Let’s not overthink this. Forget about the IPA clarity debates, West Coast vs East Coast, and IBUs. Just relax.
Hazy IPAs blew up because they give your mouth the flavors it wants. Bitterness is a warning that something might poison you. Sweet, fruit flavor is a signal that something is calorie-rich and nutritious. Offshoot Brewing, aka The Bruery, doesn’t care about your IPA brewing tradition with this beer. They’re giving your mouth what it wants. Your mouth wants a fruit cocktail in beer form. Don’t fight it.
Relax tumbles out of the can like a jungle mist, filling your glass with a haze so dense it feels like it’s keeping secrets. Imagine that you invited a pineapple, a guava, and a mango to an orgy, leaving any sense of restraint at the bedroom door.
The aroma hits you first, a fruity ambush, with scents of pineapple, ripe peach, and mango. There’s a hint of honeydew that peeks out from behind the fruit gang, and just a whisper of piney resin—a sly reminder that, yes, you are still technically drinking an IPA. Every inhale is like a mini-vacation to a tropical island.
The mouthfeel is softer than a lullaby on a bed of marshmallows. A cozy blanket with just a touch of carbonation to keep things lively. It’s a little bit sweet, but you forgive it—heck, you embrace it. This is what your mouth wants.
Just when you’re basking in a sunlit glow of mango and melon, there’s a tiny flicker of green grass and herbal bitterness on the finish—a quick reminder that, oh yeah, this is still a beer. The piney-resin bitterness at the end is subtle but firm, like a handshake from a long-lost friend who doesn’t want you to forget where you came from.
At 6.8% ABV, Relax struts around with a laid-back confidence that doesn’t need to shout to make itself heard. It’s an unapologetic love letter to all things juicy, murky, and refreshingly easy-drinking. It’s that friend who drags you to the beach and reminds you how to relax.