Black Hog Brewing Company - Hazy

This New England-style hazy IPA not surprisingly presents a very hazy golden appearance in our glass, topped with a head of bright foam. We get super vibrant hops in the aroma, delivering big fruity notes of sliced citrus tending toward grapefruit and orange, backed up by prominent stone fruits leaning toward apricot, moderate floral notes, and touches of pine resin. These hops burst forth with a cocktail of fruity impressions in the flavor too, with a light to moderately firm perceived bitterness that balances the malty core nicely without clobbering the palate. Speaking of the malts – look for lightly wheaty and bready notes to form the backbone support for this brew, with a super pillowy and creamy feel thanks to the prevalent use of oats. This hazy IPA is delicious on its own, but dishes that play off the beer’s fruitiness and the soft, malty core will make great pairing options. Apricot glazed pork loin, orange peel beef or chicken, or a teriyaki chicken sandwich with grilled pineapple spring to mind for us, and the brewery also recommends nachos or a fresh winter citrus salad. Cheers!

Black Hog Brewing Company was founded in the summer of 2014 by brothers Jason & Tom Sobocinski and family friend Tyler Jones. The Sobocinski brothers had made their mark in the New Haven, CT area, first with Jason’s cheese shop and restaurant known as Caseus Fromagerie Bistro, and then their joint food truck called The Cheese Truck (now Crispy Melty), and their bar called Ordinary which focuses on fine wine, beer, and cocktails. Jones had earned a degree in chemical engineering and got into homebrewing before attending the highly respected brewing school at UC Davis. After this, he spent several years brewing at Mercury Brewing Co. in Massachusetts, and Smuttynose Brewing Co. and Portsmouth Brewery in New Hampshire – becoming head brewer at the latter. After moving to New Haven to be closer to his wife’s family, he and the Sobocinskis joined forces and founded Black Hog in the former location of Cavalry Brewing.

Roasting a Berkshire pig has been a family tradition – from Jason’s wedding to kids’ birthdays – so the name Black Hog was chosen in homage of coming together in a communal, celebratory way… something good beer most certainly does as well. The brewery currently produces an array of year-round and seasonal brews covering a wide spectrum from pilsner to IPA to stout to wild ales. Their tap room in Oxford boasts a dozen taps along with plenty of additional bottles and cans, along with bar snacks and a rotating supply of food trucks to meet guests’ gastronomic needs. For more info, visit them at blackhogbrewing.com.