Beer of the Week: Saturhaze IPA

From the Beer Writer: Not all New England-style IPAs are the same. The degree of haziness brewers instill in their NEIPAs ranges from something so thick and boggy they make the glasses housing them look like candle holders, to nearly-clear quaffs that could be mistaken for unfiltered West Coast IPAs. This week’s featured beer, Saturhaze IPA from Mira Mesa’s Green Flash Brewing, falls on the latter end of the texture spectrum. Instead of aiming for a coating, cloudy, semisweet body that’s a wee bit more appropriate for enjoyment in pubs and eateries, which are only available on a quarter-capacity basis at present, this dry and crisper-than-most hazy is better suited for sun-soaked outdoor enjoyment. That extends to the session-strength 4.2% ABV (alcohol-by-content), which fosters prolonged enjoyment.

From the Brewery: “Saturhaze IPA is one of the core beers in Green Flash’s lineup and stands apart fro all others. Saturhaze is brewed to target a lower ABV but the recipe packs in flavor and complexity that you et from much bigger beers. The grain bill has an unheard of five different grains to deliver consistent haze, a touch of sweetness and the backbone to hold up all the Simcoe, Citra and Mosaic hops that we jam into the whirlpool and dry-hop. Note that there are no kettle hop additions. These are all aroma hops. Already mentioned is the consistent haze in a golden sea of effervescent beer topped with rich white foam. Aroma and flavors are intensely fruity and tropical. Tasters get a lot of stone fruit, particularly fresh yellow peach leading to a clean, herbal background in the finish.”—Tom Tweedy, Vice President of Operations, Green Flash Brewing