A super smooth, pale ale with citrus notes and mango, pineapple aroma, it may not be as bold or as brash as some of the offerings out there but what it is, we think, is a very well-balanced drinkable drop. That’s how we like them.
The inclusion of plenty of oats (and some wheat) is what helps to deliver the hazy appearance – but also the smooth mouthfeel. If you wanted to get all scientific the mouthfeel is a result of the starches and gums in the oats.
While you may think its all the rage hazy beers from oats date back well into the 1600s if not before – you can check out how Steve and me recreated once such beer using an old Dutch recipe here – but in fairness it isn’t a style we have done a lot of, so we wanted to bring Hazy Hare into our line-up. Also, at this point we have to say Steve and me had no real part in Hazy Hare as it was the creation of Andrew at the brewery.
We also wanted to try a few different things as well and so chose to brew with a heritage malt – Plumage Archer – crafted by Crisp Malt just down the road from the brewery. Back in the 1900s this popular malt was the first cross bred variety – combining Archer and Plumage and was favoured for its pale colour, subtle palate and clean flavour.
This flavour combination, along with some Maris Otter malt allows it to give distinctive taste to the beer but also means it is prepared to provide the perfect back drop for the hops to shine.
The hops chosen were a combination of a modern British hop; Harlequin and joined by some bold New Zealand and American.
The Harlequin is one of the new breed of UK hops hoping to give their US cousins a run for their money, and is already known for its smooth bittering characteristics and its passionfruit, peach, and pineapple notes.
We think the result is a well-hopped but balanced pale ale with a smooth, soft bitterness to allow the beer to be savoured.
Enjoy
Our other craft cans:
Coming soon Pondhopper Session IPA – back in July
