About This Beer
Northern Monk Above The Clouds Hazy DIPA 44cl is an 8% Double Hazy IPA created to deliver the bigger, juicier and more hop-saturated side of modern IPA. Brewed by Northern Monk in Leeds, this is a full-bodied beer packed with tropical fruit flavour while retaining the smooth texture and relatively restrained bitterness expected from a contemporary Hazy DIPA.
Above The Clouds pours pale gold with a dense, opaque haze. Northern Monk describes the aroma as an explosion of mango, pineapple and passionfruit, setting the tone for a beer firmly focused on ripe tropical fruit rather than the resinous bitterness associated with traditional West Coast Double IPAs.
On the palate, those tropical flavours continue alongside soft sweetness and gentle balancing bitterness. At 8% ABV, this is unquestionably a substantial beer, but its smooth body and soft carbonation help make the strength less dominant than you might expect.
Malted barley is joined by wheat and oats in the grain bill. These additions help provide the thick, smooth mouthfeel that complements the beer's saturated hop character and gives Above The Clouds its recognisably modern hazy IPA profile.
For drinkers who favour juicy, fruit-forward beers, Above The Clouds sits comfortably among the bigger releases in our IPA & Pale Ale collection and offers a step up in intensity from a standard-strength IPA or pale ale.
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Pale gold with a dense, opaque haze.
- Aroma: Intense tropical aromas of ripe mango, pineapple and passionfruit.
- Taste: Big and juicy, with ripe tropical fruit, soft sweetness and a gentle balancing hop bitterness.
- Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, thick and smooth with soft carbonation.
- Finish: Lingering and juicy, with tropical fruit remaining prominent and enough bitterness to provide balance.
About the Brewery
Northern Monk is an independent brewery based at The Old Flax Store in Leeds, West Yorkshire. Founded with an ambition to combine brewing tradition with a progressive approach to ingredients and techniques, Northern Monk has become particularly associated with modern hop-forward beers alongside stouts, collaborations and experimental releases.
Its approach to IPA ranges from approachable pale ales through to heavily hopped Double IPAs such as Above The Clouds. Rather than simply increasing bitterness as the strength rises, this modern DIPA focuses on hop flavour, aroma and texture.
Above The Clouds demonstrates that approach particularly clearly. At 8%, Northern Monk has created a beer with the strength and intensity expected of a Double IPA while using a soft malt base and substantial hop character to emphasise tropical fruit and a smooth drinking experience.
Northern Monk's beers offer plenty to explore for anyone looking beyond traditional lager styles and into contemporary British craft beer.
Food Pairings
The tropical fruit and full body of Above The Clouds make it particularly well suited to bold, spicy and richly flavoured food.
Try it with spicy fried chicken, buffalo wings or a hot chicken burger. Mango, pineapple and passionfruit flavours provide a fruity contrast to chilli heat, while the beer's carbonation and hop bitterness help cut through fried coatings and rich sauces.
It also works well with tacos, particularly pork or chicken tacos with chilli, lime and fresh salsa. Burgers topped with mature Cheddar or blue cheese have enough richness to stand alongside an 8% DIPA, while the beer's tropical profile provides contrast.
For cheese, try mature Cheddar, blue cheese or a strong washed-rind variety. The beer has enough body and flavour intensity to avoid disappearing alongside more assertive cheeses.
Try More Like This
If you enjoy the soft haze, tropical fruit and substantial hop character of Above The Clouds, explore our IPA & Pale Ale range for more Hazy IPAs, Double IPAs and hop-forward pale ales.
You can also browse our complete Craft Beer & Craft Cider collection for independent beer from Ireland, the UK and breweries around the world.
Shop the best of craft beer Ireland and from around the world online with TheCru.ie or in our Dublin craft beer store, Carry Out Tyrrelstown in Dublin 15.