Hazy beers – including New England IPAS, (NEIPAs), hazy pale ales, and other “juicy” IPAs are characterised by their opaque appearance, soft mouthfeel, and intense tropical fruit aroma. Achieving these qualities consistently at a commercial scale requires careful attention to recipe design and process control.

Brewers must manage aspects like grist composition, water chemistry, hopping techniques, and especially yeast selection to create the signature fruity profile, smooth mouthfeel and haze stability.

A core element in brewing a great hazy IPA is the yeast strain. The yeast drives the fruity ester profile, influences haze stability, and interacts with hops during fermentation. FERMOALE New-E, an active dry ale yeast from AEB, has been specifically developed as a solution for hazy East Coast–style ales​. It intensifies tropical fruit notes and contributes to a fuller mouthfeel in these beers​. In this article, we’ll outline the key brewing parameters for hazy beers, describe the desired sensory characteristics and how to achieve them, and provide a detailed look at how FERMOALE New-E can be used to optimise both flavour and process outcomes. Technical tips for the brewhouse and cellar will be included – from maximising hop biotransformation to ensuring haze and flavour stability.

Grist Composition

A well-designed grist bill is the structural backbone of hazy beer styles, which require a grist that supports persistent haze stability, enhanced mouthfeel, and residual sweetness. The balance of base malts, high-protein adjuncts, and body-enhancing specialty grains directly influences not only the beer’s visual turbidity but also its texture, flavour saturation, and head retention.

It is paramount to formulate the malt bill with a high proportion of protein-rich adjuncts like flaked wheat and oats. These grains supply proline-rich proteins that bind with hop polyphenols to form the haze​. A typical NEIPA grist might include 10–20% wheat and/or oats to enhance haze stability and impart a smooth body. The remaining base malt (pale or pilsner malt) provides fermentable sugars but should be complemented by some dextrin-rich malt or higher mash temperatures to leave residual sweetness for mouthfeel. Avoid excessive crystal/caramel malts (which can darken the beer and add sweetness) – hazy styles rely more on proteins and adjuncts for body rather than unfermentable sugars from crystal malt.

The table below summarises the key parameters to take into account when selecting malts.

Mashing temperature has a direct influence on body, perceived sweetness, and turbidity of the beer because it determines the balance of fermentable vs. non-fermentable sugars and the extent of protein and beta-glucan solubility.

Brewers targeting hazy styles typically mash at the higher end of the saccharification range — usually between 66–69°C (151–156°F). Mashing at these temperatures favours alpha-amylase activity, which breaks down starch into larger, less fermentable sugars (e.g., dextrins). These dextrins remain in the beer post-fermentation, contributing to a fuller mouthfeel, softness, and residual sweetness. This residual body also helps support flavour saturation from high dry hop loads and maintains haze stability by interacting with haze-active proteins and hop polyphenols.

Lower mash temperatures (e.g., 62–65°C) favour beta-amylase, which produces more fermentable sugars (like maltose), resulting in a drier, thinner beer. This may be suitable for West Coast IPAs or dry hoppy styles, but is generally undesirable in hazy beers, which benefit from some sweetness to soften bitterness and round out hop expression.