One of my favorite things about craft beer is beer mail. There’s nothing more exciting than getting a box of beer from another part of the country and diving into the contents. I was particularly excited for this most recent arrival from my cousin on the East Coast. We kept up with each other’s beer adventures via Instagram, and I had been bothering her to send me some of the famous haze names that we all associate with New England–Trillium, Night Shift and Tree House. This latest box had a few of those (thank you!) but it was an unknown label that caught my eye. Today, I tried out Greater Good Imperial Brewing’s Pulp.

Beer

“A juicy hazy New England IPA–Nectar of the Hop Gods.” What an introduction to a new brewery. Greater Good Brewing is based out of Worcester, Massachusetts. I spent many summers growing up going to New England beaches, so I know Worcester was “deep Massachusetts.” I figured I was in line for an Orange Julius-looking, prototypical New England IPA.

Upon first pour, what came out of the glass did not glow like an orange, but retained more of a golden amber color with almost nonexistent head. My first whiff was piney, VERY subtle citrus flavors, but more like Bell’s Two Hearted than a juice bomb. On this August night, I suddenly felt the whipping winds of a New England fall on my spine.

Taste

My first taste gave me sufficient pause. Here I was, expecting to get hit by a wave of juice, and instead found a…subtle, restrained American IPA? At first I was shocked, but after a couple of additional sips, I was pleasantly surprised. It reminded me more of classic East Coast IPAs like Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, or even the New England classic Heady Topper.

Finish

I’m often guilty of drinking too many hazy IPAs. I have to force myself into buying something new or trying other styles. It’s nice when a brew like this comes along, reminds me of an old style I liked, and gets me onto something new–beer is much more fun that way. Thanks for reading.

Feature Image: Greater Good Imperial Brewing

 

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