Crazy for Hazy

Is the haze craze the greatest revolution in New Zealand's beer history? Some believe it is.

The movement for hazy beers in unstoppable. Nothing has tipped the industry on its head like these juicy hop bombs; it's now at the poit where a brewery without at least one hazy is missing out.

What's not to love about beers which are rich, creamy, mouth-filling and deliver a riot of tropical fruit and orange juice flavours? Industry leaders such as McLeod's and Behemoth are creating monthly, if not weekly, releases of fresh, hoppy goodness designed to drink asap. 

Garage Project's idea of stamping the month on the front of the can is a game changer in creating awareness around freshness. After all, that's the essence of these beers. Originally the domain of brew pubs, they were created to be enjoyed on site and as fresh as possible. With many of the packaged hazy products, it's a case of 'here today, gone tomorrow' as they are snapped up by FOMO-driven fans. 

A few breweries do offer a core-range hazy, such as Behemoth's Lid Ripper, Good George's Fog City, Panhead's Rat Rod, Deep Creek's Misty Miyagi, Liberty's Jungle Juice and Sawmill's mixed six-packs

If you haven't yet hopped aboard the haze train, it's time to buy a ticket.