Abita Purple Haze

Tasting Notes

The aroma leads with fresh raspberry, subtle and clean rather than jammy or artificial. On the palate, the fruit sits lightly over a mild wheat base — soft, slightly bready, with just enough tartness from the raspberries to keep things interesting. The body is light and the finish is short and clean, leaving behind a faint berry sweetness without cloying. It's a straightforward fruit wheat that doesn't overcomplicate itself.

About the Brewery

Abita Brewing is based in Abita Springs, Louisiana, founded in 1986, making it one of the older craft breweries in the American South. They built their reputation largely on approachable, sessionable beers suited to Louisiana's heat and food culture. Purple Haze has become their flagship and arguably their most recognized product nationally, though their lineup also includes the Turbodog brown ale and Amber, both regional staples.

Food Pairings

A light green salad with a raspberry vinaigrette mirrors the beer's fruit character without competing with it. Grilled Gulf shrimp works well because the beer's light wheat body doesn't overwhelm delicate seafood. A slice of plain cheesecake offers a creamy contrast that lets the raspberry note read more vividly. Soft tacos with grilled chicken and a citrus slaw are mild enough to let the fruit element stay in the conversation rather than disappear.

Style Guide

Fruit and Field beers are a broad American craft category defined by the addition of fruit, vegetables, or other agricultural adjuncts to a base beer — most commonly a wheat or pale ale foundation. The goal is to showcase the added ingredient without masking the underlying malt character entirely. ABVs typically run low to moderate, and bitterness is kept minimal so the fruit can read clearly. The category is distinct from sours or lambics in that it doesn't rely on fermentation-driven tartness — any acidity comes from the fruit itself rather than wild yeast or bacteria.