The Cool New Style: Cold IPA
If cold IPA, the trendy new brew still sweeping through the country, has taught us anything, it’s that IPA is a strong enough category and style to continue to evolve and grow. The clean, hoppy, thirst-quenching goodness a well-brewed cold IPA offers is a refreshing entry into the world of IPAs.
You’ve probably come across and tried cold IPA by now. If not, don’t put this style on ice. And as a homebrewer, I think you’ll enjoy brewing this style as much as drinking it. If you’re on the fence because this style feels like a repackaged India pale lager (IPL), I beg to differ, as do many craft brewers. Let’s look at what makes cold IPA unique and how to brew it, through the lenses of a couple of industry experts who have been brewing cold IPA for a while now.
Anyone can argue that there are several great IPA sub-styles out there, but for my money, none give hops the crisp and clean platform of cold IPA. With no significantly strong malt or yeast character, you get to taste and smell the hops you use in their purest form. Multiple hop additions and blends are all the rage; however, the style also lays the perfect foundation for learning more about hops you haven’t brewed with before by doing single-hop variations.
If you’re a hop lover looking for a style that best highlights the characteristics of hops in a very refreshing way, this is a great time to give cold IPA a try. And if you want to enter the results into competition, cold IPA would fit in category 21B (Specialty IPA) of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP).
Now, we’re going to let two pro brewers explain what exactly makes a cold IPA unique and how to brew one at home, starting with the brewmaster who invented the style.
Kevin Davey • Brewmaster, Wayfinder Beer (Portland, Oregon)
You released the first cold IPA back in 2018. Why did you want to try something new with IPA?
• We wanted something drier than the current IPAs, with hoppiness but a clean finish. Frankly, we tried to make a style of beer that could showcase American hops in a new way. Cold IPA hits with a strong punch of aromatic hop intensity and bitterness but finishes crisp and clean, leaving the drinker craving another sip. You could say it’s “wester than West Coast.”
What are the defining characteristics for cold IPA ?
• These are the basics you need for recipe design:
An adjunct lager malt bill. 20–40% rice or corn mashed with all American 2-row Pilsner malt. No caramel malts. Fermented to incredible dryness: 82-88% apparent degree of fermentation.
A lager yeast strain fermented warm. Quick fermenting yeast that throws low ester and low sulfur such as the Weihenstehan strain (34/70) is an ideal choice. Kölsch, Chico, or California common yeast strains could be substituted. Cold IPA is a clean canvas for IPA hops.
Dry hopped warm during high kräusen in primary fermentation. This achieves biotransformation while negating oxygen pickup.
Filtered or clarified to crystal clear and well-carbonated. This last point solidifies cold IPA as the antithesis of New England IPA (NEIPA).
Is there a good starting point when building a cold IPA recipe?
• Start with American Pilsner malt. American barley has higher, often much higher, enzyme and protein levels that will balance the high adjunct (author’s note: Targeting a diastatic power, DP, of 120 or higher is recommended). You don’t need to use 6-row barley, although you can. Most domestically grown 2-row barley still emulates 6-row barley specs from the 1960s when all that literature was written. Keep the alcohol by volume (ABV) high. West Coast IPA ABV is unofficially above 6.8%, which fits this style.
The trick to making cold IPA great and getting the color right is using high amounts of adjunct. If you were to make this beer style with only pale lager malt, the results would be far more golden because of the gravity. So, if the gravity was kept low, the color will be correct, but the hops will be out of balance. You need the sweetness of the alcohol and adjunct, the bitterness from the high hop addition BUs (bitterness units), and the light crispness of the grain/adjunct bill to make it a cold IPA.
What should a homebrewer consider when selecting their adjunct?
• Use flaked rice or flaked corn. You’re not going for a wild flavor from these ingredients as cold IPA is a canvas for hops. Just stick with the basics here, although once you’ve made a few, you could experiment with heritage corn and rice if you get a wild hair.
Always test the mash with iodine. Not all flaked products are made the same, and you must ensure that the mash is converted. Starch in the wort will result in a hazy and sweet beer. Leave that for the NEIPA crowd. If you mash this well and hit your target temperatures and times, you should have no problem converting without using exogenous enzymes. I’m frankly against using those enzymes from a holistic point of view but if you feel the need, make sure to add them before boiling and not during fermentation. (Author’s note: Another option is to boil the flakes, especially rice, because not all flaked adjuncts are fully gelatinized.)
For those homebrewers familiar with IPLs, what’s the difference?
• What separates cold IPA from your typical IPL are a few things:
IPL is usually made with a portion of Munich, Vienna, or another malty base and doesn’t usually use adjuncts. Cold IPA’s grain bill is more like a malt liquor fermented warm (which is how many malt liquors are made, I might add).
IPL is fermented cold and, therefore, dry-hopped cold. This technique brings out the grassier elements and should be avoided in cold IPA, which is fermented warm.
IPL often uses wheat malt or other high protein adjuncts in a desperate attempt to increase the body and mouthfeel (gasp!). Cold IPA does the opposite, opting for low-protein adjuncts (corn or rice) to balance the high-protein malt and increase its drinkability. Cold IPA’s sister is West Coast IPA. IPL is a
distant cousin.
Wayfinder Brewing Co.’s Chronokinetic Cold IPA clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.065 FG = 1.009–1.010
IBU = 55 SRM = 3 ABV = 7.5%
A blinding sunlight-colored IPA, cool-fermented to showcase its clean balance of new Yakima hops and tropical New Zealand varieties. Juicy, tropical, citrus-lemon, mint, and a bit of dank. Chronokinetic is a sticky, time-altering journey to the hop nebula.
Ingredients
9.8 lbs. (4.5 kg) North American Pilsner malt
3.2 lbs. (1.5 kg) flaked corn grits
3 oz. (85 g) acidulated malt
2.9 AAU Magnum hops (90 min.) (0.2 oz./5.7 g at 14.5% alpha acids)
3 mL of Artisan Hops® Hopshot Columbus (90 min.)
0.6 oz. (17 g) Cashmere hops (10 min.)
0.6 oz. (17 g) Centennial hops (10 min.)
0.6 oz. (17 g) Cashmere hops (0 min.)
0.6 oz. (17 g) Centennial hops (0 min.)
2.3 oz. (65 g) Strata® hops (dry hop)
1.2 oz. (34 g) Centennial hops (dry hop)
1.2 oz. (34 g) MotuekaTM hops (dry hop)
1⁄2 tsp. Isinglass, or similar post-fermentation fining agent
SafLager W-34/70, Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager), LalBrew Diamond, or similar lager yeast
Step by step
Use soft water (target Pilsen’s water profile) and add 50 ppm of total calcium from CaSO4 (should be about 0.25 g/L, or about 5 g for a 5-gallon/19-L batch).
Mash in at 1.4 qts./lb. (3 L/kg) at 144 °F (62 °C). Hold at 144 °F (62 °C) for 45 minutes. Raise mash temperature to 154 °F (68 °C) then rest there for 30 minutes. Raise mash temperature to 162 °F (72 °C) then rest there for 15 minutes and check for iodine conversion. Raise to 172 °F (78 °C) then begin mash out procedures starting with a vorlauf. Collect enough wort pre-boil to end with 5.25 gallons (20 L) in your fermenter.
Boil for a total of 90 minutes. At the start of the boil, add 0.2 oz. (10 ~IBU) from a high alpha variety like Magnum and 3 mL (~30 IBU) of Artisan Hops® Hopshot Columbus. With 10 minutes remaining in the boil add Cashmere hops and Centennial hops (note: It doesn’t matter the alpha acid content). At the end of the boil add an equal dose of Cashmere and Centennial hops, then start a whirlpool. Let settle for 10 minutes then begin cooling and transfer to a fermenter.
Cool wort to 55 °F (13 °C) and pitch two sachets of Fermentis SafLager W-34/70 or similar lager yeast strain.
Let the temperature rise to and ferment at 65 °F (18 °C). Check fermentation around seven days in.
At seven days, when fermentation is nearly finished, you will transfer to a pressure-regulated vessel like a keg or pressure fermenter. Leave the yeast behind during transfer, and transfer the beer on top of your dry hops. Set the tank to pressurize to 15 psi. Continue to ferment on the dry hops at 65 °F (18 °C) for four days or until it has finished fermenting and the gravity is stable. Cool the tank to 32 °F (0 °C) and add finings. Continue to keep 15 psi on the vessel. Once clear and carbonated (5–7 days), rack off the hops and trub to a serving keg and enjoy!
Extract version: Swap out the malts and corn grits for 5.75 lbs. (2.6 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract and 1.8 lbs. (0.8 kg) of corn syrup. Start with 5.5 gallons (21 L) of water in the brew kettle and heat to 180 °F (82 °C). Stir in the extract, syrup, and a 1⁄2 tsp. of 88% lactic acid. Bring to a boil and add the Magnum hops and hop extract. Total boil time is 60 minutes.
Follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe.
Aaron Herman Head Brewer, Arbeiter Brewing (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Is cold IPA truly a new style? What defines cold IPA?
• A cold IPA is unique enough as a beer to be its own style — light-bodied and clean from a malt perspective but with several aspects of perceived sweetness and body. There is only one variation of a current style that even comes close, a dry West Coast IPA. In my book, the cold IPA style is a great example of a beer that is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
What’s most critical to get right when brewing a cold IPA?
• The light maltiness paired with bright hoppiness is what’s most important in a cold IPA. While there are many ways to achieve that pairing, I feel that doing it the “long” way (no shortcuts or substitutions) is the key to making a great cold IPA.
I follow as many of Kevin Davey’s original steps as I can to make cold IPAs at Arbeiter. Call me a cold IPA purist! I conduct a cereal mash on un-gelatinized or partially-gelatinized rice, decoct that cereal mash and/or a portion of the mash, and use appropriate hops (citrus/tropical fruit-forward with plenty of alphas and other oils); allowing a clean fermenting lager yeast to begin fermentation at lager temperature, then allowing it to warm to ale temperature a few days later. Then dry hopping, kräusening, and spunding with about a degree of fermentation left in order to really drive the terminal gravity down towards 2 °Plato (1.008 specific gravity). This will help ensure an ABV of 7% or so. Spunding the fermenter and capturing naturally produced CO2 imparts a “softer” carbonation than force carbonating through a stone and provides yet another layer of nuance and balance in the finished beer.
There is certainly quite a lot going on in a cold IPA and I feel the more you can manipulate, the more “intangibles” the beer will have. It’s those intangible qualities that define great beers from good beers.
Anything a homebrewer should consider about cold IPA?
• Again, the more you can manipulate and control, the better off you’ll be. For an average all-grain homebrewer, stick to a simple 70% American Pilsner malt and 30% gelatinized rice grain bill, and control your fermentation as much as possible.
Arbeiter Brewing Co.’s Cold IPA (Dip Hopped Variation) clone
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.062 FG = 1.008
IBU = 35 SRM = 3 ABV = 7%
This particular cold IPA recipe is the only one Arbeiter dip hopped and the only one of around 6 or 7 variations on cold IPA they’ve brewed twice.
Ingredients
8.75 lbs. (4 kg) North American Pilsner malt
3.75 lbs. (1.7 kg) flaked rice
2.8 AAU Mandarina Bavaria hops (first wort hop) (0.33 oz./9 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
2.8 AAU Amarillo® hops (first wort hop) (0.33 oz./9 g at 8.5% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Amarillo® hops (0 min.)
1 oz. (28 g) El Dorado® hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Amarillo® hops (dip hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) El Dorado® hops (dip hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Mandarina Bavaria hops (dip hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) El Dorado® hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Mandarina Bavaria hops (dry hop)
1⁄2 tsp. isinglass, or similar post-fermentation fining agent
SafLager W-34/70, White Labs WLP830 (German Lager), Imperial Yeast L13 (Global), or similar lager yeast
Step by step
Mash in with 1.33 qts./lb. of grain (2.8 L/kg) at 144 °F (62 °C). Hold at 144 °F (62 °C) for 45 minutes. Raise mash temperature to 154 °F (68 °C) then rest there for 45 minutes. Raise mash temperature to 162 °F (72 °C) then rest there for 15 minutes. Raise to 172 °F (78 °C) then begin mash out procedures starting with a vorlauf. Add the first wort hop additions to the boil kettle. Collect enough wort pre-boil to allow for 5.25 gallons (20 L) in your fermenter.
Boil for a total of 90 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove 1 qt. (1 L) of wort and cool to 160–170 °F (71–77 °C). Add this wort to your fermenter and add your dip hops directly to the quart/liter of wort. Close the fermentation vessel until your boil is completed and you’re ready to transfer from your kettle. After 90 minutes of boiling, remove from heat, add your whirlpool hops, stir the wort to create a whirlpool, and let stand for 10 minutes.
Cool wort to 55 °F (13 °C) and pitch two sachets of Fermentis SafLager W-34/70 or similar lager yeast. Top up to 5.25 gallons (20 L), if needed. Let the temperature rise to and ferment at 65 °F (18 °C). Check fermentation after around seven days. You may want to check your gravity earlier as you’ll want to transfer at 1.009 or 1.010, with a couple of points left.
At around seven days, when fermentation is nearly finished, transfer to a pressure-regulated vessel like a keg or pressure fermenter. Leaving the yeast behind, transfer the beer on top of your dry hops. Set the tank to pressurize to 15 psi with a spunding valve. Continue to ferment on the dry hops at 65 °F (18 °C) for four days or until it has finished fermenting and the gravity is stable. Cool the tank to 32 °F (0 °C) and add finings. Continue to keep 15 psi on the vessel. Once clear and carbonated (5–7 days), rack off the hops and trub to a serving keg and enjoy!
Extract version: Swap out the Pilsner malt and flaked rice for 5.2 lbs. (2.4 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract and 2.2 lbs. (1 kg) of rice syrup. Start with 5.5 gallons (21 L) of water in the brew kettle and heat to 180 °F (82 °C). Stir in the extract, syrup, and first wort hops. Bring to a boil. After 15 minutes, remove 1 qt. (1 L) of wort and cool to 160–170 °F (71–77 °C). Add this wort to your fermenter and add your dip hops directly to the quart/liter of wort. Close the fermentation vessel until your boil is completed and you’re ready to transfer from your kettle. After 90 minutes of boiling remove heat, add your whirlpool hops, stir the wort to create a whirlpool, and let stand for 10 minutes.
Follow the all-grain recipe for fermentation and packaging instructions.
Cold IPA Style Characteristics (sidebar)
If you’re unsure about giving either of the clone recipes in this article a try but are still interested in trying to brew a cold IPA, Kevin at Wayfinder has provided some style guidelines to help homebrewers along.
Color: Straw to pale.
Clarity: Appearance should be clear. Chill haze should not be present.
Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Malt sweetness is very low to low. Alcohol sweetness is medium. These beers finish extremely dry. Increased perceived sweetness may be due to increased alcohol.
Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: High, exhibiting floral, fruity (berry, tropical, stone fruit, and other), sulfur, diesel-like, onion-garlic, catty, citrusy, piney, or resinous character that was originally associated with American-variety hops. Hops with these attributes now also originate from countries other than the U.S.
Perceived Bitterness: Medium to high, but not harsh.
Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity esters and complex alcohol aromas and flavors are acceptable at low levels. Alcohol should not be solvent-like. Diacetyl should not be present.
Body: Low to medium-low.
Additional notes: Finish should exhibit low to medium-low body with a clean, crisp malt character evident at low levels. Up to 40% corn and/or rice in the grist should be used. These crisp and refreshing beers are fermented warm with lager yeast or cold with ale yeast.
Original Gravity (°Plato): 1.055–1.065 (13.5–16.0 °Plato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato): 1.006–1.009 (1.6–2.4 °Plato)
Alcohol by Volume: 6.4–7.9%
IBUs: 50–70
Color (SRM): 2.5–5
