Little Willow Hazy Daze

Hazy Daze is a New England-style IPA from Little Willow in California, listed at 6.5% ABV and 40 IBU. That bitterness figure is moderate for an IPA, and it matters here: the style is built to keep bitterness low relative to hop aroma, so the beer should read as soft and fruit-forward rather than sharp or resinous. The producer's own description points to a hazy appearance and tropical fruit character, which is what you would expect from a New England IPA built around late-addition and dry hops. In the glass, expect an opaque, pale gold to orange-yellow body with a soft, full mouthfeel. Styles like this usually lean on oats or wheat for a pillowy texture, with a restrained malt backbone that stays out of the way of the hops. Aromas typically run to mango, pineapple, citrus peel and stone fruit, and the finish tends to be short and gently dry rather than lingering and bitter. At 6.5%, the alcohol is present but not heavy, so it drinks closer to a juice-forward pale ale than to a strong double IPA. Serve it cold but not ice-cold, around 40 to 45°F (4 to 7°C). Colder than that mutes the hop aromatics that make the style worth drinking, and a few minutes out of the refrigerator lets the tropical notes open up. A tulip or a wide-bowled IPA glass concentrates the aroma, and a standard shaker pint works fine if that is what you have. Pour with a little vigor to build a short head and release the aromatics, and consider leaving the last sip of sediment behind if the can has settled. For food, the fruit-forward hop profile and low bitterness suit spicy dishes well: Thai green curry, chicken tacos with a chili-lime marinade, jerk chicken and Nashville-style hot chicken all work, since the soft body cools heat rather than amplifying it. It also pairs naturally with fish tacos, grilled shrimp with citrus, fresh goat cheese and sharp cheddar. Drink it fresh, as hazy IPAs are at their best within a few weeks of packaging, and keep it refrigerated to preserve the hop aroma.