National Hazy IPA Day
August 21
About National Hazy IPA Day
National Hazy IPA Day is an annual craft beer celebration created by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and observed on the third Thursday in August. The day was established in 2023 to spotlight the hazy IPA beer style, one of the fastest-growing and most popular styles in the craft beer market, and to celebrate independent craft breweries across the United States and beyond.
What is National Hazy IPA Day?
National Hazy IPA Day is a dedicated observance for the hazy or “New England” style of India Pale Ale, a beer style characterised by its cloudy appearance, soft mouthfeel, and juicy, fruit-forward flavour profile. Unlike traditional clear IPAs, hazy IPAs are intentionally unfiltered, retaining hop compounds and yeast particulates that contribute to their distinctive look and taste. The day is a celebration of both the beer style itself and the craft brewing culture that brought it to mainstream popularity.
When is National Hazy IPA Day?
National Hazy IPA Day is observed on the third Thursday of August each year. The floating date means it typically falls between 15 and 21 August, depending on the year. In 2026 it falls on 21 August.
Why it Matters
The hazy IPA has been one of the most significant developments in craft beer in the past two decades. Once an obscure regional style brewed by a handful of small New England breweries, it has become one of the most popular beer styles in the United States and is now produced by breweries around the world. Its success has reshaped how consumers think about IPA as a category, introducing a softer, more approachable style that has attracted drinkers who found traditional bitter IPAs too aggressive.
National Hazy IPA Day, in its championing of independent craft breweries, also touches on important industry themes. The craft beer sector supports local economies, encourages ingredient innovation, and provides an alternative to the consolidation of the global beer industry under a small number of large multinational companies. Celebrating hazy IPAs is, in part, a celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit and community focus that defines the best of craft brewing.
How to Get Involved
There are several ways to observe National Hazy IPA Day:
- Visit a local craft brewery or tap room and order a hazy IPA, particularly from an independent producer in your area.
- Explore different hazy IPA styles by purchasing a range of cans or bottles from different breweries to compare flavour profiles, hop varieties, and regional interpretations.
- Pair a hazy IPA with food: the citrus and tropical fruit notes typical of the style work well with spicy dishes, grilled fish, soft cheeses, and light salads.
- Share on social media using the hashtag #NationalHazyIPADay to connect with the craft beer community.
- Learn about hop varieties used in hazy IPAs, such as Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy, and Sabro, which contribute the characteristic tropical and citrus aromas.
History of Hazy IPA
The story of the hazy IPA begins with the India Pale Ale itself, a style with roots in eighteenth-century Britain. British brewers discovered that adding extra hops to beer helped preserve it during the long sea voyage to India, creating a more bitter, hop-forward product than the beers being consumed domestically. This style was revived by American craft brewers in the 1980s and 1990s and became one of the defining styles of the US craft beer movement.
The hazy or New England IPA emerged as a distinct sub-style in the early 2000s, developed primarily by breweries in Vermont and Massachusetts. The Alchemist brewery in Vermont, producer of the cult beer Heady Topper, is widely credited with popularising the style. Rather than the clear, bitter, resinous character of West Coast IPAs, the New England style prioritised a hazy, juicy, low-bitterness profile achieved through late and dry-hopping techniques and specific yeast strains that produce a characteristic turbidity.
By the mid-2010s, the hazy IPA had spread beyond New England to breweries across the United States and internationally. It gained recognition from the Brewers Association and began appearing in major beer competitions as a distinct category. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., one of the pioneering craft breweries in the US, helped bring the style to mass market awareness through its own hazy IPA offerings, and it was Sierra Nevada that partnered with National Day Calendar in 2023 to establish National Hazy IPA Day.
Noteworthy Facts
- The hazy IPA is sometimes called a “New England IPA” (NEIPA) after the region where it originated, though the terms are often used interchangeably.
- The characteristic haze in a hazy IPA comes from proteins from certain malts, hop compounds, and specific yeast strains, rather than from any additive.
- Hazy IPAs are typically lower in perceived bitterness than West Coast IPAs, making them more accessible to those who find traditional IPAs too bitter.
- Common hop varieties used in hazy IPAs include Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy, Amarillo, and Sabro, each contributing distinct citrus, tropical fruit, and floral notes.
- The style has become so popular that many large multinational breweries have released their own hazy IPA products, though craft beer advocates typically distinguish between independent craft versions and mass-market interpretations.
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., which founded National Hazy IPA Day, was itself established in 1980 and is one of the oldest and most influential craft breweries in the United States.
Hashtags
#NationalHazyIPADay #HazyIPADay #HazyIPA #CraftBeer #NEIPA
Featured image: Photo by Josh Olalde on Unsplash.
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