Reuben's Brews Hazealicious
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Tasting Notes
Hazealicious pours with the trademark haze of the New England IPA style, and leads with aromatics of ripe tropical fruit — think mango, passionfruit, and a hint of citrus peel. The flavor follows through on that promise: juicy and fruit-forward with a soft, pillowy mouthfeel that comes from heavy dry-hopping and the use of wheat or oats in the grain bill. Bitterness is deliberately low, letting the hop flavor do the work rather than the bite. The finish is relatively short and smooth, which keeps it approachable without demanding a lot from the drinker.
About the Brewery
Reuben's Brews is based in Seattle, Washington, founded around 2012 by Adam and Grace Robbins. The brewery has built a strong reputation in the Pacific Northwest for producing technically precise, hop-forward beers across a wide range of styles. They've won multiple Great American Beer Festival medals and are known for taking both classic styles and modern trends seriously — their double IPAs and sours have drawn particular attention alongside their hazy lineup.
Food Pairings
The soft bitterness and tropical fruit character here work well with spicy Thai or Vietnamese dishes, where the juicy hop flavors cool the heat without fighting it. A fish taco with mango salsa echoes the beer's fruit-forward profile while the lime and cilantro find common ground with the citrus hop notes. Creamy cheeses like brie or a mild triple-cream pair naturally because the low bitterness won't clash with the fat. Grilled shrimp with a light char also fits well, as the smoke adds contrast while the sweetness of the shrimp mirrors the beer's fruit-leaning finish.
Style Guide
The New England IPA, sometimes called a hazy IPA or NEIPA, emerged from small craft breweries in Vermont and Massachusetts around the early 2010s and spread rapidly nationwide. It's defined by its intentionally hazy appearance, low perceived bitterness, and an emphasis on hop aroma and flavor over hop bite — achieved through heavy dry-hopping and the addition of adjuncts like oats or wheat that soften the body. ABVs typically run from around 6% to 8%, though session and double variants exist on either end. Compared to a West Coast IPA, which is clearer and more bitter, the NEIPA prioritizes a juicy, almost smoothie-like texture and tropical or stone fruit hop character.