This is a beer I always thought was interesting ever since spotting it in Sainsbury’s. Pasta is my favourite type of food and I like a good sustainable initiative, so this was always on my bucket list. However, I never really tried it due to other breweries such as Full Circle and Polly’s bringing out new craft choices. When this was bought for me, I thought ‘get in, I’ll give this a go’. Before I tell you whether you should give this a go, if you would like to sit back and relax and explore the history, pour and taste of this beer. Cheers
From a pasta deli to a brewery
Beyond Belief Brewing Co (BBB) was founded by Freddie Ugo who is the great-grandson of Luigi Ugo whose family ran a London based pasta deli in the 1920’s. Freddie aimed to repurpose surplus pasta ,which ranges from misshapen spaghetti to offcuts, into beer.
After starting with homebrew experiments and overcoming technical challenges such as like pasta coagulating and clogging equipment, the brewery received an Innovate UK grant (~£350,000), enabling them to develop a facility in Hertfordshire and patent their method, which replaces up to 50% of base malt with surplus pasta/dough. Their process also saves up to 1.35 litres of water for every litre of beer brewed.
The beer called Zenith is a mixture of an East Coast and West Coast India Pale Ale which makes its bright citrusy whilst also having a dry and bitter finish. The beer contains around 50g of surplus fresh pasta per can which equates to 50% of the base malt. This beer also has an ABV of 5% and is combined with Columbus, Centennial and Citra hops.
The beer was first listed on Ocado in the late spring of 2025 before a major breakthrough by supplying 400 Sainsbury’s stores across the country. Apart from Zenith, BBB has experimented with its Vienna Lager and Flapjack Stout.
A golden looking pour
When you pour this into the glass it’s a golden straw colour with a nice hazy body. I think the pasta base is not the reason why this is so cloudy and I believe it is a combination of the hops and yeast used. It has a light foamy head which lingers around the glass the more you drink. This was also not overly fizzy. This was overall a very inviting beer.
The taste and aroma
Moving onto the aroma, on the nose this present quite citrusy and tropical vibes mainly of grapefruit and mango variety. It also had a touch of pine and undertones of a biscuity maltiness which I think is where the pasta rounds out the aroma.
On the taste buds, I could immediately taste the tropical and citrus notes which were identical to the aroma. Mid Palate I noticed sweet backbone to the malty bitterness from the hops which goes along with the silky feel from the pasta. At the end, there was clean, dry and bitter edge which is very similar to the west coast ales. Overall, this is a very balanced IPA and you can tell the difference the pasta makes.
Time for my verdict
Beyond Belief Brewing Co.’s Zenith Pasta IPA is more than just a clever sustainability project—it’s a genuinely enjoyable beer in its own right. The use of surplus pasta doesn’t come through as a gimmick; instead, it adds a subtle smoothness to the body while allowing the hops to shine. The citrus-tropical nose is bright and inviting, the flavor balances juicy fruit with a clean, bitter snap, and the finish is refreshing without being harsh. This is why I rate this 4 out of 5.
Where is this beer from?
This beer is from Sainsbury’s where it comes in 440ml cans. I believe this cost £3.50 but it is also available in the 4 for 3 deals. If you enjoyed this review, please don’t hesitate to check out the rest of my reviews. Cheers
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