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Firestone Walker’s Mind Haze family is making its boldest move yet with a fresh look for the original Mind Haze Hazy Tropical IPA along with the additions of Brain Melter Hazy Imperial IPA and Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA—two all-new beers brewed to blow minds and push flavor to the extreme.
“The Haze craze is here to stay,” says Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “Mind Haze is one of our most celebrated beers and has become a playground where we explore our wildest ideas on where IPAs can go, allowing us to deliver world-class beers that meet the diverse taste buds of today’s drinkers.”
Mind Haze Brain Melter Hazy Imperial IPA and Mind Haze Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA are rolling out to all Firestone Walker markets in canned (12 oz) six-packs and 19.2 oz single-serve cans as year-round offerings. Both will also be included in a 12 oz twelve-can variety pack alongside the original Mind Haze Hazy Tropical IPA, which is also available on draft.
Mind Haze Hazy Tropical IPA | 6.2% ABV
Mind Haze IPA, which first landed in 2018 as “a hazy IPA done the Firestone way,” ranks as a top-5 national hazy IPA and the #2 hazy IPA in California. Mind Haze is renowned for its explosive tropical hop flavors of pineapple, guava, and stone fruit that leave the palate in awe.
Today, Mind Haze ranks as Firestone Walker’s most popular beer brand behind 805—our light, refreshing blonde ale—and continues to spawn a growing family of variants including the new Brain Melter and Cosmic Crusher extensions.
Brain Melter Hazy Imperial IPA | 8.5% ABV
“Brain Melter is a beer that doubles down on everything we love about Mind Haze—mouthwatering tropical flavors with a bit more octane to give it an extra punch,” Brynildson says.
The secret to Brain Melter is its blend of hops focused on Vic Secret, Strata, and Citra. “We did a lot of trials, and everyone on the brewing team picked this hop combination,” Brynildson says. “It was ultra-tropical and expressive with a pleasing roundness. There’s a seamless connection between the smooth, malt-derived texture and the juicy hop character.”
Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA | 9.5% ABV
“Cosmic Crusher is our crazy adventure into the realm of imperial juicy IPAs,” Brynildson says. “It’s wild how the alcohol hides in this beer—it’s spooky, it’s a wolf in fuzzy sheep’s clothing for sure.”
Cosmic Crusher is built around two ultra-tropical hops—Galaxy and Strata. “We amplify these hops with our juicy yeast strain, which becomes even more expressive at higher ABVs,” Brynildson says. “The yeast does a lot of heavy lifting in this beer, bringing all this flavor and aroma to the forefront while keeping the beer in balance.”
The Art of Mind Haze
Mind Haze Hazy Tropical IPA, Brain Melter Hazy Imperial IPA, and Cosmic Crusher Juicy Imperial IPA feature equally bold packaging art that was designed in house by head of creative Jeremy Taylor and his team of artists at Firestone Walker.
“We saw an opportunity to put the foot on the gas and reinvigorate the look of Mind Haze from top to bottom,” Jeremy says. “We ended up with something unique that you can see from space—but without being too juvenile or wacky.”
This mindset is plainly evident in the art that drives Brain Melter and Cosmic Crusher. “You get this ‘future-retro’ vibe through a psychedelic lens,” Jeremy says. “It’s fun and inviting while doing justice to the liquid because there’s still that underlying sense of Firestone Walker refinement in the design.”
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