Alvarado Street / Highland Park Brewing Major League Skazeball Hazy DIPA:
When two of California’s most respected hop-centric breweries, Alvarado Street from Monterey and Highland Park from Los Angeles, team up, expectations run high. Major League Skazeball Hazy Double IPA promises a juicy, modern take on the style, blending Alvarado’s mastery of soft, pillowy hazies with Highland Park’s refined hop character. The result aims to be big, bright, and crushable despite its double IPA strength. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dig in.
Appearance
Major League Skazeball pours a dense, hazy, golden-orange liquid, almost opaque, but with a soft glow under the light. A pillowy, off-white head forms easily, leaving intricate lacing on the glass as it slowly dissipates. It has the classic New England–style look dialed in.
Aroma
The aroma opens with tropical fruit notes—ripe mango, papaya, and pineapple—layered with hints of peach and sweet citrus peel. There’s a subtle dankness and faint piney undertone, likely from a late whirlpool hop addition, though overall intensity feels slightly restrained for a Double IPA.
Flavor
The first sip leans juicy with a bright burst of passionfruit, melon, and tangerine. A subtle bubblegum-like yeast ester emerges in the mid-palate, followed by a mild grassy note and a hint of white grape. The bitterness is soft and rounded, leaning toward a modern, smooth finish rather than a punchy bite. However, for a DIPA, the hop punch feels somewhat understated, and the malt sweetness is minimal, resulting in an overall impression that is lighter than expected.
Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with a silky texture and moderate carbonation, but it finishes slightly thinner than some standout hazy DIPAs. There’s a lightness and dryness in the back end that improves drinkability but sacrifices some of the pillowy heft that big hazies often deliver.
Major League Skazeball feels like a restrained take on the hazy DIPA, offering easy-drinking, bright, and soft characteristics, but lacking the explosive hop aroma and saturated flavor that define the best of the style. Fans of lighter, less-sweet hazies may enjoy its balance, but hop-heads looking for a flavor bomb may find it a bit muted.
Score: 3.75 / 5
Best For: Fans of approachable hazy DIPAs who value drinkability over intensity.