The next phase

In the first pair of releases since they returned to contract brewing, Hopfully has sought to placate both sides in the pale ale civil war.

One of them is Television, a hazy pale ale, being both very very hazy and very very pale. The hop combination of sweetly fruity Azacca and Strata with more serious Citra has given it a lovely balance between the dessert-like tropical fruits and the more jagged citrus and pine. It shows a dankness that's unusual in a hazy pale ale, as well as spicy herbs and the requisite juice and vanilla. I like how it skirts the edges of the hot garlic effect which can be haze's bane, keeping the boldness and heft but not tasting weird or off. This is another one of those hazy jobs done well, missing any of the bad features and delivering lots of enjoyable fresh hop fun. It's hard to imagine what else to ask of a beer like this.

Its companion piece is a west coast IPA called The Lads. Alas, there's an unacceptable amount of haze in this, lest there be any doubt which side of the war Hopfully is really on. Still, it's a nice amber colour under the murk. The aroma is more muted than I would have expected from Mosaic, Nelson Sauvin and Simcoe: all quite assertive hops in their own right. Although it's stronger than the previous beer, at 5.8% ABV, it's very similar in density, sacrificing west-coast crispness for a chewiness belonging to a far stronger beer. A token effort has been made at the west coast profile, with a hint of crystal malt caramel and a pinch of pine resin, but without the liquid being clean and clear, it's unconvincing. While it's a fine beer to drink, I think the style purists will be disappointed, and it's just not as interesting as the other one, like the brewers' hearts weren't really in it to do the style properly.

It's nice that Hopfully is still around, and very nice that it's still doing haze very well. Perhaps their new host (which should be named on the can but isn't) can teach them about clarity.