Firestone Walker Expands Mind Haze With Brain Melter & Cosmic Crusher

After launching Mind Haze Hazy Tropical IPA in 2019, Firestone Walker Brewing has recently refreshed the packaging and has added two new varieties to its evolving Mind Haze lineup. The two new beers, Mind Haze Brain Melter Hazy Imperial IPA and Mind Haze Cosmic Crusher Imperial IPA, join the original Mind Haze as part of the new Into The Haze IPA Variety Pack. Both Brain Melter and Cosmic Crusher are also available in 6-pack, 12 ounce cans and 19.2 ounce single serve cans.

“The Haze craze is here to stay,” said Matt Brynildson, Firestone Walker Brewmaster. “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 Hazy Tropical IPA has become one of the brewery’s top performing beers. Its flavors of pineapple, guava and stonefruit and approachable 6.2% ABV has made Mind Haze one of the most recognized Hazy IPAs in the country. It currently sits as the number five top selling Hazy IPA nationally and the number two selling Hazy IPA in California. When it comes to sales within the Firestone family of beers, Mind Haze sits just behind its 805 Beer that continues to rank as the number one selling craft beer in California and Nevada.

New in the marketplace is Mind Haze Brain Melter, a Hazy Imperial IPA at 8.5% ABV and Mind Haze Cosmic Crusher, a Juicy Imperial IPA at 9.5% ABV. Both arrive out of the gate with an appealing flavor profile full of juicy flavors while hiding its increased alcohol content quite well.

“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 said.

The secret to Brain Melter is its blend of hops focused on Vic Secret, Strata and Citra. It is also dry hopped twice, with double the normal amount of hops, to create a unique experience of mind-melding textures and flavors.

“We did a lot of trials and everyone on the brewing team picked this hop combination,” stated Brynildson. “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 is our crazy adventure into the realm of juicy imperial IPAs,” Brynildson said. “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. The result is a level of flavor, aroma and mouthfeel that can only materialize at high strength, crossing the line into a whole new cosmos of punchy mango and pineapple character. 

“We amplify these hops with our juicy yeast strain, which becomes even more expressive at higher ABVs,” Brynildson said. “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.”

When it comes to the Mind Haze packaging refresh, Firestone Walker went with a new font that sits atop bright, bold colors. The updated Mind Haze packaging pops off the shelf with a supporting campaign that guarantees to send the mind wandering.

“The esthetic evolution of Mind Haze personifies what craft beer is all about–fearless creativity in and out of the can,” said Firestone Brand Director Hannah Barnett.

To locate the new Into The Haze IPA Variety Pack or Brain Melter and Cosmic Crusher, visit firestonewalker.com.