When Brewmaster Matt Brynildson was asked to bring a pair of new beers into the Mind Haze fold for 2024, it didn’t take long for him to decide on a direction: go big… and then go even bigger!
The results of it are now in, so, say hello to Mind Haze Brain Melter Hazy Imperial IPA (8.5% ABV) and Mind Haze Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA (9.5%), the latest additions to our bestselling Mind Haze family of IPAs.
Today we’re going to crack into and take a sip from the most mindblowing Mind Haze of them all: Cosmic Crusher, which Matt calls “our crazy adventure into the realm of imperial juicy IPAs.” Make yourself comfortable, grab a cold Mind Haze from the fridge, and let’s dive in.
Mind Haze Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA presents a celestial explosion of juiciness with bold flavors of succulent pineapple and mango. And now, the details: It’s built around two ultra-tropical hops, Galaxy and Strata. Matt and his team amplify these hops with our juicy yeast strain, which becomes even more expressive at higher ABVs. The result is a level of flavor, aroma and mouthfeel that can only materialize at full strength.
This brings us to the beer’s more obvious, heady 9.5% ABV. It seems like a lot, we know, but here’s the thing, you might not know what hit you. “It’s crazy how the alcohol hides in this beer,” says Matt. “It’s spooky, it’s a wolf in fuzzy sheep’s clothing for sure.”
It’s a mind trick of drinkability that kept the brewing team on their toes as they refined a variety of test batches into the perfect formula. “Highly attenuated beers with high ABV can accentuate high hop bitterness,” Matt continues. “Or at least that is what we found with this beer, so we kept lowering the bitterness as we continued to play with the recipe.”
All this reading about beer making you thirsty? Don’t worry, you don’t have to cross intergalactic distances to get your hands on Cosmic Crusher. In fact, Mind Haze Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA is available now in all Firestone Walker markets in canned (12-oz) six-packs and 19.2-oz single-serve cans as a year-round offering. It will also be included in a 12-oz twelve-can variety pack alongside Mind Haze Brain Melter Hazy Imperial IPA and the original Mind Haze Hazy Tropical IPA.
Oh, and one last thing: You’ll notice that our Mind Haze packaging is now as brilliant as the beers. The original Mind Haze Hazy Tropical IPA now lands with an electric new look, which is also reflected in the “see them from space” vibes of Brain Melter and Cosmic Crusher—all designed by our in-house creative team.
Just something to keep in mind as you let your mind wander into the tropical universe of Cosmic Crusher…
