Balter Brewing Hazy Wonderland

Style
Hazy IPA
ABV
6.5%
Bitterness
22 IBU

At the start of 2021, Balter promised us a four-part hop experiment in which they’d play around with Cryo hops in West Coast and hazy versions of IPAs. They started by putting Mosaic hops on both sides of the fence with CryoMofo and CryoHaze, then moved on to Cryo Idaho 7 hops starting with Electric Wonderland. Now, with Hazy Wonderland, they’ve locked the last piece into place.

The aesthetics of Electric Wonderland were 80s SoCal; to quote one of the master wordsmiths of our time: “I saw Will Smith wearing MC Hammer pants in Fresh Prince. I saw Blade Runner. I heard the synthesiser riff from Take On Me.”

The Hazy Wonderland tinnie brings to mind the same decade, but this time in the form of Olivia Newton-John’s workout gear in Physical, which, unsurprisingly, is also the song that’s now stuck in my head.

The fruit smoothie character of Electric Wonderland has made a return appearance, complete with an undercurrent of creamy coconut. But this is most evident in the aroma – once you start drinking, the notes in this beer shift from the boppy parody of Physical to the understated strength you see in a Jane Fonda video. There’s pine, there’s grain character, there’s a slight earthiness, and there’s a bitter oomph that tells you not everyone wearing pastel tights is a laughing stock.

Still, Newton-John gets the last word: “There’s nothing else to talk about, unless it’s [holding the beer glass up to your lips] horizontally.”

Mick Wust

Published October 28, 2021

Name
Balter Brewing (CUB/Asahi)
Address

14 Traders Way
Currumbin
QLD 4220

Phone
(07) 5525 6916
Open Hours

Friday: 3pm to 7pm
Sat & Sun: midday to 6pm

CBCo Goldy
Black Bad Boy Bao 2024 B

More from Balter Brewing (CUB/Asahi)

Balter Brewing Figueroa Mountain West Coast Pilsner
West Coast Pilsner
7.0%
Balter USA Mouth Holiday: Green Cheek California IPA
California IPA
7.0%
Balter x Cloudburst Hazy IPA
Hazy IPA
7.0%
Balter Brewing Hazy Pale Ale
Hazy Pale
6.0%
Balter Brewing x Mountain Culture Bucket Full Of Nothin'
Hazy IIPA
7.5%
Balter Brewing NZ Hazy
NZ Hazy Pale Ale
6.0%
Balter Brewing NZ IPA
IPA
7.0%
Balter Brewing NZ Pils
NZ Pilsner
5.4%
Balter Brewing Eazy Hazy
Hazy Pale
4.0%
Balter Brewing Electric Wonderland
West Coast IPA
7.0%
Balter Brewing CryoHaze
Hazy IPA
6.5%
Balter Brewing Cryomofo West Coast IPA
West Coast IPA
7.0%
Balter Brewing IIPA '20
Imperial IPA
8.0%
Balter Brewing Bunker Buster
Session Ale
4.5%
Balter Brewing Dimples West Coast IPA
West Coast IPA
7.0%
Balter & Garage Project Dry Haze
Hazy IPA
6.0%
Balter Brewing Hazy/DC
Hazy IPA
6.0%
Balter Brewing Dazy
Double Hazy IPA
8.0%
Balter Brewing Lager
Lager
4.8%
Balter Brewing Handsome Elvis
Nitro Milk Stout
6.5%