The haze craze which started back in 2003 in the USA and has since sailed its way over to our shores and is arguably the most popular style of craft beer in the land, well it certainly is mine.
While the haze craze has been somewhat exclusive to hop heads and other craft beer enthusiasts, there hasn’t been much of a gentrification when it comes to hazy IPAs as the masses of good old fashioned beer drinkers are only just started to get their palates around IPA’s but there is change on the horizon!
No longer do you need to part with $10 to get your hands on a single 400ml tin of haze, you can now get a 6 pack of 330ml tins for under $20 and better yet you can probably find these at your local supermarket and soon enough they will be replacing the bottles of Heineken in home fridges around Aotearoa.
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been hunting down these more affordable hazys and I have done the painful job of sampling as many of these beers as I responsibly can and I have narrowed down my top three which I have reviewed below and although they are all slightly different have their own flaws and merits, they all get the hazzy seal of approval!
Parrotdog Birdseye Hazy IPA (5.8%)
Price $19.99
My favorite and also the most expensive of my top 3 and that’s probably because its brewed by the talented bunch at Parrotdog in Wellington who have a track record for pumping out juicy, full bodied haze bombs. Birdseye is just like any other full bodied hazy but toned down a little but still has the creamy and slightly juicy notes that we all know and love.
Tasting Notes: Creamed clover honey, juice, whipped cream (from a can), orange flavored cough syrup and aromas of ripe oranges.
Rating: 9.6/10
Mac’s Apparition Hazy IPA (5.6%)
Price: $13.99
This one really surprised me! I usually associate Mac’s with the beer you get at the local tavern but this brew actually had some flavour and most importantly, some haze. Let’s just hope that we see this bad boy replacing Mac’s Gold on the taps in the near future.
Tasting Notes: Pine needles soaked in salt water, flat lemonade, white bread with two squeezes of orange.
Rating: 7.5/10
Boundary Road Haze of our Lives (5%)
Price: $13.99
Gets the bronze medal mainly due to the fact that it is the furthest away from your classic hazy IPA. The blurb on the can says that this brew is lightly hazed and that is being generous but nonetheless this is still a delicious drop and with the 5% ABV and subtle hop flavors, this would have to be the most approachable hazy on the market and the perfect gateway beer.
Tasting Notes: A wedge of grapefruit, butterscotch, lemon flavored sparkling water and a few blades of dried grass.
Rating: 7/10
Follow Joshua on Instagram @hazzy_hunter