Badger Hill Traitor IPA

A blast of orange zest, tropical fruit and citrus collides with my nose when I crack open the can. Melon, a hint of mint and a touch of pine join the parade as waves of different hop aromas gush from the glass, thanks to generous doses of Citra, Centennial, Cascade and Galaxy hops. A light thread of caramel complements the fruitiness in this beer, while a sturdy carbonation assures all those wonderful flavors stay on point. The finish turns a little bitter, with notes of grapefruit sneaking into the fruity finale.

Lisa Morrison has been writing about beer for nearly 20 years. She also owns Belmont Station, a well-known bottle shop and taproom in Portland, Oregon.

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The bright pale amber beer drops into the glass and a sturdy foam leaps right up—I feel better about this already. The aroma isn’t intense, but it’s pleasingly floral, with notes of grass and mint. The bitterness lays down broadly across the palate with a steely minerality backed up by sturdy malt holding up the floor. The finish is clean and lively. This isn’t the most eye-popping IPA you’ve ever had—it merely tastes pretty darned good. And isn’t that what you want with your lamb samosas?

Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, the editor-in-chief of The Oxford Companion to Beer, the author of The Brewmaster's Table and the veteran host of more than 900 beer dinners in 15 countries.

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