Wine Enthusiast – October 2019

WINEMAG.COM | 159

91

Breakside What Rough Beast New England-

Style India Pale Ale (Juicy/Hazy IPA; Breakside

Brewery, OR). While this might not be the haziest

of the hazies, it shows excellent overall balance and

great drinkability. A lightly hazy deep-gold color, it

opens with assertive aromas of tropical fruit, hon-

eydew, citrus peels and a touch of fresh pine needle,

with supporting grainy notes of biscuit dough and

caramel malt. The medium-bodied, soft mouthfeel

off ers more malt weight than straightforward juici-

ness, with fl avors of melon rind, orange and grape-

fruit pith that carry on through to the close.

abv: 6.8% Price: $8/22 oz

91

Deschutes Fresh Haze India Pale Ale (Juicy/

Hazy IPA; Deschutes Brewery, OR). This

canned brew pours a hazy sunset-orange color

in the glass, with a frothy white head that shows

good retention. The nose is powerful in expected

waves of juicy mandarin orange and pineapple,

with touches of fresh, grassy hops and lightly hon-

eyed malts. The palate is smooth and satisfying in

ripe citrus fl avors that transition to a lightly bit-

ter citrus- peel note that lends some textural lift

through the fi nish, while the bready malt core

provides a supporting backbone to all of the juicy,

hoppy goodness throughout.

abv: 6.5% Price: $11/12 oz 6 pack

90

Coronado Rise East Hazy IPA (Juicy/Hazy

IPA; Coronado Brewing Co., CA). This “East

Coast-Style IPA” pours a hazy golden-orange color,

with an off -white head that leaves nice lacing

behind with each sip. The nose is loaded with scents

of juicy peach, sweet orange and tropical fruit that

all carry through to the smooth, soft palate. There’s

a subtle hop and orange-rind fl avor that lends a

subtle bitterness to the close, but never overwhelms

the beer’s juicy, fruit-forward soul. Part of a four-

pack that includes two Rise East and two Set West,

a “West Coast-Style IPA.”

abv: 7% Price: $14/16 oz 4 pack

89

Reuben’s Brews Hazealicious IPA Hazy

India Pale Ale (Juicy/Hazy IPA; Reuben’s

Brews, WA). This canned pour, brewed with Citra,

Strata, Comet, Mosaic and Azacca hops, leads with

medium-intense tropical fruit notes of pineapple,

passion fruit and mango alongside a strong dose of

tangerine juice. Those fruity notes carry through to

the medium-weight palate, sitting atop a cracker-

malt core and complemented by bright carbonation

and a dry fi nish of citrus pith and dried grass fl avors.

abv: 6% Price: $11/12 oz 6 pack

E

ven though brewers continue to question

what the next big thing in the world of craft

beer will be, consumers will forever return

to certain classic styles: lagers and stouts,

sure, but defi nitely India pale ales (IPAs).

For years, American IPAs have reigned

supreme as the fl agship style of the domestic

craft -beer scene. The category dominates craft

off erings on retail shelves and

always sees the highest number

of submissions in any judgment

or competition. It seems we just

can’t get enough of the stuff.

Many brewers have taken

playful approaches to the cate-

gory as a whole. Sure, American

beers—especially IPAs—are still

quite hoppy, but we’re increas-

ingly searching for more refined, balanced

options now that we’ve gotten over the initial

bitter-hop shock and awe.

As a result of these endeavors, there have

been some shift s in base style and brewing tech-

niques that have yielded even more additions

to the wonderful array of IPAs available today.

This year, we decided to dedicate a Beer

Buying Guide exclusively to the current stylis-

tic darling of the IPA world: New England-style

IPAs (NEIPAs), also known as juicy or hazy IPAs.

Essentially, these IPAs are unfi ltered and

hopped with fruit-forward, or “juicy,” hop

varieties. They are not shy on personality and

exhibit intense citrus and tropical fruit tones,

with plush mouthfeels and cloudy appearances.

While interest in juicy or

hazy IPAs has been on the rise

over the past few years, the

style has now hit mainstream.

Thanks to stablization improve-

ments, the reach and distribu-

tion of these brews have grown

well beyond originally niche

tasting-room-only selections.

Three categories—juicy or

hazy pale ale, IPA, and double or imperial IPA—

are now recognized by the Brewers Association

Beer Style Guidelines, so fans can expect to see

more releases to come. Love it or hate it, the

haze craze is here to stay.

While only a few reviews appear here, be

sure to visit winemag.com/ratings for addi-

tional hazy ratings. —Lauren Buzzeo

The IPA haze craze

BEER

While interest in

juicy or hazy IPAs

has been on the rise

over the past few

years, the style has

now hit mainstream.

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