Hi-Wire Hazy & Juicy & Hoppy & Fresh Double IPA
Before opening: Hazy & Juicy & Hoppy & Fresh is Hi-Wire’s experimental Hop IPA series. I always appreciate a brewery when they want to experiment, and it seems like more and more of them are taking on this approach. It gives hop-heads like me a chance to try different hop combinations. This particular version contains the following hop varieties (I’ve had all of these hops in other beers, but my palate is not advanced enough to pick out which one is which):
- Strata
- Waimea
- Enigma
- Idaho 7
Alc by vol. 8%
Bottled: 11/2020
Style: Double Dry Hopped New England Style IPA
Appearance: Pours a golden orange color with a medium amount of haze. Fluffy foamy head (similar to a root beer float) slowly dissipates and keeps lacing around the rim of the glass.
Aroma: Heavy citrus, stone fruit and tropical fruit. Consensus mentions melon, but I don’t get that here.
Taste: Thick with medium to low carbonation. This beer actually has a heavier viscosity than previous ones in this series. Gets boozier and sweeter as it warms- probably due to the higher 8% ABV. I would prefer to drink this at a much colder temp than where it’s currently sitting. Not a lot of complexity to this brew, but IPAs don’t always need to be complex. There is a heavy amount of citrus up front which dissipates quickly in to a soft, pillow-y finish.
Finish: The beer finishes slightly malty, boozy, and super sweet. A little bit of vanilla shows its face as the beer continues to warm.
Summary: The search for the perfect hop combination continues, and the point here is simple: experimentation. As with the other brews in this series, Hi-wire loves experimenting. This particular variant sits in the middle of the rest of the ones I’ve enjoyed. I’ve had tastier ones, and this one is tastier than others I’ve had. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
