I used to think I had a pretty good handle on the nomenclature of hazy/New England IPAs, but I’m not nearly as sure anymore. At one point, it seemed pretty clear cut that hazy IPAs were more or less in line with West Coast IPAs with some protein haze and a lot more cold side hopping, and NEIPAs were of the minimal bitterness variety that look and taste like fruit juice. However, lately, it feels like more and more Australian breweries are happy with calling any IPA that’s not crystal clear hazy, or simply reverting to just whacking on an IPA label assuming their customers know what the deal is. In any event, if the beer is good and not loaded with lactose, who gives a shit right?
Akasha’s Cloud 9 appears much brighter than other beers labelled as hazy. This is a genuine, translucent haze where you can see shapes through the glass, but not fine detail. As opposed to the complete opacity of many hazy beers.
It's a real full on tropical fruit assault too, with mango, nectarine, passionfruit and lemon peel conducting a no-knock raid on your face. Once that’s over and done with, on the palate is where Cloud 9 shifts into the soft and luscious territory. It wraps you up in a big soft blanket of orange sherbet and a touch of malt sweetness with a gentle bitterness and clean finish.
Judd Owen
Published November 20, 2020 2020-11-20 00:00:00