Commercial Examples
Black Flannel Disco Montage, Belching Beaver Hazers Gonna Haze, Hill Farmstead Susan, Other Half Green Diamonds Double IPA, Pinthouse Electric Jellyfish, Tree House Julius, Trillium Congress Street, WeldWerks Juicy Bits.
Black Flannel Academy
Hazy (NE) IPA | Disco Montage
top-fermented
An American IPA with intense fruit flavors and aromas, a soft body, smooth mouthfeel, and often opaque with substantial haze. Less perceived bitterness than traditional IPAs but always massively hop-forward.
Color
3 – 7 SRM
Bitterness
25 – 60 IBU
Alcohol
6.0 – 9.0% ABV
Sweetness
The finish remains off-dry to medium with non-sharp hop character in the aftertaste.
Balance
High fruity hop character with low-to-medium malt presence and restrained bitterness often masked by the beer's fuller body.
History
Classic characteristics
Appearance
Straw to light amber, occasionally with orange tones. Hazy, frequently opaque clarity without cloudiness. Medium to rocky white foam with excellent head retention.
Aroma
Prominent fruity hop notes dominate, featuring stone fruit, tropical elements, or citrus characteristics. The malt provides clean, grainy, or lightly bready background notes without caramel or toasted qualities. Fermentation contributes neutral to fruity esters that complement rather than clash with hop aromatics.
Flavor
High fruity hop character with low-to-medium malt presence and restrained bitterness often masked by the beer's fuller body. The finish remains off-dry to medium with non-sharp hop character in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel
Medium to medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation, delivering a smooth, possibly silky texture without harshness.
Flavor Profile Deep Dive
Service notes
BJCP designation
Overall Impression: An American IPA with intense fruit flavors and aromas, a soft body, smooth mouthfeel, and often opaque with substantial haze. Less perceived bitterness than traditional IPAs but always massively hop-forward.
Comments: Also called New England IPA (NEIPA). Haze comes from polyphenol-protein interactions during dry-hopping, not suspended yeast or starch.
Style Comparison: Fuller mouthfeel, restrained bitterness, and hazier appearance compared to traditional American IPA. Notably fruitier examples with dry finishes belong in 21A.
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.060 – 1.085 | FG: 1.010 – 1.015 | IBUs: 25 – 60 | SRM: 3 – 7 | ABV: 6.0 – 9.0%
Source: BJCP 2021 Style Guidelines, bjcp.org, retrieved 2026-09-13. Vital statistics are as published; descriptive text is condensed from the published guideline.
Brewers Association designation
Style comparison
Similar Styles
Fuller mouthfeel, restrained bitterness, and hazier appearance compared to traditional American IPA. Notably fruitier examples with dry finishes belong in 21A.
Ingredients
Grain Bill
American/New World fruity hops, neutral-to-estery yeast, starchy grains with flaked additions, chloride-rich water, and heavy dry-hopping during fermentation for biotransformation complexity.
Brewing process
Food pairings
Spirit pairings
The soundtrack
Keep exploring
- BJCP Guidelines: 21C (Hazy IPA)
- Beer Judge Certification Program: BJCP Official Guidelines