This article was originally published in the October 2016 issue of Ferment and has been republished with permission. If you would like to subscribe to Ferment then you can do so here.

Is the increasing prevalence of hazy, juicy pale ales and IPA the future of these styles, or is it just a flash in the pan?

Back in April I was in Philadelphia for the annual Craft Brewers Conference, organised by the Brewers Association of America. With half a day of downtime available, I jumped on a train and headed to the nearby suburb of Ardmore, home of Tired Hands Brewery. Tired Hands has been going for barely three years but already sees people line up outside the brewery for in excess of five hours to purchase cans when a new beer is released. On release days these beers typically sell out within hours, but you can still turn up to either its “Fermentaria” or its original brewpub just down the road to taste its excellent beers on draught, anytime.

One of the hallmarks of Tired Hands beers is that they are exceptionally hazy, to the point of being downright turbid. Beer such as its Hop Hands pale ale often resembles a glass of milk that’s been blended with fizzy orange soda. But the taste is redolent with bright, juicy hop flavours and a satisfyingly lingering bitterness. The mouthfeel is perhaps what makes it stand out the most. The haze, which is mostly made up of protein and hop compounds – and yes, some yeast – is rounded and silken, very similar to what you’d find in a Belgian Wit or German Weissebier. Despite the haze, these beers are still as satisfyingly refreshing as the transparent hop forward beers that sit within the same style.