I Can See Clearly Now The Haze Is Gone
Mirror Twin Brewing

Brewing up the kind of beer that was cool before haze was cool, the veil of turbidity is lifted from the Mirror Twin brewery, at least temporarily. Whipping up a standard IPA that showcases as much of the fruity, floral and juicy character that they can pack into the beer without making it a slushy takes hop heads back to the days of dryness.

Pouring with a moderate hop haze, I Can See Clearly Now The Haze Is Gone casts a golden orange translucent glow on the glass while crowning with a creamy off-white froth. Citrus aromas with hints of stone fruit and tropical fruits lead to a floral bouquet and a hint of herbal spice to round out the nose. Gentle sweetness gets back to those granola suggestions with hints of honey, caramel, light toastedness and nuttiness to start things off on the malty foot.

But any preferences toward malt are quickly dispelled as the middle palate quickly sides with the hops. Bold aromas of fresh oranges, pink grapefruit, light mango, pineapple and apricot frame much of the taste before a moderate bitterness of citrus peels, light pine resins, an herbal array and a spicy hop balance leads the way thereafter.

Medium bodied and trending dry, the beer's crisp, clean and refreshing mouthfeel is a stark reminder of what we gave up when we preferred the culinary rewards of the haze craze. Highly drinkable, this standard American IPA washes down the haze and takes us back to simpler hoppy times at least for a pint or two.