Slipstream have always described themselves as being a hop-focused brewery, but their preferences could be described as even more specific than this; take a closer look at their lineup and you’ll see they prefer bitter American pale ales and West Coast IPAs to hazy pales and East Coast IPAs. This is the reason they went five whole years of operating before they put out a hazy beer in cans.
I say this because when you taste Hazy XPA, you’ll probably think: “Why on earth haven’t Slipstream been making hazies this whole time?!”
Part of Slipstream’s extended year round range, Hazy XPA is about as drinkable as hazies come. It’s triple dry-hopped with US and NZ hops, devoid of bitterness and softer than a fluffy towel.
Once the label has implanted the beach in your mind, it’s hard to think of anything but a glorious day on the Sunshine Coast. Golden sand glowing in the morning sun. A gentle wave of fruits rolling in, pulling up just short of a passionfruit-printed beach towel. The first lick of a creamy mango Weis bar that’s melting in the heat. Wading in the shallows, feeling the cool and foamy water against your legs. The ocean drawing back the waves, leaving only a pretty pattern in the sand to show that it was ever there.
You can hear a little more about Hazy XPA straight from head brewer Gavin Croft in this video, and you can contact Slipstream directly if you’d like to complain that they haven’t put out hazies before now.
Mick Wüst
Published December 7, 2022 2022-12-07 00:00:00
