Cloudy IPAs

The most desirable IPA's, I've found, are indeed cloudy, and it's beauty all in itself...

 

IPAs (and DIPAs) need to be cloudy for me.

 

All those particles in suspension can effect the flavor of the beer in a good way (or bad, if you are one of those people who complain about haze). Beers like Heady Topper wouldn't be as unique to me if they settled out completely. It seems to be indicative of these new school pale ales so why can't it be acceptable for the style instead of considering it a fault? Similar to a Hefeweizen where cloudiness is universally preferred.

 

I cant believe no one's mentioned two hearted. Cloudy as can be and delicious as can be!

 

Yes!...

 

I think cloudiness is becoming more accepted. Others have already touched on why you can cloud beer homebrewing or rushing to get through the process-- I think that's where most have a negative perception about cloudiness, but I would say that perception has diminished as people have learned about proper serving temps and a wider understanding of why a brew may not be perfectly clear. Some styles just wouldn't be that style if they weren't clear, but I would say with more exploration in brewing and new techniques popping up the stigma over being "hazy" has decreased a lot of the last few years for drinker in the know. Again, that doesn't mean a beer judge won't knock off points for hazy beer that should be clear, but as consumer I think there is less fear that the brew is bad simply because you can't see through it.

 

I find cloudier IPAs to be less consistent batch to batch and to generally fall off quicker. Since Smutty added their centrifuge and Finest Kind has been sans floaties it's been a much more consistently tasty IPA. Probably lost some of that raw grapefruit bitterness, but that particular taste profile of the old Finest Kind faded away quickly over the first two weeks. Now it's a beer I can drink with 6+ weeks of age and still enjoy.

 

Like I've said before sometimes you just don't want to see what's on the other side of your beer glass. For me the cloudiness of the beer is not a problem.