish dries out quickly with a lingering citrus-resin quality that invites the next sip.
About the Brewery
Sixpoint is a Brooklyn-based brewery that started in 2004 out of a converted garage in Red Hook. They built a reputation early on for technically sound, hop-forward beers packaged exclusively in cans at a time when canning was still seen as a craft-market outlier. Bengali has been one of their flagship offerings for years, alongside Sweet Action and Resin, and the brewery has stayed rooted in New York City's bar scene while distributing broadly across the East Coast and beyond.
Food Pairings
Bengali's citrus-forward bitterness cuts through fat well, making it a natural match for fish tacos where the lime and char play off the hop profile. A chargrilled burger with sharp cheddar gives the malt backbone something to anchor against while the hops balance the richness. Spicy Thai noodles work because the bitterness counters heat without smothering it. Aged gouda is a quieter pairing — its caramel nuttiness softens the resinous edge. Buffalo wings are a classic IPA companion for good reason: the vinegar-based sauce and the hop bitterness keep each other in check.
Style Guide
American IPA is defined by pronounced hop character — typically citrus, pine, or tropical fruit — backed by a relatively neutral, sometimes biscuity malt base that exists mainly to support the hops rather than express itself. The style grew out of British India Pale Ale traditions but diverged sharply in the 1980s and 1990s as American craft brewers began using high-alpha domestic and Pacific Northwest hop varieties. ABV typically runs 6–7.5%, which separates it from the lighter session IPA and the heavier double IPA. Compared to its English cousin, American IPA skews drier, bitterer, and more aggressively aromatic.