Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA
The hazy IPA that reached general distribution first, from the brewery whose pale ale defined the style it departs from.
- Strength
- 6.7% ABV
- Style
- New England IPA
- Brewery
- Sierra Nevada
Also called Hazy Little Thing.
Hazy IPA began as a small-brewery style sold fresh and locally, which is a real constraint rather than an affectation: the haze is protein and polyphenol in suspension, the aroma is volatile, and both change with time. Making one that survives national distribution is a different technical problem from making one well.
That is what this beer is for. It is the widely available reference point, from the brewery whose 1980 pale ale established the bitter, pine-led American style that hazy IPA is a reaction against — which makes the two an unusually direct account of forty years of American brewing.
What it tastes like
Inherited from New England IPA, because this beer sits within the normal range for it. BeerHQ’s comparative scale, not a measurement.
Why BeerHQ carries this beer
| Reason | Carried because it is where many people start |
|---|---|
| Strength | 6.7% ABV — checked 2026-08-19. Strengths differ by market and change without announcement, so this is dated rather than absolute. |
| Record stability | Moderate — some details are expected to drift and should be re-checked periodically. |
BeerHQ records no recipe, hop bill, malt bill, yeast strain, IBU or calorie figure for any commercial beer unless it is sourced. Nothing on this page is inferred from what the beer tastes like.
What is distinctive about it
- One of the first hazy IPAs produced at a scale that survives national distribution
- From the brewery whose pale ale defined the bitter American style this one departs from
If you like Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA
Worked out from what this beer actually tastes like rather than from what its style typically does. Three kinds of move, because “what should I try next” is three different questions.
Closest to it
Very similar in structure and flavour. Safe ground rather than discovery.
A close structural match for Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly more sweetness (low–moderate → high).
May not suit: Very close to Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
American IPA — try Sierra Nevada Torpedo or BrewDog Punk IPA
A close structural match for Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: noticeably more bitterness (trace–low → high–very high).
May not suit: Noticeably more bitterness than Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
A close structural match for Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: noticeably less stone fruit (moderate–high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less stone fruit than Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
Similar, but different
Keeps what you probably like about it and changes one or two things. Usually the most useful answer.
Keeps most of what Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA does and shifts tropical fruit.
Different: much less tropical fruit (high–very high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less tropical fruit than Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
Keeps most of what Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA does and shifts tropical fruit.
Different: much less tropical fruit (high–very high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less tropical fruit than Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
Belgian IPA — try Houblon Chouffe
Keeps most of what Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA does and shifts tropical fruit.
Different: much less tropical fruit (high–very high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less tropical fruit than Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
A bigger jump
Genuinely different, but connected by something specific — the shared trait is named so you can judge whether the bridge holds.
American pale ale — try Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Little Creatures Pale Ale
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
Different: much less tropical fruit (high–very high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less tropical fruit than Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
American amber ale — try New Belgium Fat Tire
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
Different: much less tropical fruit (high–very high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less tropical fruit than Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
British golden ale — try Oakham Citra or St Austell Tribute
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
Different: much less tropical fruit (high–very high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less tropical fruit than Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA.
Likely fits rather than promises. Taste varies, and a recommendation engine that claims certainty is claiming something it cannot know.
What to eat with it
Inherited from New England IPA. BeerHQ does not duplicate pairings onto individual products unless the product genuinely differs from its style.
- Tagine
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
- Katsu curry
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
- Korma
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
- Christmas dinner
Beer and dish carry similar weight, so neither flattens the other.
Keeping it
New England IPA shows best within 14–45 days of packaging. After that it declines in quality rather than becoming unsafe.
Drink fresh. Buy it as young as you can and drink it soon. What makes this beer worth drinking is the first thing to leave it.
Derived from New England IPA. See storage and freshness for the full model.
BeerHQ carries a small set of reference beers to anchor styles, not a catalogue. There is no rating here and there will not be one. Last reviewed 2026-08-19.