Beer of the Week: Hell Hazer

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the Capital of Craft Beer Festival. Presented on an annual basis by the San Diego Brewers Guild, it’s one of those magical events where key personnel from local breweries show up in force for the express purpose of interacting with craft-beer fans. As I made my way down the aisles, sampling beers while catching up with industry insiders and beer-loving friends alike, I came across many familiar sights, including a novelty item I had thought I’d never see again: a life-size skeleton varnished to look as though it had been burnt to hell. It was instantly recognizable as one of roughly a dozen such skeletons which had once been suspended above imbibers at Black Plague Brewing’s Oceanside tasting room. When that operation shut down last fall, I thought I’d seen the last of those dark ornaments, but here was one of them, greeting beer-drinkers along with Black Plague co-founder Jordan Hoffart, who recently brought his brand back from the dead with the assistance of Karl Strauss Brewing. Also present were beers from the revived operation, including this week’s featured libation, Hell Hazer. A double dry-hopped hazy IPA pulled from Black Plague’s archives, the beer smells like a mimosa garnished with lime zest. It’s a pleasant precursor to the layered flavors of orange, peach and passionfruit that come with each sip. At 7%, it’s substantial, but also incredibly drinkable; pretty much everything one would want from a hazy IPA. It’s good to have this local beer back on the market, and brilliant to see Black Plague given the chance to extend its legacy in the San Diego suds scene.

Hell Hazer is back, ready to teleport your tastebuds to a new flavor dimension! This double dry-hopped monster comes equipped with a massive dry-hop charge of Riwaka, Mosaic, Nectaron Hyperboost, Simcoe and Superdelic that throw off waves of ripe pineapple, peach and passionfruit before things get stranger with coconut cream, grapefruit zest and a candy-like tropical edge. Rolled oats and white wheat give it a soft, pillowy body that keeps all that hop chaos dangerously smooth. It’s lush without getting heavy, explosive without shredding your palate and juicy enough to make you question which realm of reality you’re standing in. The first sip drives your curiosity. The second solidifies your commitment. After that it’s too late…the door’s already slammed behind you and there’s no coming back!”

Jordan Hoffart, Co-founder, Black Plague Brewing