HOPIQ FACEOFF
86%
Overall similarity
hopIQ take
BRLO Pale Ale if you want a fuller, more assertive pale ale experience,
The Carlton if you want something lighter and more sessionable.
Both sit at 35 IBUs, so bitterness isn't the differentiator—it's the alcohol warmth and body weight. That extra 0.5% ABV in BRLO translates to noticeably more malt presence and a slightly thicker mouthfeel that lingers. The Carlton leans leaner, which some days is exactly what you need.
At a glance
Generated from the four anchored axes — never hand-written.
Structurally near-identical
Structurally these two are the same beer. The difference is in the aromatics. Sweetness and bitterness match within Δ 1. BRLO Pale Ale runs a touch fuller in body (Δ 4). BRLO Pale Ale brings a distinct floral note that The Carlton doesn't.
Beer DNA
Body
Δ 4
Sweetness
Δ 1
Situations
In words
BRLO Pale Ale
BRLO's Pale Ale has real substance to it. There's a breadiness underneath the hop character—not sweet, but present. You get citrus and pine from the hops, but they're not piercing; they settle into the grain. The finish has a subtle warmth that says 5% without being obvious. It's a pale ale that feels deliberate, like someone thought about balance rather than just throwing hops at malt.
The Carlton
The Carlton drinks cleaner and faster. It's got the same hop profile on paper, but you taste more hop clarity here because there's less malt ballast. Citrus pops earlier, fades quicker. The body is snappier, almost crisp at the edges. It's the kind of beer that disappears without you thinking too hard—which is its strength, not a weakness. Perfect for when you want flavor without commitment.
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hopIQ scores every beer against your palate, not the average drinker's.
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Beers like BRLO Pale Ale
View alternatives →Beers like The Carlton
View alternatives →Bitterness
Δ 0
Texture
Δ 3
Only BRLO Pale Ale
Shared character
Only The Carlton