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Belt Driver

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Tropical and grapefruit flavours burst out of this full-bodied IPA, brewed on belts and wheels installed in 1861; Arkell's is one of the last breweries in the world still working that way. At 4.2% it is one of Arkell's house beers and pulls you back for the next pint, as a cask beer should.

ABV
4.2%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
tropicalcitrusyhoppy
tropical
citrusy
hoppy
clean
Aroma
The nose opens with prominent tropical stone fruit—mango, passion fruit—layered beneath assertive grapefruit citrus from clean noble hop character.
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Belt Driver

◎ Appearance

Belt Driver presents a pale golden hue with bright clarity and gentle carbonation that produces a fine, persistent head. The visual profile reflects a lightly kilned Malz base typical of the IPA style. Excellent Schaumhaftung clings to the glass walls with each sip.

pale goldenbright clarityfine foam retention

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with prominent tropical stone fruit—mango, passion fruit—layered beneath assertive grapefruit citrus from clean noble hop character. Subtle Malz sweetness provides foundation without overwhelming the aromatic profile. No yeast-derived phenolics; the aroma remains crisp and forward-facing.

tropical fruitgrapefruit citrushop-forwardclean

◐ Taste

Entry is vollmundig and structured, delivering concentrated tropical and citric flavour from the first moment. Mid-palate sustains the grapefruit bitterness (60 IBU) with balanced Malz backbone; the 4.2% ABV keeps the body restrained despite the declared fullness. Finish is dry and refreshing, inviting another pint as intended.

tropical, citric palatemoderate bitternessbalanced Malz sweetnessdry finish

◑ Finish

The bitterness persists gently into the aftertaste without harshness, fading to a clean, slightly citric note. Medium finish length supports the cask beer's drinkability and food-friendliness.

moderate bitternessclean aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
79
Appearance
76
Finish
75
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve well-chilled. Session IPAs are at their best cold — the lower ABV means less warmth to balance the hops.

Tulip glass

The curved shape concentrates hop aromas and supports a thick head. Essential for aromatic ales and IPAs where the nose is half the experience.

Drink fresh. Session IPAs are brewed to be consumed young — the hops are at their best now.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Belt Driver

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About IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a IPA?

IPAs are hop-forward ales with 5.5–7.5% ABV and IBU 40–70+. Bold hop aroma — citrus, tropical, resinous — with firm bitterness and a dry, clean finish.

Finding a similar IPA

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same tropical, full-bodied, citrusy character as Belt Driver will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all IPA beers in hopIQ →New to IPA? Read our guide →Browse United Kingdom beers →