West Coast IPA is a style that turned heads when it burst onto the scene, and even today, it's a must-have in any brewer’s repertoire. When brewed right, this style is clear, delightfully dry, and packed with aromatic hops. Ready to make your best version? Let’s hop to it!
1. Embrace the dryness
West Coast IPAs are all about that snappy, dry finish. The secret sauce? Aim for a low final gravity. You’re not here for residual sweetness; you’re here for hop showcase and drinkability.
Key tools for dryness:
- Dextrose or other sugars: A simple sugar that yeast can chomp through with ease, helping to bring down the final gravity without adding body.
- Enzymes: Yeast whisperers. A sprinkle of enzymes like amyloglucosidase can turbocharge your yeast’s ability to ferment out every last bit of sugar. Use sparingly, or you’ll end up so dry it’s Sahara-level.
2. Bitterness with balance
West Coast IPAs are famous for their unapologetic bitterness, but we’re not trying to sandpaper anyone’s tongue here. Shoot for around 40-60 IBUs for a balanced yet assertive bitterness. If you're leaning toward the lighter side, don’t go lower than 40 IBUs, or you’ll end up with a wannabe pale ale.
Tips for bitter success
- First Wort Hopping (FWH): Instead of adding bittering hops once the wort is boiling, add them as you start draining the wort into your kettle. This gives the hops more time in the wort before the boil begins, allowing for a gentler, more refined bitterness.
- Extended boil: If you’re up for experimenting, consider a 90-minute boil for extra hop extraction, deeper, rounded bitterness, and reduced DMS.
3. Cara or Not Cara ?
Sorry, but we are team Not Cara. We love a hop bomb, so a pale malt base is the way to go for us. Maris Otter, 2-Row, or Pilsner malts are all perfect choices. If you want to showcase hops like we do, skip the cara malt entirely. Sure, it adds body and a touch of sweetness, but that’s precisely what we’re avoiding.
Simple Grain Bill
- Pale or Pilsner Malt: 90-95%
- Dextrose: 5-10%
This minimalist approach puts hops in the spotlight, with a clean, dry finish. (Unless you’re part of “Team Cara” – in that case, we’ll agree to disagree!)
4. The Dry-Hop Dynamo
West Coast IPAs should smell as good as they taste. Dry-hopping is your best friend here, and you’re aiming for no less than 12 grams per liter or 3 pounds per barrel to showcase your hops. Don’t be shy!
Dry-Hop Tips
- Hop Choices: Simcoe, Mosaic, and Citra are great staples for this style. If you want a New Zealand twist, a touche of Riwaka and Nectaron is an excellent choices.
- Temperature: Try dry-hopping just above the primary fermentation temperature for better aroma extraction and fewer volatile losses.
The Finishing Touches: Fermentation & Clarity
- Yeast Choice: Go with a clean, neutral yeast that ferments dry. California Ale Yeast (WLP001) or US-05 are classics for a reason – they chew through sugars and get out of the way so hops can shine.
- Water Profile: Dial up the sulfate levels to enhance the bitterness and dry finish. A 2:1 sulfate-to-chloride ratio is a great starting point. We usually go for 5:1 sulfate-to-chloride ratio with 250ppm sulfate and 50ppm Chloride
- Clarity Counts: West Coast IPAs should be clear as day. Cold crash post-fermentation, add a fining agent like Biofine if needed, and you’re golden.
Tasting & Tapping
Your West Coast IPA should pour crisp and clear with a fluffy white head. On the nose, you’ll get bold waves of citrus, pine, and tropical fruits. The bitterness will strike first, but a clean, dry finish will bring you back for another sip, and another… And another.
