Judge’s Review: 87 Rating – Brighter Future by Monkey Wrench Brewing

Hazy IPA | Year-Round | USA

By Dan Preston

Judges Rating: 87
Aroma: 20
Appearance: 6
Flavor: 34
Mouthfeel: 10
Overall Impression: 17

Brighter Future by Monkey Wrench Brewing is a NEIPA that falls under style BJCP 2021 category 21C (Hazy IPA). This variant of the style is tropical/fruit heavy with a softer bitterness than the standard American IPA (BJCP 21A) and is known for its hazy appearance from its focus on late hopping. It gained popularity about a decade ago largely from The Alchemist’s Heady Topper and has become one of the most popular styles in a short time with just about every brewery producing at least one now.
This beer certainly looks the part as it pours a hazy golden yellow color with a huge, fluffy, off-white head that lasts for days. Not only do hops add the flavor/aroma and bitterness they’re mostly known for, but compounds in the hops also improve the head retention that leads to this long-lasting foam. There is plenty of the normal hoppy goodness too, with moderately strong fruity hop notes in the aroma of sweet orange, mango, grapefruit, apricot and nectarine. Underneath the hoppy aroma is light grainy Two-Row and doughy malt along with some mild fruity esters. The flavor is also hop-forward with luscious fruit, sweet citrus and tropical notes of papaya, passion fruit, grapefruit and orange marmalade. The hops also give a moderate bitterness, with a mild bite beyond the balance, but far from West Coast level. The hops again give way to light grainy, doughy malt and mild fruity esters as well as a low floral character. It all finishes with a smooth, moderately soft mouthfeel with no astringency or hop matter notes that can come with these high levels of hopping. Overall, this beer is quite enjoyable and well done and approaches the level of some of the better examples of style