Around The Bend Juice Trials 4Pk

Around The Bend Juice Trials 4Pk is a hazy New England-style IPA from Chicago's Around the Bend Beer Co., coming in at 7.0% ABV. Brewed with a triple-hop bill of Mosaic, Ekuanot, and Citra, this release earned a spot in ABV Chicago's blind-tasted evaluation of Chicagoland's 25 best hazy IPAs.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7.0%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: New England / Hazy IPA  |  Brewery: Around the Bend Beer Co.

Production & Heritage

Around the Bend Beer Co. operates out of District Brew Yards, a first-of-its-kind collective brewery concept in Chicago where multiple independent breweries share a single production space. Juice Trials is the brewery's rotating hazy IPA series, each iteration experimenting with hop combinations and ratios to chase different expressions of tropical and citrus character. This version leans on a trio of Mosaic, Ekuanot, and Citra hops — varieties prized individually for their fruit-forward aromatics and used together here to layer complementary tropical, citrus, and stone fruit notes into a soft, haze-forward body.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ripe mango and fresh orange dominate the nose immediately, followed by a greener lemongrass undercurrent. The hop aromatics read juicy rather than resinous, consistent with the New England style.

Taste: The entry is soft and round, with tropical fruit flavors — mango and citrus — hitting early. Mid-palate brings a gentle lemongrass note and moderate bitterness that stays well behind the fruit. The overall impression is medium-light in body with good carbonation, keeping each sip crisp rather than heavy.

Finish: Clean and relatively quick, with lingering citrus pith and a faint tropical sweetness. The smooth, slick texture carries through without any harsh astringency or hop burn.

How to Drink Juice Trials

Serve cold from the can or pour into a tulip glass to amplify the hop aromatics — a slight pour releases significantly more mango and citrus on the nose. At 7.0% ABV, Juice Trials drinks deceptively easy for its strength, making it well-suited to slow sipping on its own. For a beer cocktail approach: a Michelada riff benefits from the citrus brightness; a Shandy with fresh lemonade plays off the lemongrass notes; and a simple Beermosa with fresh-squeezed orange juice doubles down on the tropical character.

Best For

• Exploring Chicago's craft beer scene through a local hazy IPA
• Backyard grilling sessions where a fruit-forward, easy-drinking beer shines
• Introducing a hop-curious friend to the New England IPA style without overwhelming bitterness
• Building a hazy IPA tasting flight alongside other Midwest-brewed NEIPAs

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Juice Trials taste like? Juice Trials delivers prominent mango, orange, and tropical fruit flavors with a lemongrass accent, carried on a soft, medium-light body with restrained bitterness. The overall character is juicy and approachable rather than aggressively hoppy.

How does Juice Trials compare to Maplewood Juice Jorts? Both are Chicago-brewed hazy IPAs with tropical fruit profiles, and local drinkers frequently compare the two. Juice Trials tends toward a lighter body and more citrus-forward hop expression, while Juice Jorts from Maplewood Brewing is often noted for a slightly fuller mouthfeel.

Is Juice Trials good for someone new to hazy IPAs? Yes — its medium-light body, low bitterness, and fruit-forward flavor profile make it one of the more approachable entries in the style, while still delivering authentic New England IPA character at 7.0% ABV.

Where is Juice Trials made? Juice Trials is brewed by Around the Bend Beer Co. at District Brew Yards in Chicago, Illinois. District Brew Yards is a collective brewing facility where several independent Chicago breweries produce beer under one roof.

What foods pair well with Juice Trials? Fish tacos with mango salsa mirror the beer's tropical notes. Grilled chicken with a citrus marinade complements the orange and lemongrass character. Thai green curry matches the hop aromatics while the carbonation cuts through richness. A fresh burrata with stone fruit salad echoes the soft, juicy texture. Spicy buffalo wings work well because the smooth body tempers heat without masking flavor.

What sizes does Juice Trials come in? Juice Trials is commonly available as a 4-pack of cans, which is the standard retail format for this release.

Is Juice Trials worth the price? Juice Trials positions in the mid-range tier for craft hazy IPAs, competitive with other locally produced New England-style offerings in the Chicago market. The rotating hop combinations across each Juice Trials release add variety that rewards repeat purchases.

Why Juice Trials?

What separates Juice Trials from the crowded hazy IPA field is the deliberate experimentation built into the series — each release recalibrates the hop bill, making it a genuine trial rather than a static recipe. The Mosaic, Ekuanot, and Citra combination in this version produces a particularly well-integrated tropical and citrus profile without the cloying sweetness that plagues many hazies. Its inclusion in ABV Chicago's blind-tasted roundup of Chicagoland's best hazy IPAs confirms it holds its own against established competition. Brewed in the unconventional shared space of District Brew Yards, Juice Trials reflects a distinctly Chicago approach to craft beer — collaborative, inventive, and uninterested in playing it safe.