The Alpha Effect Hazy IPA
Heavy Seas Beer


- From:
- Heavy Seas Beer
- Maryland, United States
- Style:
- Hazy IPA
Ranked #2,058 - ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #27,908 - Avg:
- 3.79 | pDev: 8.18%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 47
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 20, 2022
- Added:
- Feb 28, 2017
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 26
With a lightning strike of exotic hops, the Alpha Effect is a hazy and dank IPA thundering with juicy hop aroma and flavor. With a hefty 7%, the Alpha Effect has enough malt to balance the ridiculous amount of hops we used to create this category 5 monster. Hazy, but never muddy, this is an expertly brewed IPA. Take cover, the Alpha Effect is in effect!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Slatetank:
Reviewed by Slatetank from Pennsylvania
3.93/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.93/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I tried this from the bottle chilled
The color is golden apricot with hazed clarity and white head with tight bead and lace clings.
Smell has hop aroma that is fruity with citrus oriented quality with a good tropical and light mango-like sweet smell with grapefruit aromatics and light pine with orange zest odor.
The feel has mild sweetness and medium high bitterness with moderately low in carbonation with a moderately astringent and slight juicy aspect lingering with a mostly dry finish and subtle alcohol.
Taste has a good fruity tangy and slightly tropical yet bitter hop flavor that has a slight herbal element. The taste is contrasted wth subtle sweetness in the middle with mild tangy grapefruit bitter citrus taste.
Overall this is a good IPA, decent hazy example yet more or less a west coast in new England clothes not smooth in bitterness levels pretty high for the style. I enjoyed it as sort of a mash up of the two and would drink it for its hoppy merits.
Aug 08, 2018The color is golden apricot with hazed clarity and white head with tight bead and lace clings.
Smell has hop aroma that is fruity with citrus oriented quality with a good tropical and light mango-like sweet smell with grapefruit aromatics and light pine with orange zest odor.
The feel has mild sweetness and medium high bitterness with moderately low in carbonation with a moderately astringent and slight juicy aspect lingering with a mostly dry finish and subtle alcohol.
Taste has a good fruity tangy and slightly tropical yet bitter hop flavor that has a slight herbal element. The taste is contrasted wth subtle sweetness in the middle with mild tangy grapefruit bitter citrus taste.
Overall this is a good IPA, decent hazy example yet more or less a west coast in new England clothes not smooth in bitterness levels pretty high for the style. I enjoyed it as sort of a mash up of the two and would drink it for its hoppy merits.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington
4/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2019-12-30
Clear golden, medium head. Smell is piny and juicy. Taste is sweet, fruity and floral with a pine aftertaste. Mouthfeel is light and dry. Overall, pretty good.
Dec 31, 2019Clear golden, medium head. Smell is piny and juicy. Taste is sweet, fruity and floral with a pine aftertaste. Mouthfeel is light and dry. Overall, pretty good.
Reviewed by CTHomer from Connecticut
3.53/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.53/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
A: hazy; deep gold in color; 1 finger off white head that receded to a splotchy cap; OK lacing;
S; orange and apricot;
T: orange and apricot with apricot taking over by the finish; almost no bitterness;
M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; lightly dry finish;
O: not enough aroma or flavor to make this stand out among NEIPAs;
Nov 15, 2018S; orange and apricot;
T: orange and apricot with apricot taking over by the finish; almost no bitterness;
M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; lightly dry finish;
O: not enough aroma or flavor to make this stand out among NEIPAs;
Reviewed by IBUnbiased from Florida
3.19/5 rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.19/5 rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
A - A hazy orange. Almost orange juice, but not quite. Not much head with almost no lacing.
S - Yellow grapefruit, orange, and pineapple. Sunny-D.
T - Tastes like Sunny-D with hops at the end. Extremely sweet.
F - Not a lot of carbonation. Pretty smooth and creamy.
O - Sunny-D with some hops. Very drinkable, but very citrusy and VERY sweet. Does not taste like a 7% beer. Very acidic, which lingers with you after you stop drinking. Not really that hoppy, and could be good for someone who isn't a huge IPA fan. As long as they like orange juice.
Jul 10, 2018S - Yellow grapefruit, orange, and pineapple. Sunny-D.
T - Tastes like Sunny-D with hops at the end. Extremely sweet.
F - Not a lot of carbonation. Pretty smooth and creamy.
O - Sunny-D with some hops. Very drinkable, but very citrusy and VERY sweet. Does not taste like a 7% beer. Very acidic, which lingers with you after you stop drinking. Not really that hoppy, and could be good for someone who isn't a huge IPA fan. As long as they like orange juice.
Reviewed by JayQue from Virginia
3.69/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.69/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pretty good AIPA!!! 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. Pours a very hazy honey yellow color with a good size foamy white head. Better than average retention and some lacing on the glass. Aroma is very mild, a bit of citrus hops and caramel malt. Taste is better. Aromatic and citrus hops and more pronounced caramel malt. I would have thought this beer is fairly mild, but it stood up well to the Thai food I ate tonight. Mouthfeel is smooth, the caramel malt overtakes the bitterness on the tongue. Rich enough, not watery. If the .abv was lower, this would be a good session beer.
Jul 10, 2018Reviewed by beersampler6 from Michigan
3.93/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Surprisingly excellent, easy-to-drink IPA. Nice hazy yellow color with some mild white head and lingering lacing. Smells faintly of fruity hops. Tastes of citrus and floral hops, caramel, grain and a very nice, well-balanced malt backbone. Smooth finish with nice mild mouthfeel and just the right amount of carbonation. Very trace lingering bitterness. Could easily drink multiples of this beer on a warm day.
Jul 08, 2018Rated by Captain69 from Illinois
4/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
GREAT POUR GREAT IPA TASTE
Jul 04, 2018Reviewed by teromous from Virginia
3.4/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.4/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
From the back label: "18004 BEST BY JUN2918_"
Appearance: The beer is a hazy beige and gold with a medium-sized fluffy white head.
Aroma: The beer has a fairly strong floral aroma with notes of tangerine and grapefruit.
Taste: It has a very grassy taste to the beer. There is a bit of grapefruit pith and a touch of lemon.
Mouthfeel: The body is smooth with moderate bitterness that builds in strength with every sip.
Overall: It's a decent beer with a nice aroma but the grassy flavor wears on the palate a bit. I wouldn't rush to recommend it but I wouldn't turn it down. It's a beer I'd occasionally pick up.
Jun 20, 2018Appearance: The beer is a hazy beige and gold with a medium-sized fluffy white head.
Aroma: The beer has a fairly strong floral aroma with notes of tangerine and grapefruit.
Taste: It has a very grassy taste to the beer. There is a bit of grapefruit pith and a touch of lemon.
Mouthfeel: The body is smooth with moderate bitterness that builds in strength with every sip.
Overall: It's a decent beer with a nice aroma but the grassy flavor wears on the palate a bit. I wouldn't rush to recommend it but I wouldn't turn it down. It's a beer I'd occasionally pick up.
Reviewed by RozzieBoy from Rhode Island
3.74/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
L - Hazy orange pour with small off-white head. Fair lacing.
S - Citrusy. Mostly oranges.
T - Follows the nose. Kind of like a DIPA.
F - Medium body feel. Fairly smooth. Mild, dry mouth feel.
O - Pretty impressed with this beer. It was very nice.
May 24, 2018S - Citrusy. Mostly oranges.
T - Follows the nose. Kind of like a DIPA.
F - Medium body feel. Fairly smooth. Mild, dry mouth feel.
O - Pretty impressed with this beer. It was very nice.
Reviewed by pizzabutt from Maryland
4.02/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
poured from a 12oz bottle into a pilsner-style glass.
appearance: a beautiful hazy amber with a creamy white head. excellent lacing.
smell: hoppy as hell. citrusy with a bit of breadiness. very piney.
taste; resiny, piney, a bit of grapefruit. good malty flavor. starts off with the hops, finishes with the malt. leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste.
feel: smooth and creamy. very nicely carbonated but it's less of a prickly carbonation and more of a soft carbonation. the beer itself is slick and goes down easily.
overall: a great hazy ipa. most hazy ipa's that i've tried have been more citrusy and less hop-forward but this stands out among the crowd. a great balance of hoppiness and citrus fruit with just the right amount of malt to keep the balance.
May 18, 2018appearance: a beautiful hazy amber with a creamy white head. excellent lacing.
smell: hoppy as hell. citrusy with a bit of breadiness. very piney.
taste; resiny, piney, a bit of grapefruit. good malty flavor. starts off with the hops, finishes with the malt. leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste.
feel: smooth and creamy. very nicely carbonated but it's less of a prickly carbonation and more of a soft carbonation. the beer itself is slick and goes down easily.
overall: a great hazy ipa. most hazy ipa's that i've tried have been more citrusy and less hop-forward but this stands out among the crowd. a great balance of hoppiness and citrus fruit with just the right amount of malt to keep the balance.
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