Founders "All Day Haze" IPA

Way back in 2014 I reviewed the All Day IPA, and I liked it quite a bit. The whole idea of a session ale is, I believe, the same as a farmhouse ale or the like - that you should be able to drink the beer all day long without getting too drunk. To that end, they artificially lowered the alcohol content, but it's not like a light beer where they're just adding water. They aren't particularly concerned with the number of calories in an all day, so the flavor can remain intact. I don't know that adding haze to this beer is really going to make it any better, but the original wasn't bad, so this should be pretty good.

I described the color of the original beer as orangeish gold, and I think we can just go along with that same color. Except this time, it's hazy! There is surprisingly little carbonation that comes out during the pour and the remnants after it settles are an uneven and incomplete layer of small and medium-sized bubbles with a ring around the outside that looks like it wants to leave lacing, but it doesn't appear to be capable. The aroma is vaguely tropical fruits, but it is seemingly watered-down. That wasn't really what I expected, and it may not follow the taste. I'm certainly hoping not. There is a vague and difficult to distinguish bitterness that appears to be just lingering around the outsides, but again the sip will tell us.

First sip is pretty good. It is well-balanced and easy-going just like the non-hazy version of this beer. There is a touch of bitterness added to the tropical fruits, but it seems to be being kept in line fairly well. It seems to have more hops then the regular all day IPA may have had, but it's been many years since I did that review, and I haven't had that many of the regular version since then. The added hops may be indicative of trying to cover for somewhat watering down the beer, but you have to make up for the drop in alcohol somehow.

Tip-in is carbonation fury with fruit rinds at the ready. The middle moves the carbonation to the top of the mouth and tones it down a little bit as the tropical fruits are noticeably watered-down as they jet through the middle of the mouth leaving a somewhat thin taste. The finish brings a bitter wave as the fruits recede and the carbonation finally stops its wailing to leave a slightly bitter fruit peel for the trail off.

Bottom line: I remember liking the other version, and this one is not bad. It's just also not great.

2.75/5