Houston Haze - SpindleTap Brewery Review
Aww! Spring and summer were made for hazy and fruity beers, and vice versa. And our neighbors to the east have brought out a hazy IPA that represents their H-Town pride. SpindleTap’s Houston Haze is a hazy IPA packed with so many tropical flavors it should be shelved in the store next to the other fruit cocktails.
It gets its fruit flavors from double dry-hopping the classic pairing of Galaxy and Citra hops, which together bring flavors of sweet fruit, floral, and citrus in a one-two-three punch. And this hazy is no lightweight at 7.0% ABV, so beware before you venture further.
Now, for our First Impressions:
On the eyes--Very hazy; completely opaque. I would describe it as an almost banana cream color, but Mrs. Brew says it reminded her of the color of a hay bale. So, banana cream hay bale it is. It forms a cream-colored head that diminishes pretty quickly. Very enticing, especially for those into hazy beers.
On the nose--Tropical!!! with a hint of citrus. I get the aroma of Citra over Galaxy, but both are certainly present.
On the palate--The aroma didn’t lie—this one is tropical! Pineapple is the most forward flavor for me, but SpindleTap says guava and grapefruit are also present. I get a good dose of bitter grapefruit, especially at the end. It coats the mouth a little, but not in a numbing way. The tropical flavors at the beginning are so refreshing and palate cleansing that you nearly forget about the balancing grapefruit kick coming for you at the end. It has the full mouthfeel associated with the style, but the real winner in this beer is the hop combination, which is so classic and pleasing. Citra and Galaxy both bring high levels of a thiol that enhances the tropical characteristics when in the presence of geraniol (later converted to citronellol by yeast) and linalool, both of which are high in Citra hops. Simply put, these two hops are a match made in heaven for a hazy IPA.
Check out how I know this stuff in the link below. (The New IPA Book Review)
SpindleTap has many beers available year-round and also some pretty awesome looking limited releases. We’ve never been to SpindleTap’s brewpub in Houston, but they offer a wide range of beers, food, and activities like putt-putt golf. And for all those interested in coffee, when you pick up a six-pack of Houston Haze, grab a bag of SpindleTap Coffee as well.
Beer, Coffee, and putt-putt! This company was made for people like us! We can’t wait to visit. Grab a Houston Haze to help refresh you on those hot days.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew