About
Benchtop Brewing is a craft brewery in Norfolk, Virginia. Hand crafted innovative ales that blend scientific precision and creativity.
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 7
Can to tulip.
Appearance: ruddy orange color with a one finger white foamy head that took it's time to fall off, not much lace after that
Aroma: some mangoes, lemon to citrusy tones, sour to juicy tones; light citrus pith, light grassy hops
Flavor: combines all the prior mentioned aromas to blend sour to tart to juicy sweet then follows through on a mild aftertaste of clean juicy tart lemons and mangoes
Texture: light bodied, fairly sessionable; mild juicy smoothness; finishes with brisk juicy tartness
Overall: I like this as a sour ale but don't see this as a gose unless the brewer killed the salty tones and tart wheat kick by adding in excessive fruits. I think I could come back to this preferably for me.
Appearance: ruddy orange color with a one finger white foamy head that took it's time to fall off, not much lace after that
Aroma: some mangoes, lemon to citrusy tones, sour to juicy tones; light citrus pith, light grassy hops
Flavor: combines all the prior mentioned aromas to blend sour to tart to juicy sweet then follows through on a mild aftertaste of clean juicy tart lemons and mangoes
Texture: light bodied, fairly sessionable; mild juicy smoothness; finishes with brisk juicy tartness
Overall: I like this as a sour ale but don't see this as a gose unless the brewer killed the salty tones and tart wheat kick by adding in excessive fruits. I think I could come back to this preferably for me.
Tried
from Can
on 22 Jan 2026
at 18:54
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can to tulip.
Appearance: ruddy orange color with a finger and a half's worth of white foamy head which slid off nicely to leave some messy lace
Aroma: some tropical fruit, berries, and some piney hops all blend together very nicely and add in a little bit of clean bready/crackery malts
Flavor: mildly sweet to semi-bittersweet through the prior mentioned aromas; clean aftertaste of the berries & piney hops and a touch of malts
Texture: medium bodied; some sessionability about it; semi-smooth; finishes with faint tones of berries, piney tones and some tropical fruit sweet smoothness
Overall: pretty nicely done IPA I believe I would come back to.
Appearance: ruddy orange color with a finger and a half's worth of white foamy head which slid off nicely to leave some messy lace
Aroma: some tropical fruit, berries, and some piney hops all blend together very nicely and add in a little bit of clean bready/crackery malts
Flavor: mildly sweet to semi-bittersweet through the prior mentioned aromas; clean aftertaste of the berries & piney hops and a touch of malts
Texture: medium bodied; some sessionability about it; semi-smooth; finishes with faint tones of berries, piney tones and some tropical fruit sweet smoothness
Overall: pretty nicely done IPA I believe I would come back to.
Tried
from Can
on 22 Jan 2026
at 18:42
6.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Can to dimpled mug.
Appearance: nice looking amber color with a two finger white foamy head which slid off at a nice pace, not much lace
Aroma: clean biscuity to bready malts try to balance with some earthy to woody and leafy tones; super light grassy to floral hoppiness underneath
Flavor: moderately malty with an underscore of spicy woody character; light aftertaste of malts, wood and grass
Texture: between light and medium bodied; sessionable; fairly smooth along my tongue but also pretty dry; finishes clean with a brisk maltiness
Overall: interesting amber lager to say the least, would I have this again? Possibly, but I bet I'm going to want to have some water after this one, I'd say it's pretty dry all around.
Appearance: nice looking amber color with a two finger white foamy head which slid off at a nice pace, not much lace
Aroma: clean biscuity to bready malts try to balance with some earthy to woody and leafy tones; super light grassy to floral hoppiness underneath
Flavor: moderately malty with an underscore of spicy woody character; light aftertaste of malts, wood and grass
Texture: between light and medium bodied; sessionable; fairly smooth along my tongue but also pretty dry; finishes clean with a brisk maltiness
Overall: interesting amber lager to say the least, would I have this again? Possibly, but I bet I'm going to want to have some water after this one, I'd say it's pretty dry all around.
Tried
from Can
on 22 Jan 2026
at 18:33
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
16oz can. Poured a hazy, bright orange color with a medium sized off-white head. Aroma was big juicy notes. Pineapple, guava. Flavor was hoppy leafy, guava, pineapple, apricot, and zesty.
Tried
from Can
on 07 Dec 2025
at 04:37
7.4/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Sample at Denver Rare Beer Tasting XVI (Last Call) on 10/09/2025. Clear dark golden pour with a medium bone white head that recedes quickly to an outer ring. Short strings of lace. Aroma of roast malt, fruit and hops. Light-bodied with flavors of roasted malt, earthy hops, caramel and fruit. The finish is sweet with a caramel malt aftertaste. Above average overall.
Tried
from Draft
on 09 Oct 2025
at 17:30
5.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 5.5
Mild grain nose. Hazy gold, medium head. Grass, grapenut, green apple. Slightly chemical. Biscuit finish. Medium body, moderate carbonation.
Tried
from Draft
on 30 Sep 2025
at 22:59
7.5/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 8
Gold pour. Thick foamy head. Scattered lace. Malt and hops. Very full bodied. Light bodied and medium carbonation
Tried
from Draft
on 30 Sep 2025
at 01:33
7.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7.5
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Can from Beer Republic. Hazy ochre, stable, foamy, white head. Aroma of mandarin peel, grapefruit, green pepper, shallot, peach, hashish. Taste has sweet mandarin & pineapple, turning towards bitter shallot, pepper & pine in a honeyish malt body. Dry, bitter finish of floral & peppery hops, citrus peel & dank shallot. Medium body, slick texture, average carbonation. Bit too spicy for the style, but pleasant enough.
Tried
on 28 Sep 2025
at 09:56
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Can from Beer Republic.
A: hazy orange, small, foamy, off-white head.
A: ripe mandarin, melon, orange peel, mango, biscuit.
T: sweet melon & orange, bitter citrus pith, biscuit.
F: bitter piney hops, spices, citrus.
P: medium body, oily texture, soft carbonation.
Has lost some of its appeal but still tasty and bitter.
A: hazy orange, small, foamy, off-white head.
A: ripe mandarin, melon, orange peel, mango, biscuit.
T: sweet melon & orange, bitter citrus pith, biscuit.
F: bitter piney hops, spices, citrus.
P: medium body, oily texture, soft carbonation.
Has lost some of its appeal but still tasty and bitter.
Tried
on 26 Aug 2025
at 09:26
7.3/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Optisch leicht trüb, in der Nase herrlich fruchtig, im Trunk ebenso, leicht harzig, cremig, hopfig, spritzig, lecker.
Tried
from Can
on 10 Jul 2025
at 17:38