Like a fresh-squeezed glass of citrusy fruit juice in the morning. 3.5/5 stars.
You may remember my opinion on the hazy beer phenomenon. Let’s set that aside today and talk about the flavors in a typical hazy IPA. “Juicy” is the buzzword most associated with this style, for a few reasons. The most important is the distinct similarity to fruit juice in flavor and aroma, particularly citrus-based juices. Orange juice is the most common (easy connection since the beers look so similar to orange juice), but pineapple is not far behind. Melon flavors are also high up on the list, like cantaloupe and honeydew. Grapefruit can exist, but if it gets too strong the beer is starting to blur with a West Coast IPA. That tart-bitter combo that grapefruit creates falls outside the normal spectrum for a hazy beer. So, those are your main colors on the palette for this style.
I’m a sucker for good orange juice flavors, myself. Orange juice was a staple of the breakfast table when I was growing up, almost always made from a can of frozen concentrate. The absolute best was when it was freshly mixed, only slightly below room temperature. That was when I could convince myself that the juice was squeezed just before pouring into my glass, with atomized notes of orange oil and a hint of pith seeming to waft through the air. It was a wonderful way to escape from the cold midwestern winters and imagine myself somewhere tropical, like Florida.
The fondness for orange juice continued as I grew older. When I first visited France, I was introduced to Orangina, a carbonated orange juice with pulp. It was a transformational experience for teenage me, to have the sweet-bubbly-acidic beverage that tasted better than soda. When I visited Valencia, Spain as a college student, I discovered the orange juice vending machine. For a euro, I was given magic, entertainment, and a delicious beverage. The machine dropped fresh oranges from a basket into a contraption that transformed the fruit into freshly squeezed juice in front of my eyes. I probably spent more money than I should have on tiny cups of juice for the pure joy of it. The video below is similar to the type I saw. A little later in life, I learned to appreciate the mimosa. There are worse ways to start a morning than orange juice with a hit of carbonation and alcohol.
When hazy IPAs came around with their orange juice looks and flavors, I grudgingly accepted that my favorite fruit beverage could also have a place in the beer fridge. Even though there is no fruit juice in the IPA, it still ticked a lot of the boxes for me. That being said, I still maintain that the hazy has had its day in the sun (fog?). I’m happy to go back to a cool glass of the real stuff.
Socks & Sandals by Humble Sea Brewing Company
A Beer a Day 
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