Mikkeller's Windy Hill

I visited Mikkeller Brewing's San Diego tasting room on Sunday for the first time and purchased a growler of its Windy Hill IPA, a hazy, New England-style IPA.  "Oh my, this is quite a beer," was my initial reaction.  It had a pronounced citrus taste, like many cloudy IPAs, but it had an intriguing back-of-the-throat earthiness that arrived late and added another dimension to the beer.  Windy Hills is hoppy, but it is not bitter.  IPAs' bitterness can be jarring if you are not accustomed to it, but Windy Hills' hops had a softness to them that accented the citrus fruit, and did not exhibit a commanding bitterness.  It had a full body, despite a diminished malt profile, which resulted in an unobtrusive 7% abv.  I have read enough beer blogs and beer journalism to know that not everyone likes New England IPAs, and some think they are a fad sure to pass.  A beer like Windy Hill is so good it makes me believe that hazy beers are going to stay around for awhile, and I am okay with that.

I am impressed with the beers Mikkeller is brewing.  Its regular Waves IPA is not only delicious, but I feel its flavor is unique among San Diego's IPAs.  I have had some of its special release IPAs, which were stellar, and I tried another of Mikkeller's special releases on Sunday, another cloudy IPA, Care Taker IPA, and it too, was outstanding.  I bought a four-pack of pilsner, too, so I am not only focused on IPAs.