Firestone Walker is well known for hitting that 6.5% ABV mark on their IPAs. But the next Mind Haze duo are going to be more dynamic. Brain Melter and Cosmic Crusher will be Imperial Hazies…
8.5 and 9.5
Review – Tropical Hazy Mixed Pack from Firestone Walker
Prior to my trip up to the Central Coast, I snagged a variety pack of the Tropical Mind Haze Variants from Firestone Walker.
Starting from left to right with the Tiki Smash which is a winning combination of coconut and pineapple. I thought I was drinking pineapple juice for a moment. The bitterness is really low and I am not getting any mango notes to speak of, but it has the tropical nailed.
Next up is Hopical Crush with no specific flavors mentioned on the box. This has a lovely citrus aroma. Big navel orange flavor complemented by a grassy bitterness. I also get a bit of vanilla.
Lastly is the Citrus Cyclone, made with real tangerine. Comes across at first as like a Radler. That tangerine comes through in the aroma. Bitterness is buried beneath the juice note. Nice and refreshing but I would call it more a pale in profile.
Tiki Smash is my winner.
Your Mind Will Be 3x Hazy
Though the labels are touch on the neon garish side for me, the beers in this new variety pack from Firestone Walker look intriguing. Hopical Crush would be the first one that I would crack open.
Mind Haze “Tiki Smash” IPA
“Tiki Smash IPA delivers a tiki-inspired flavor combination born of pure hops and freshly toasted coconut. Original Mind Haze hops including Azacca are now joined by Motueka and Sabro hops. The Azacca portion has been increased to amplify the sense of pineapple tropical character, while Sabro delivers its complementary coconut qualities. “We use an elaborate system to introduce freshly toasted coconut for a smooth, subtle extraction,” Brynildson said. “The resulting beer showcases the special synergy of natural coconut with the tropical hop flavors of Mind Haze.”
Mind Haze “Hopical Crush” IPA
“Hopical Crush IPA delivers a double-dry hopped explosion of tropical Mai Tai-inspired flavors, including pineapple and orange. This copiously hopped beer begins by accentuating the original Mind Haze hop blend with the Strata cultivar, which offers up bold pungent fruit and a touch of dank cannabis-like character. The beer is then double dry hopped with twice the amount of hops than usual—ultimately totaling more than five pounds of hops per barrel. The resulting beer exhibits massive flavors that will have you dreaming of Mai Tais on a faraway island.“
Mind Haze “Citrus Cyclone” IPA
“Citrus Cyclone IPA delivers a head-spinning taste of all the citrus flavors under the sun, finished with a kiss of real tangerine. The base beer is co-fermented with fresh California tangerines. This base is blended back with a separate lot of dry-hopped Mind Haze, then finished off with a final dash of tangerine to elevate the citrusy top note. Along the way, the Mandarina hop adds a distinctive orange character. The result is a remarkably refreshing Mind Haze experience.“
Hazy x2 + Lager Too
Firestone Walker’s Lager is getting a label makeover and bigger news, Mind Haze is growing. Now there will be a Double…
The lager label seems old school beer design without the font and the use of the word premium. Plus it has the earthy tones of the barrel-aged beers like the Gin Rickey. As for Hazier, I bet they took their time with it like they did the original so I expect a winner.
Old Hands – New IPA’s
The Mid-Majors of the California brewing world are aware of the trends big and little but they all seem to give the trends a shot. Just in different ways….
Matt Brynildson from Firestone Walker approached a Hazy IPA via the Weizenbock making their Mind Haze with 40% wheat and oats in the bill and by precise hop additions.
Karl Strauss head brewer Sean Albrecht used their Small Batch program along with a trip to the East Coast as inspiration for their nautical themed Boat Shoes Hazy IPA.
Lastly, Figueroa Mountain used a trip to Yakima Chief to create a new IPA that they named after California geography with Point Conception IPA.