It's serious stuff trying 25 different beers. Today, reporter Belinda Feek and Raglan man Kevin Holmes are trying five IPAs. Photo / Mike Scott
It's serious stuff trying 25 different beers. Today, reporter Belinda Feek and Raglan man Kevin Holmes are trying five IPAs. Photo / Mike Scott
Herald reporter and beer aficionado Belinda Feek is on a mission - to sample as many fine summer brews as possible and educate her sceptical mate Kevin along the way. Welcome to day three: hazy IPA.
They were ridiculed when they first arrived on the scene, but the hazy IPA has since won the hearts of many.
Now a permanent addition to almost craft beer brewery, the hazy offers a thick, citrus, juicy taste with some explosive creamy hop flavour.
Plenty of breweries are having fun with it, some almost making you cross-eyed.
In November, Wellington's Garage Project produced a triple hazy IPA celebrating 10 years in the brew game, aptly named 10. It's also 10 per cent abv. Meanwhile, Urbanaut Brewery chalked up a triple hazy IPA at a whopping 14.9 per cent.
And more than 100 hazies were entered in this year's New World Beer & Cider Awards, with Garage Project and Behemoth featuring in the top 30.
These five hazy IPAs are being sampled today, a selection from as north as Waipu to as south as Wellington. Photo / Mike Scott
Hazy IPAs are my favourite kind of brew, so today is a good day.
A beer brewed to be enjoyed any time of the day, hence the name. Kevin - "Don't wait till 5 o'clock, you can drink this anytime." 4.5/5 Belinda - "Stronger in flavour, yet hops are subtle. Best enjoyed with some salt and vinegar chips." - 4/5
Big flavour without the booze, tiny but mighty. Pair with summer salads or seafood. Kevin - "An awesome non-alcohol option with all the taste of a refreshing cold beer." 4.8/5 Belinda - "Wow, what an interesting flavour. Bit of punch there but hard to reconcile against the other big boys." 3.5/5
The brewers took a big dip in the tropical pool, made with a juicy Pina Colada-esque brew. Kevin - "Hits the taste palate, nice drop." 4.9/5 Belinda - "If you want a hazy with some punchy juice, saddle up and catch a ride with this one." - 4.5/5
Good George Brewing per cent - Fog city hazy IPA - 5.8 per cent
The brewery's tribute to the rolling fog that regularly turns up in the Waikato winter months. Kevin - "Certainly has the wow factor, refreshing and unique taste." 4.5/5 Belinda - "Less abv, but similar punch in flavour as McLeod's 802. Could sit on this all night. 4/5
Behemoth Brewing - Something hazy IPA - 5.9 per cent
He's got a brother called something hoppy and this one uses all the brewery's favourite hops. Kevin - "Really smooth, tasty. Great to have while tucking into a barbecue." 4/5 Belinda - "Subtle hops, a beer for everyone including those who haven't tried hazy before." 4.5/5
