If craft beer made it through the COVID-19 pandemic, it can make it through anything. One of the reasons it’s such a trend on a global scale is the investment in innovation that each brewery does. Then, there’s also the determination to discover recipes and tastes that appeal to a broader clientele base than ever before.
The craft beer industry has never been as diverse as it is nowadays. There’s a huge chance you’ll come across something up to your taste, even if you’re not that big of a beer fan or don’t want to try out the homebrewing trend. Take the New England IPA as an example. It’s trending way more than anyone could have imagined, and contrary to the traditional beers which tend to be bitter, it’s rather sweet, hazy, and full of aromas. This type of style is also known for its smooth and silky body, unlike the typical dryness of regular IPAs.
Is New England IPA a Beer?
Although some don’t consider NEIPA to be a style on its own, or remotely related to IPA for that matter, there’s no doubt it’s already been established as distinctive and gaining more and more popularity by the minute. As special as the West Coast IPAs, the IPA New England-style beers on the market are also known by some as hazy, East Coast, juicy, and even unfiltered IPAs.
One thing is certain if you’re after a creamy, sweet, and fruity beer with lots of different ingredients and flavours, you’re going to love this flavourful and aromatic option. In addition to selecting different fruity flavours and aromas, breweries also pay particular attention to the yeast strains, choosing those that leave their fruity esters from the fermentation process.
The carbonation levels are on the moderate and high sides, and you can feel the hop notes more than the malt ones due to the fruity-hop ingredients added to the mix. Think of it as bubbly orange juice if you’re up for beer but not the traditional taste. It’s the perfect refreshment on a hot summer’s day that will truly quench your thirst!
Why Is It Called New England IPA?
Because they were first brewed in New England, Vermont to be more exact. It all started in 2011 with the Alchemist brewery’s new invention – the Heady Topper which was unfiltered, unpasteurised and enriched with enzymes and various compounds that gave it the rich aroma and flavour that set it apart from the rest. So, the whole process of chemistry was thought through and altered.
That’s when all the “haze craze” began, in particular, after 2015 due to the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) and their guidelines on this style. This showed the world was ready for a new set of craft beers with refined bitterness, a fruity taste, and a cloudy and smooth appearance.
All this makes these beers more appealing than the conventionally malty and bitter beers, including in Australia considering the wide range of IPA New England-style craft beers available on the market. They even have their own officially recognised category in the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA).
What Are Some of the Trending New England IPAs in Australia?
If you’re new to this incredible beer style that would open up a new world of tastes, why not stick to the best of the best, right?! For a start, you might like to try:
Capital Hang Loose Juice
Why this one specifically? Because this Capital Brewing’s creation won the Best IPA at the Australian Beer Festival. It has 6% of ABV, and it looks and tastes like orange juice due to the blood orange juice, but also comes with a few tropical notes as an addition (e.g. pineapple and passion fruit), as well as a nice bitter finish which is the perfect refreshment.
Big Shed Boozy Fruit
If you like something slightly more alcoholic, this option has 6.2% ABV and is super sweet and syrupy with tropical notes of passion fruit, orange, pineapple, and mango. Foamy, with a spicy hoppy finish, plus a smooth mouthfeel, it’s not surprising why it won the People’s Choice at GABS in Melbourne.
Balter Hazy Pale Ale
This is another one that rated high on the GABS, coming out as #1 at the GABS Hottest 100 HAZY. It also has a 6% ABV, and many consider it liquid gold. With a solid fruit and tropical taste, mild alcohol content, and slightly bitter aftertaste, it’s perfect for treating yourself to a special beer.
Beerfarm Royal Haze Juicy
Want to try out a hazy IPA beer with even less alcohol content? Then get your hands on one of these. It’s got a 5.8% ABV, and medium bitterness, with distinct aromas and taste from the lovely fruity esters – the result of English yeast. It’s also a craft beer choice that’s gone through multiple hops during production.
These are just some examples of what you can expect when you decide to get into the world of Australian New England IPAs. There are options for a range of packs jumbled together, so you can further enhance your palate with this style and see what you like the most. From limited edition 6 packs to packs of 12 and even 24 beer cans, you’re truly spoiled for choice!
