Over the centuries, the recipe for beer hasn’t changed much. Water, hops, yeast, and barley — that’s the whole show. But the permutations within that framework are literally endless and brewers, a creative bunch if ever there was one, are always finding new ways to coax out unique flavors that they want to highlight.
With spring almost here and the pandemic winding down, we can’t help but get excited by the hazy, New England-style IPAs, milkshake IPAs, and other juicy beers bursting with tropical fruit and citrus hop flavors starting to roll out or demanding more shelf space. Below, you’ll find ten of our favorite beers defined specifically by their juiciness.
Sloop Juice Bomb
ABV: 6.5%
Average Price: $11.99 for a six-pack
The Beer:
With a name like “Juice Bomb,” you have a pretty good idea of what you’re about to get into. This 6.5% New England-style IPA is bursting with citrus and tropical fruit flavors. It’s supremely juicy and sweet, with very little hop bitterness.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find fragrances of tangerine, lime, and guava. The first sip is bursting with juicy grapefruit, mango, and orange juice. It’s so sweet and juicy you might be surprised at its high-ABV.
Bottom Line:
This is not a beer for West Coast IPA fans. It’s sweet, juicy, (have I mentioned that yet?), and has almost no bitter notes. It tastes more like a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice than a classic IPA.
Trillium Fort Point
ABV: 6.6%
Average Price: $15.25 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
While this list is definitely dominated by IPAs, this pale ale made with two-row barley, white wheat, and Crystal 15 malt, as well as Citra and Columbus hops is fresh, crisp, and filled with tropical fruit and bright citrus flavors.
Tasting Notes:
Take a whiff and you’ll immediately be struck by the tangy, crisp aromas of fresh tangerine, lime, and orange zest. On the sip you’ll find flavors of juicy peach, sweet pineapple, mouth-watering orange, and fresh mango. It all finished with a dry, subtly bitter ending.
Bottom Line:
This is Trillium’s flagship beer (and named for its location) for a reason. It’s light, refreshing, and bursting with juiciness.
Weldwerks Juicy Bits
ABV: 6.7%
Average Price: $7.99 for a 16-ounce can
The Beer:
Another beer named perfectly. Juicy Bits is an homage to the “juicy bits” at the bottom of orange juice with pulp. Brewed with El Dorado, Citra, and Mosaic hops, it’s heavy on the tropical fruit and citrus flavors.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find the aromas of a fresh carton of orange juice, sweet pineapple, and subtle, piney hops. The first sip is brimming with mango, guava, nectarine, and grapefruit juice. The last sip is filled with citrus juice, tropical fruit, and just a hint of hope presence.
Bottom Line:
Buy this one and Juice Bomb and have a real juice off. The juiciest beer wins. What they win, we don’t know. But contests are fun.
Grimm Lumen
ABV: 6.4%
Average Price: $7.99 for a 16-ounce can
The Beer:
Grimm Ales Lumen is everything great about the new generation of hazy juice bombs. The brewery even refers to it as a “new school IPA.” It’s a perfect combination of sweetness and bitterness with El Dorado, Citra, Equinox, and Mosiac hops.
Tasting Notes:
Take a whiff and you’ll think you’re smelling fresh pineapple juice along with a subtle hint of piney hops. The first sip is filled with juicy peach, bright tangerine, fresh grapefruit, and floral, resinous hops to round it all out perfectly.
Bottom Line:
While this is hazy and juicy, it’s also a great example of a beer that captures the perfect balance between sweet and bitter.
Lawson’s Finest Sip of Sunshine
ABV: 8%
Average Price: $16.49 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
Fresh pressed or squeezed juice is supposed to be enjoyed fresh, so is Lawson’s Finest Sip of Sunshine. This beloved brew is referred to as a “tropical vacation in a glass” because of its trifecta of floral, citrus, and tropical fruit flavors.
Tasting Notes:
Take a moment to give this a good sniff before you take a sip and you’ll be struck by the sharp lemon zest, fresh grapefruit, and tangerine flavors. On the palate, it will transport you to a world of floral, piney hops, juicy peaches, and ripe oranges. It all ends with a final resinous, bitter kick.
Bottom Line:
This IPA might be made in New England, but it’s more of a classic IPA than the hazy offerings from some other breweries.
Other Half DDH All Citra Everything
ABV: 8.5%
Average Price: $9.99 for a 16-ounce can
The Beer:
The recipe for this 8.5% imperial IPA is pretty simple and straightforward. It’s double dry-hopped (hence the DDH in the title) with single-hop: the citrus and pine-flavored Citra. The double dry-hopping created a crisp, fresh, juicy flavor that doesn’t require any other hops to complete it.
Tasting Notes:
This brew pours a hazy, orange color. From the moment it hits the glass, your senses will fill with the scents of mango, lemon, line, and tangerine. On the sip, you’ll be whisked away to a world of ripe grapefruit, lemon tart, orange peels, and a clean, bitter finish.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a fan of juicy, dry-hopped beers, you can’t do much better than this offering from Other Half. It ticks all the boxes.
Bissell Brothers Nothing Gold
ABV: 8.2%
Average Price: $18 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
You might know Bissell as a vacuum cleaner brand, but this brewery has nothing to do with sucking up dog fur from your shag carpet. The Maine-based brewery makes this double IPA with Amarilla, Citra, Sultana, and Ekuanot hops — all of which combine for a super-fruity punch.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll get fresh-squeezed orange juice, lemon zest, and tropical fruit aromas. On the palate, expect notes of piney hops, ripe guava, bright tangerine, and a lingering, pleasing sweetness from the use of honey malt and flaked oats.
Bottom Line:
This is a big, bold Maine-centric New England-style IPA. It’s the perfect companion to an evening reading your favorite Stephen King novel.
Treehouse Julius
ABV: 6.8%
Average Price: $5.50 for a 16-ounce can
The Beer:
Another beer that makes it obvious that New England has the juicy market cornered, Julius from Treehouse is an OG juice bomb. This 6.8% IPA is Massachusetts’ Brewery’s flagship beer because of its perfect hop-to-malt ratio. It’s juicy, sweet, and filled with citrus and just the right amount of hops.
Tasting Notes:
Take a moment to breathe in the aromas and you’ll be greeted with passionfruit, peach, and fresh guava. The first sip lets you know you’re in for something special with its ripe tangerine, sweet nectarine, and a final note of spicy, piney hops.
Bottom Line:
The hazy, juicy beer market has exploded in the last few years and Julius was one of the first. Give it the respect it deserves by sharing a few cans with your family and friends.
Two Roads Two Juicy
ABV: 8.2%
Average Price: $15.99 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
No “juicy” list is complete with Two Roads Two Juicy. This New England-style IPA is unfiltered, super hazy, and filled with a cacophony of hops including Citra, Mandarina Bavaria, and Hallertau Blanc.
Tasting Notes:
The result of the myriad hops is a double IPA with strong aromas of lychee, resinous pine, and fresh pineapple. On the palate, you’ll find flavors of tangerine, orange zest, and mango. The finish is a great combination of sweet and subtly bitter.
Bottom Line:
The best part about Two Road Two Juicy is its availability. Many of the other beers on this list are hard to find, but Two Roads should be easy to spot in your local grocery store.
Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing
ABV: 6.7%
Average Price: $9.99 for a six-pack
The Beer:
When you think of Sierra Nevada, you probably think about its award-winning pale ale. But this hazy New England-style IPA is one of the best, most well-rounded, easy to find, offerings on the market. It gets its bold flavors from Citra, Magnum, Simcoe, Comet, Mosaic, El Dorado hops.
Tasting Notes:
From the first nosing, you’ll find this beer is full of floral aromas that delve into tropical fruits, and bright citrus. Take a sip and find flavors of fresh grapefruit, pineapple, mango, and a mellow finish with just a hint of bitter hop presence.
Bottom Line:
If you only try one of these juicy beers, make it this one. It’s probably the cheapest and the easiest to find, but it’s an absolute banger.