Because the journey is more important than its destination, each year we finish with a beer that champions our discovery of hop things in the inevitable Pursuit of Happiness. Four things we learned in 2024; NZ Hops continue to deliver, Hyperboost in early ferment gives a great biotransformative scaffold, whirlpool pH affects burn, salt balance improves mouthfeel.
2024 was a year of reflection. Known more for our dry and plucky Westies and Reds, the intensity vs softness of Hazies has long eluded us. Much soul search, and blog reading have given us plenty to muck about with. From hop selection. to whirlpool pH, from advanced hop products, to water chemistry, we have tinkered with a lot, to deliver fullness and intensity, without astringency.
A modern Hazy: soft, saline and tropical with some intense hop character, pillowy mouthfeel and gentle, encouraging finish. Clean rather than flabby, soft rather than burn, balanced rather than insipid. This is what we learned.
