Over the past 30 years, the craft brewing industry has exploded. What used to be a “hipster” interest is now commonplace at bars and restaurants everywhere, including restaurants in Salem, NH. At Border Brewery, we’re proud to be part of this ongoing beer revolution that elevates taste and experience over indiscriminately guzzling whatever’s cheapest. We’re also proud to be brewing beer in New England, a region that has played an important role in the evolution of craft beer through the creation of the hazy IPA.
How much do you know about New England’s home brew, the hazy IPA? Learn about this tasty beer variety with one of your favorite restaurants in Salem, NH.
The Inception in Waterbury, VT
If you love a hazy IPA, you have John Kimmich of the Alchemist Brewery in Waterbury, VT, to thank. He brewed the first hazy IPA in 2004, called Heady Topper. The beer’s hazy and nearly opaque appearance was due to the fact that he didn’t filter or pasteurize the beer. Skipping these steps resulted in a thicker beer with increased flavor and aroma. At first, the hazy appearance of beer put some people off, but once they tasted it, the appearance didn’t bother them anymore.
Popularity Spreads
The hazy IPA is also called the New England IPA (NEIPA) because it started in New England and was really only made around here for the first decade or so. But as other New England brewers started experimenting with their own hazy beers, the rest of the country started to take notice. By the beginning of 2017, demand for hazy, New England-style IPAs took the West Coast by storm. In 2018, the Brewers Association officially recognized the Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale as a distinct beer style.
A Careful Concoction
Although brewers across the country have embraced hazy IPAs—the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. co-founded National Hazy IPA Day last year—it still remains a New England specialty. Passing on filtering and pasteurizing the beer isn’t the only thing that contributes to brewing a hazy IPA. Brewers also carefully choose the right strains of yeast, precisely time the addition of the hops, and adjust the chemistry of the water. When you take a sip of that smooth, hazy brew, you’re enjoying the result of a carefully crafted labor of love.
