Maplewood Juice Pants 4Pk

Maplewood Juice Pants 4Pk is a 7% ABV hazy IPA from Chicago's Maplewood Brewery & Distillery, sold in a 4-pack of cans. Scoring a 92 on BeerAdvocate — placing it in "outstanding" territory — this double-hopped brew has built a serious following among haze enthusiasts, with nearly 28,000 ratings on Untappd averaging 4.1 out of 5.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Hazy IPA  |  Brewery: Maplewood Brewery & Distillery

Production & Heritage

Maplewood Brewery & Distillery operates out of Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, producing both beer and spirits under one roof. Juice Pants is built on a grain bill of Extra Pale malt, Golden Promise, flaked oats, flaked wheat, and Carapils — a combination designed to deliver a pillowy, full body with lasting haze. The hop schedule pairs both standard and cryo versions of Citra and Mosaic, a technique that concentrates lupulin oils for amplified tropical flavor while keeping harsh bitterness and vegetal character at bay.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Heavy citrus leads the nose, with fresh pineapple and orange slices dominating. A layer of tropical sweetness lifts behind the initial burst, hinting at the fruit-forward palate to come.

Taste: The entry is all ripe melon and stone fruit, immediately juicy and soft on the tongue. Mid-palate shifts toward grapefruit and pineapple, with candied orange, mandarin, starfruit, and white grapefruit weaving through. A slight acidity keeps things balanced, preventing the sweetness from running away.

Finish: Polite resins emerge from mid-palate through the back end, grounding the tropical character with a gentle hop bite. The finish is medium in length, leaving behind dried orange peel and lemon peel impressions.

How to Drink Juice Pants

Juice Pants is best served cold, around 40–45°F, directly from the can or poured into a tulip glass to open up the aromatics. A glass pour reveals its dense, vibrant yellow appearance, which is half the fun.

Best For

• Introducing a friend to the hazy IPA style with a well-rated, approachable example
• Weekend cookouts and backyard grilling sessions where a juicy, sessionable 7% beer fits the mood
• Building a craft beer tasting flight alongside other Chicago-brewed IPAs
• Gifting to a hop-forward beer enthusiast who appreciates cryo hop technique

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Juice Pants taste like? Juice Pants delivers a wave of tropical citrus — pineapple, mandarin orange, grapefruit, and starfruit — with a juicy, soft mouthfeel and mild resinous bitterness on the back end. It drinks like concentrated fruit juice backed by just enough hop structure to keep it from becoming one-dimensional.

How does Juice Pants compare to Son of Juice? Both are hazy IPAs from Maplewood Brewery & Distillery, but Son of Juice is generally considered the flagship and tends to receive slightly higher marks from reviewers who prefer its balance. Juice Pants leans harder into the cryo hop character with its dual Citra and Mosaic cryo additions, making it a bolder, more intensely tropical pour.

Is Juice Pants good for beginners? At 7% ABV with low perceived bitterness and a fruit-forward profile, Juice Pants is one of the more welcoming hazy IPAs for newcomers to the style. Its juice-like drinkability makes it an easy entry point without sacrificing complexity.

Where is Juice Pants made? Juice Pants is brewed at Maplewood Brewery & Distillery in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Maplewood is a dual-concept operation producing both craft beer and distilled spirits.

What foods pair well with Juice Pants? Fish tacos with mango salsa complement the tropical hop character. Spicy Thai dishes benefit from the beer's juicy sweetness and soft body. A citrus-dressed arugula salad mirrors the bright orange and grapefruit notes. Grilled shrimp or chicken skewers with a light marinade let the beer's fruit profile lead. Soft, creamy cheeses like burrata or fresh mozzarella provide a neutral backdrop that highlights the hops.

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

Is Juice Pants worth the price? Juice Pants positions as a mid-tier craft hazy IPA, and its 92 BeerAdvocate score and strong Untappd consensus suggest it delivers above-average quality for its price bracket. For fans of cryo-hopped, fruit-bomb IPAs, it represents solid value within a crowded category.

Why Juice Pants?

The dual use of both standard and cryo versions of Citra and Mosaic hops is what separates Juice Pants from the hundreds of hazy IPAs competing for shelf space. Cryo hops concentrate the lupulin — the resinous gland that carries flavor and aroma compounds — resulting in cleaner, more intense tropical expression with less astringent plant matter. A 92 on BeerAdvocate and nearly 28,000 Untappd ratings confirm this isn't just hype; it's a consistently well-made beer with staying power. For anyone serious about exploring what Chicago's craft scene produces at its best, Juice Pants belongs in the rotation.