Judge’s Review: 88 Rating – Hazy Dawn by Cape May Brewing Co.

Hazy IPA | Year-Round | USA

By Dan Preston

Judges Rating: 88
Aroma: 20
Appearance: 5
Flavor: 35
Mouthfeel: 10
Overall Impression: 18

Hazy Dawn by Cape May Brewing Co. is a double IPA that would normally fall into BJCP 2021 category 22A Double IPA, however this one leans towards the hazy style and would better fit into BJCP 2021 Category 21C, Hazy IPA with its cloudy appearance and tropical-forward hops.
It pours a golden color with a hint of orange hue and an off-white head that clings to the glass. The cloudiness is a bit hazier than a standard double IPA, but it doesn’t detract from the beer and is a normal level within the Hazy IPA category. The aroma is hop-forward with a variety of tropical (papaya, passion fruit) and citrus (tangerine, grapefruit, lime) notes. Well behind the hops there is a low, sweet grainy malt character and some additional fruit (peach, apricot) from the light esters.
The flavor is similarly hop-forward, with lots of tropical fruit and citrus bringing you to the days of drinking a glass of rum punch on the beach. The hops also provide a firm bitterness, which is not overbearing or astringent, and gets a nice balance from the sweet grainy malt presence. There is enough malt there to give a little complexity to the brew and it doesn’t detract at all from the hops. As the beer warms, the hops deliver some floral notes and zippy zest to add even more depth. A bit of alcohol warmth starts to come out as well, but its not unpleasant and still remains smooth. This is a really enjoyable beer that draws you in to want another, and you should oblige that desire.