Award-Winning American IPA Recipes
America’s favorite style of craft beer of late is pretty easy to name: IPA. Those three letters can sell almost anything, market analysis tells us year after year. Over time, the IPA category has splintered further into a dozen sub-styles: Every color, every strength, every possible combination of yeast strains. Beyond hoppy, drinkers and brewers can seem to change their mind about what they want the style to be year after year. While this riffing on a common theme is far from new in beer, it can seem to affect IPAs far more than other styles. Maybe that’s because India Pale Ale has always had a hazy identity, full of twists and turns right from the start.
In the Beginning
The common story that IPA was invented to survive the long ocean voyage is actually a bit of a distortion of the truth; hoppy pale ales existed before the style was defined, and independent of the India route. Little realized, too, is that historic English IPAs resembled American hop-bombs closer than their contemporary English cousins. Brewed with only the lightest malt on the market to be as pale and dry as possible, they were nonetheless intensely hopped, using up to three or four ounces per gallon (22–30 g/L). But the powerful forces of taste and taxes changed much over time, and the English IPA of the mid-1900s emerged as a quite different beer from those of the mid-1800s. Half a century ago, the IPAs of England barely resembled their historic predecessors.
American brewers, of course, took a run at it from there. Early on in the US there was the legendary Ballantine IPA, a standard bearer of American IPA for decades, but which mutated and changed many times itself over the years, until, by the 1970s, changes in ownership had warped Ballantine into a ghost of the beer it’d once been. It would take innovative brewers on the West Coast of the United States to rekindle the public’s taste for hoppy beers. Soon, of course, this thirst would spread across the country.
In IPA: Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale, author (and former Stone Brewing Co. Brewmaster) Mitch Steele describes the conception of the beer that would form the blueprint for hoppy American ales for years to come: Anchor Liberty Ale. Hopped entirely with Cascade, it was a massively bitter beer for its time, at 40 plus IBUs. Steele calls it, “The first American IPA in every sense since Ballantine.” Liberty Ale would inspire many more beers, and Cascade would from then on practically define an era of American craft beer. Sierra Nevada based their game-changing pale ale around Liberty. In the east, Boston’s Harpoon IPA soon emerged as one of the first year-round IPAs anywhere in the country — and it too showcased America’s favorite new hop. In Oregon, the trend-setting, super-bitter-for-its-time Bombay Bomber IPA from Steelhead Brewing Co. in Portland furthered the trend of focusing on new, citrusy American hops like Chinook.
But as more and more (and more) breweries opened, these American commonalities were shuffled off into a new era of regionalism. If you’re an IPA fan, you’re almost certainly familiar with the distinction of East Coast IPA and West Coast IPA. Or the perceived distinction, anyway — it stands to reason that the lines would begin to blur over time, that not every last brewery would stick to its geographical inheritance. But let’s step back twenty or so years ago, to when American IPA was in a different phase, when regionalism was much more of a thing.
As “schools of thought,” the geographical categorization of East Coast IPA and West Coast IPA was never meant to encapsulate every single brewery on either coast, but rather the prevailing trends and techniques that many brewers in the various regions favored. The East Coast took its cues from contemporary brewing trends in England, with ample crystal malt providing contrast to hop bitterness. West Coast brewers dug in on paler concoctions with unashamed bitterness, in some ways closer to English IPAs of an earlier era. These days, the same rules don’t necessarily apply.
“Brewers are fairly transient,” said John Trogner, Co-Founder and Brewmaster at Tröegs Brewing Co. in Hershey, Pennsylvania, who got his start brewing in Colorado before moving back to central Pennsylvania to open Tröegs with his brother. “They’re learning in one place and picking up and moving to another. Just like America, it’s the melting pot. We’ve traveled all over and soaked up what we’ve liked and molded each of our beers to have their own tastes and aromas.”
Mitch Steele agrees. “It’s blurring across the country,” Steele said of the American IPA style. “Some of the best ‘West Coast’ IPAs are being brewed by Fat Heads, just outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and Wicked Weed in Asheville, North Carolina, among many others. Brewers tend to share so much information, regional differences are going away.”
The New Approach
As trends change, balance is often the big riddle for American IPA brewers and drinkers alike. It seems to mean something different to everyone, and no one can even seem to agree whether an IPA needs to be balanced — again, depending on what you even mean by the term. But for years, the distinction in terms of coastal IPAs at least had some consensus: When brewing in the East, use more caramel malt; when brewing for Californians, just bitter that sucker to oblivion, and don’t forget the gypsum.
“Balance is so subjective,” Steele said. “I think every beer needs to have some malt — it can’t be a hop tea and be successful. That said, I do think some brewers are too nervous about going for the gusto with their hop additions. Using a skillful blend of hops in very large quantities can result in a wonderful balance too.”
Across all the brewers I’ve talked to, both for this article and in general conversation recently, I was shocked how unanimous this impression was. All IPA brewers seem to be zeroing in on a shift in the palate of IPA drinkers, who seem to have a thirst for drier, aromatic, and more drinkable IPAs.
“I think many brewers across the country right now are focusing their IPA recipes to have huge hop aroma and flavor, and very little malt sweetness,” said Steele.
“I think brewers across the US are continuing to move in a common direction in regard to the overall objectives in IPA brewing: A pale ale that is delicate on the palate and oozing with hop flavor and aroma,” said Dan Suarez, former Assistant Brewer for Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, Vermont. Dan is currently working to open Suarez Family Brewery in Germantown, New York.
For Suarez, balance is relatively straightforward. “I think balance simply refers to an IPA that is pleasant to drink. This is what beer drinkers and brewers want nowadays. The IBU arms race is over, and people just want a drinkable beer.”
While plenty of hopheads have developed a definite love of bitterness, there’s a large portion of the market that will likely never share that same taste. Jean Broillet IV, Brewmaster at Tired Hands in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, points out that humans are wired to avoid bitterness, even if it becomes an acquired taste for some. Brewers across the country have now caught on to the fact that dense, vibrant hop flavors can be packed into a beer that will appeal to hopheads and bitterness-fearers alike. This, in fact, may be the new front of IPA education: Separating “hoppiness” and “bitterness” in the lexicon of the average beer drinker’s mind.
Brewing American IPA
While hops may be the sexiest ingredient of your American IPA, in some ways, they’re also the easiest. Throw some Citra® and Amarillo® in for late additions and you probably won’t go wrong. Whirlpool hopping might be the standout trend in this new school of thought regarding IPAs. Broillet, Trogner, and others recommend shifting the majority of the hop bill to the whirlpool stage (for many homebrewers, this takes the form of a long “hop stand” after finishing your boil) and to the dry hop. But all the brewers I talked to agreed: Don’t neglect the other components, because they can actually be the toughest to nail.
The most important ingredient of all, however, when crafting the perfect IPA is water.
“Insanely hoppy IPAs that you want to be perfectly dry but not bitter . . . there’s a big difference even if you have a slight salt change,” said Trogner.
Trogner describes the “two general ways” of tweaking a beer’s character through water, beyond basic utilitarian adjustments like analyzing your water hardness and carefully dialing in mash pH (for dry and bright IPAs, target a mash pH on the low end, around 5.3). To round out the mouthfeel of a beer, Trogner says, add calcium chloride (CaCl2). To sharpen it, gypsum (calcium sulfate) will accentuate the bitterness and perception of dryness in the beer, and remains a classic element in the West Coast IPA flavor profile.
As for yeast, Broillet, like many of the brewers I talked to, relies on an English ale strain. “A nice soft ester profile jibes really well with our hop selection,” he said. While English strains are generally less attenuative than American strains like Chico, Broillet engineers his IPAs to finish extremely dry by manipulating other variables, like mash temperature and grain bill.
Homebrewing American IPA
Of course, the trends in commercial American IPA have resonated with homebrewers. For example, Philadelphia-area homebrewer Ed Coffey has devoted a lot of thought (and a lot of test batches) parsing the secrets behind Broillet’s beers, along with occasional tips gleaned from the brewer himself. It’s paid off: Coffey won the Philly Homebrew Cup with an IPA inspired by Broillet’s hoppy creations, and for his prize, went on to brew his Riverwards IPA recipe at 2nd Story Brewing in downtown Philadelphia. (Check out Coffey’s recipe, along with four other award-winning IPA homebrew recipes below). Through his repeated experiments and research, Coffey sees these new-wave IPAs as simple beers that come together through expert technique and process management.
“From hopping techniques to water treatment and expressive yeast strains, every component is expertly calculated and plays an important role,” Coffey said of the modern American IPA. “Drinkability is what sets it apart, since most of these new IPAs are not overly bitter while being exceedingly hoppy, and more complex and impressive than their forefathers.”
Buffalo, New York’s Brad Robbins, first-place winner in the IPA category at the 2014 Amber Waves of Grain for his Simtra Mosalaxy IPA (recipe below) goes for a similar approach.
“My goal with this IPA, and most that I brew, was to emphasize hop flavor and aroma over bitterness. Even though it clocks in at 81 IBU, the fuller body keeps the bitterness in check and allows the intense aromas and flavors of American/Down Under hops to shine, while the first wort hopping lends a deceptively smooth bitterness and long-lasting flavor. In addition to a heavy hop load at flameout, I utilized a hopstand to extract further flavor and aroma without adding bitterness. There is a range of temperatures that can be used for hop stands, but I chose the relatively low temperature of 150 °F (66 °C) paired with a longer hold of 50 minutes to achieve maximum flavor/aroma and minimum bitterness. To achieve this, you can simply chill your wort immediately after flame out, stopping when it reaches your desired temperature and allowing it to rest there for 20 minutes to an hour, depending on your patience and desired level of flavor/aroma extraction.”
Matt Klausner, an Aurora, Illinois homebrewer who has won many awards for his Klaus Brau’s Kitchen Sink IPA (recipe below) emphasizes keeping the beer as “clean” as possible. He swears by using a secondary fermenter for his IPAs.
“There is a lot of discussion on whether or not to use a secondary fermenter,” said Klausner. “I believe they are a useful tool in making better beer. Especially with a heavily-hopped IPA, the beer should be as clean as possible. When you’re ready to rack off the hops, cold crashing will help drop the hops to the bottom so you can hold a siphon above the hops to transfer. With enough practice you won’t suck up any hop material.”
Find Your Perspective
Whether the beer is commercial or homebrew, West Coast, East Coast, or whatever brewers will decide to call this new approach to IPA, Trogner feels that there will always be one definitive factor that can be relied upon to categorize an IPA.
“The number one thing is the brewer’s perspective,” Trogner says. “Whoever is creating that recipe, his or her point of view obviously affects the whole freaking thing. If you agree with their brewing philosophy you’re going to dig it, if you don’t . . . they can use the best ingredients, but it’s probably not going to match up to your taste buds.”
Riverwards IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.012
IBU = 42 SRM = 4 ABV = 6.4%
by Ed Coffey • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Winner, Philly Homebrew Cup
Ingredients
11 lbs. (5 kg) 2-row pale malt
1.4 lbs. (0.64 kg) white wheat malt
1.4 lbs. (0.64 kg) flaked oats
4.3 AAU CTZ (Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus) hops (first wort hop) (0.25 oz./7 g at 17% alpha acid)
11.1 AAU Amarillo® hops (5 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 8.9% alpha acid)
18.1 AAU Citra® hops (5 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 14.5% alpha acid)
1.25 oz. (35 g) Amarillo® hops (hop stand)
1.25 oz. (35 g) Citra® hops (hop stand)
2.5 oz. (71 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop)
2.5 oz. (71 g) Citra® hops (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops (dry hop)
½ tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
1 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
The Yeast Bay (Vermont Ale) or GigaYeast GY054 (Vermont IPA) or East Coast Yeast ECY29 (North East Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and dough-in with 17.25 quarts (16.3 L) of strike water, for a mash ratio of about 1.25 quarts per pound of grain (2.6 L/kg). Target a mash temperature of 150 °F (66 °C) and hold for 60 minutes. Sparge with 170 °F (77 °C) water. While the runnings are being collected, add your first wort hop addition. Collect approximately 7 gallons (26.4 L) of wort runoff and bring to a boil. The goal is to get 5.5 gallons (21 L) into the fermenter. Add the Irish moss with 15 minutes left in the boil. Add the first charge of Amarillo® and Citra® hops with 5 minutes left in the boil.
After the 60-minute boil, chill the entire wort down to 185 °F (85 °C) and add the whirlpool/hop stand addition of hops and let the wort rest for 45 minutes with the lid on. Once the whirlpool/hop stand is complete, chill your wort to yeast pitching temperature.
Pitch your yeast as a 1.5-L yeast starter and ferment at 64–70 °F (18–21 °C). Fermentation should take 10–14 days. Following fermentation, dry hop for five days before bottling or transferring to keg. Prime to 2.3 volumes of CO2.
Riverwards IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.012
IBU = 42 SRM = 4 ABV = 6.4%
Ingredients
5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) golden light dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) wheat dried malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) corn sugar (dextrose)
4.3 AAU CTZ (Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus) hops (first wort hop) (0.25 oz./7 g at 17% alpha acid)
11.1 AAU Amarillo® hops (5 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 8.9% alpha acid)
18.1 AAU Citra® hops (5 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 14.5% alpha acid)
1.25 oz. (35 g) Amarillo® hops (hop stand)
1.25 oz. (35 g) Citra® hops (hop stand)
2.5 oz. (71 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop)
2.5 oz. (71 g) Citra® hops (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops (dry hop)
½ tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
1 tsp. Irish moss (15 min.)
The Yeast Bay (Vermont Ale) or GigaYeast GY054 (Vermont IPA) or East Coast Yeast ECY29 (North East Ale) yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Add the water to reach a total of 3 gallons (11.3 L), then bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the malt extract and corn sugar, and stir until completely dissolved. Return to heat and add first hop addition. Add the Irish moss with 15 minutes left in the boil. Add the first charge of Amarillo® and Citra® hops with 5 minutes left in the boil. Boil for a total of 60 minutes, then top off with cold, filtered water until the temperature of the wort drops to 185 °F (85 °C). Add whirlpool/hop stand additions and let rest for 45 minutes with the lid on. Once the whirlpool/hop stand is complete, top off with cold, filtered water to reach a total volume of 5.5 gallons (21 L), then continue to chill wort to yeast pitching temperatures.
Pitch the yeast as a 1.5-L yeast starter and ferment at 64-70 °F (18- 21 °C). Fermentation should take 10-14 days. Following fermentation, dry hop for 5 days before bottling or transferring to keg. Prime to 2.3 volumes of CO2.
Peachtree IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.063 FG = 1.012
IBU = 66 SRM = 9 ABV = 6.7%
by Josh Weikert • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Winner 1st Place IPA at War of the Worts
Ingredients
11.75 lbs. (5.3 kg) US 2-row pale malt
1.4 lbs. (0.64 kg) Munich malt (9 °L)
13 oz. (0.36 kg) crystal malt (20 °L)
9 oz. (0.25 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
16.3 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 13% alpha acid)
16.3 AAU Simcoe® hops (5 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 13% alpha acid)
1.25 oz. (35 g) Amarillo® hops (0 min.)
1.25 oz. (35 g) Citra® hops (dry hop)
½ tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This is a single infusion mash. Heat 4.5 gallons (17 L) of strike water for a mash ratio of about 1.25 quarts per pound of grain (2.6 L/kg). Target a mash temperature of 154 °F (68 °C) and hold for 60 minutes. Batch sparge with enough water to collect approximately 7 gallons (26.4 L) of wort runoff and bring to a boil. The goal is to get 5.5 gallons (21 L) of wort into the fermenter.
Boil the wort for 60 minutes adding the Nugget hops at the beginning, the yeast nutrients with 15 minutes left in the boil, and the Simcoe® hop addition with five minutes remaining in the boil. After turning off the heat, add the Amarillo® hops, then chill the wort to 68 °F (20 °C) and pitch the yeast, preferably as a 1.5-L yeast starter if pitching liquid yeast. Hold at this temperature for the duration of primary fermentation. Fermentation should take 10–14 days. Following fermentation, dry hop with Citra® hops for five days before bottling or transferring to keg. Prime to 2.4 volumes of CO2.
Peachtree IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.063 FG = 1.012
IBU = 66 SRM = 9 ABV = 6.7%
Ingredients
4.75 lbs. (2.15 kg) extra light dried malt extract
3.3 lbs. (1.5 kg) Munich liquid malt extract
8 oz. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (20 °L)
8 oz. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
16.3 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 13% alpha acid)
16.3 AAU Simcoe® hops (5 min.) (1.25 oz./35 g at 13% alpha acid)
1.25 oz. (35 g) Amarillo® hops (0 min.)
1.25 oz. (35 g) Citra® hops (dry hop)
½ tsp. yeast nutrient (15 min.)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast
2⁄3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Steep the crushed grain in 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water as it warms until a temperature of about 170 °F (77 °C) is reached, or approximately 20 minutes. Remove the grains from the wort and rinse with 4 quarts (3.7 L) of hot water. Add the liquid to reach a total of 3 gallons (11.3 L) in the brew pot and bring the wort to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the liquid malt extract, and stir until completely dissolved. Return to heat and add the Nugget hops. With 15 minutes remaining in the boil, add the dried malt extract and yeast nutrients. Add the Simcoe® hop addition with five minutes remaining in the boil. After turning off the heat, add the Amarillo® hops and then rapidly chill the wort to room temperature. Transfer to a fermenter and top off to 5.5 gallons (21 L).
Pitch the yeast when the temperature of the wort is about 68 °F (20 °C). Preferably pitch the yeast as a 1.5-L starter if pitching liquid yeast. Hold the wort at this temperature for the duration of primary fermentation. Fermentation should take 10–14 days. Following fermentation, dry hop for 5 days before bottling or transferring to keg. Prime to 2.4 volumes of CO2.
Tips for success:
This recipe is designed to be simple and easy. The dry hop is up to the brewer’s preference. I originally used Amarillo® when first developing this recipe, but I have switched it up to Citra® to brighten the aroma. Whatever American aroma hops you prefer would be appropriate here.
Simtra Mosalaxy IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.067 FG = 1.016
IBU = 80+ SRM = 14 ABV = 7%
by Brad Robbins • Buffalo, New York Winner 1st Place IPA at Amber Waves of Grain
Ingredients
13.5 lbs. (6.1 kg) Muntons Maris Otter malt blend
8 oz. (0.22 kg) Fawcett dark crystal malt (120 °L)
8 oz. (0.22 kg) Muntons crystal malt (60 °L)
8 oz. (0.22 kg) Weyermann Caraamber® malt (28 °L)
13.8 AAU Citra® hops, leaf (first wort hop) (1 oz./28 g at 13.8% alpha acids)
14.1 AAU Simcoe® hops, leaf (first wort hop) (1 oz./28 g at 14.1% alpha acids)
12.4 AAU Mosaic™ hops, pellets (15 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 12.4% alpha acids)
13.8 AAU Citra® hops, leaf (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 13.8% alpha acids)
16 AAU Galaxy hops, pellets (5 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 16% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) AU Topaz hops, pellets (hop stand)
1 oz. (28 g) Mosaic™ hops, pellets (hop stand)
1 oz. (28 g) Galaxy hops, pellets (hop stand)
1 oz. (28 g) Citra® hops, leaf (hop stand)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops, leaf (hop stand)
1 oz. (28 g) Galaxy hops, pellets (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Citra® hops, leaf(dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops, leaf (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Mosaic™ hops, pellets (dry hop)
Fermentis US-05 or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mash the grains with strike water to achieve 155 °F (68 °C). Rest for 60 minutes until conversion is complete. Sparge with enough water to collect 7.5 gallons (28.4 L) in the kettle. Add the first wort hop additions during the sparge. Boil for 90 minutes adding kettle hops at the times indicated. Chill the wort to 150 °F (66 °C), then add the hop stands. After 50 minutes chill to 68 °F (20 °C). Pitch the yeast, then aerate. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). Transfer the beer onto the dry hops in a secondary vessel. Dry hop for two weeks. Prime to 2.5 volumes of CO2.
Simtra Mosalaxy IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.067 FG = 1.016
IBU = 80+ SRM = 15 ABV = 7%
Ingredients
9.5 lbs. (4.3 kg) Maris Otter liquid malt extract
8 oz. (0.22 kg) Fawcett dark crystal malt (120 °L)
8 oz. (0.22 kg) Muntons crystal malt (60 °L)
8 oz. (0.22 kg) Weyermann Caraamber® malt (28 °L)
13.8 AAU Citra® hops, leaf (first wort hop) (1 oz./28 g at 13.8% alpha acids)
14.1 AAU Simcoe® hops, leaf (first wort hop) (1 oz./28 g at 14.1% alpha acids)
12.4 AAU Mosaic™ hops, pellets (15 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 12.4% alpha acids)
13.8 AAU Citra® hops, leaf (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 13.8% alpha acids)
16 AAU Galaxy hops, pellets (5 min.)
(1 oz./28 g at 16% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) AU Topaz hops, pellets (hop stand)
1 oz. (28 g) Mosaic™ hops, pellets (hop stand)
1 oz. (28 g) Galaxy hops, pellets (hop stand)
1 oz. (28 g) Citra® hops, leaf (hop stand)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops, leaf (hop stand)
1 oz. (28 g) Galaxy hops, pellets (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Citra® hops, leaf (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops, leaf (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Mosaic™ hops, pellets (dry hop)
Fermentis US-05 or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place your crushed grains in a bag and soak in one gallon (4 L) 160 °F (71 °C) water for 20 minutes. Rinse the grains with 2 qts. (2 L) hot water. Add water until there is about 7.5 gallons (28.4 L) in the kettle. Bring to a boil, remove the kettle from heat and stir in the malt extract. Add the first wort hop additions and return the wort to heat. Follow the remainder of the all-grain recipe.
American IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.070 FG = 1.016
IBU = 100+ SRM = 8 ABV = 7.1%
by Chris Woolston • Beacon, New York
National Homebrew Competition Round 1 New York City Region First Place
Ingredients
13.5 lbs. (6.1 kg) 2-row pale malt
1.4 lbs. (0.64 kg) Carapils® malt
1.4 lbs. (0.64 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
13 AAU Simcoe® hops (90 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids)
6.5 AAU Simcoe® hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 13% alpha acids)
7.8 AAU CTZ (Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus) hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 15.5% alpha acids)
9.8 AAU Simcoe® hops (15 min.) (0.75 oz./21g at 13% alpha acids)
11.6 AAU CTZ (Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus) hops (15 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 15.5% alpha acids)
5.5 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Simcoe® hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) CTZ (Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus) hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Amarillo® (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) CTZ (Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus) hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Simcoe® (dry hop)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step By Step
A day or two before brew day make a yeast starter if using a liquid strain. On brew day, dough-in with 20.4 quarts (19.3 L) of water, for a mash ratio of about 1.25 quarts per pound of grain. Target a mash temperature of 152 °F (67 °C) and hold for 60 minutes. Sparge with 170 °F (77 °C) water. Collect approximately 7 gallons (26.4 L) of wort runoff and bring to a boil, then add first hop addition. Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. At the end of the boil, add the final hop addition, then chill the wort to 64 °F (18 °C).
Pitch your yeast starter and ferment at 64–70 °F (18–21 °C). Following primary fermentation (about two weeks), dry hop for five days before bottling or transferring to keg. Prime to 2.3 volumes of CO2.
American IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.070 FG = 1.016
IBU = 100+ SRM = 10 ABV = 7.1%
Ingredients
8 lbs (3.6 kg) golden light dried malt extract
0.5 lb. (227 g) Carapils® malt
0.5 lb (227 g) crystal malt (40 °L)
13 AAU Simcoe® hops (90 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids)
6.5 AAU Simcoe® hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 13% alpha acids)
7.8 AAU CTZ (Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus) hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 15.5% alpha acids)
9.8 AAU Simcoe® hops (15 min.) (0.75 oz./21g at 13% alpha acids)
11.6 AAU CTZ (Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus) hops (15 min.) (0.75 oz./21 g at 15.5% alpha acids)
5.5 AAU Cascade hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5.5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Simcoe® hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) CTZ (Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus) hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Amarillo® (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) CTZ (Columbus/Tomahawk®/Zeus) hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Simcoe® (dry hop)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Fermentis US-05
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step By Step
A day or two before brew day make a yeast starter if using a liquid strain. On brew day, steep the crushed grain in 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water as it warms to reach 150 °F (65.5 °C), approximately 20 minutes. Remove grains from the wort and rinse with 4 quarts (3.8 L) of hot water. Add the liquid to reach a total of 3 gallons (11.3 L) and bring to a boil. If you can do a full volume (5.5-gal./21-L) boil, it is recommended. Turn off heat, add malt extract, and stir until completely dissolved. Return to heat and add first hop addition. Continue to add hop additions at intervals per ingredents list. Cool the wort to room temperature, then top off with cold, filtered water to reach 5.5 gallons (21 L).
Pitch yeast starter and ferment at 64–70 °F (18–21 °C). Now follow the remaining instructions from the all-grain recipe.
Klaus Brau’s Kitchen Sink IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.013
IBU = 67 SRM = 8 ABV = 6.2%
by Matt Klausner • Aurora, Illinois
1st place at the Schooner Brew, Babble BrewOff &Drunk Monk Challenge
Ingredients
7 lbs. (3.18 kg) 2-row pale malt
3.5 lbs. (1.59 kg) Optic pale ale malt
2.9 lbs. (1.32 kg) Vienna malt
0.6 lb. (0.27 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
14 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 14% alpha acids)
5 AAU Centennial hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 10% alpha acids)
5 AAU Centennial hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 10% alpha acids)
3.5 AAU Cascade hops (5 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 7% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Cascade hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
A day or two before brew day make a yeast starter if using a liquid strain. On brew day perform a single infusion mash. Mash in at 152 °F (67 °C) in 4.4 gallons (16.6 L) of water. Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Sparge with 180 °F (82 °C) water to collect 7 gallons (26.5 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. The goal is to get 5.5 gallons (21 L) into your fermenter. Chill the wort to 64 °F (18 °C). Ferment between 64–68 °F (18–20 °C). Transfer to a secondary vessel after primary fermentation is complete. Dry hop for one week with 0.5 oz. (14 g) Amarillo®, 0.5 oz. (14 g) Simcoe®, and 0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial hops. After one week dry hop again with 0.5 oz. (14 g) Simcoe® and 0.5 oz. (14 g) Cascade hops. Prime to 2.3 volumes of CO2.
Klaus Brau’s Kitchen Sink IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.013
IBU = 67 SRM = 8 ABV = 6.2%
Ingredients
7 lbs. (3.2 kg) golden light dried malt extract
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Vienna malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
14 AAU Magnum hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 14% alpha acids)
5 AAU Centennial hops (30 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 10% alpha acids)
5 AAU Centennial hops (15 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 10% alpha acids)
3.5 AAU Cascade hops (5 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 7% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Cascade hops (0 min.)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial hops (dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Cascade hops (dry hop)
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast
¾ cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
A day or two before brew day make a yeast starter if using a liquid strain. On brew day, steep the crushed grain in 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water as it warms until a temperature of about 150 °F (65.5 °C) is reached, or approximately 20 minutes. Remove grains from the wort and rinse with 4 quarts (3.7 L) of hot water. Add the liquid to reach a total of 3 gallons (11.3 L) and bring to a boil. If you can do a full volume boil, 5.5 gallon (21 L), it is recommended. Turn off the heat, add the malt extract, and stir until completely dissolved. Return to heat and add first hop addition. Continue to add hop additions at intervals per ingredients list. Cool the wort to room temperature, then top off with cold, filtered water to reach 5.5 gallons (21 L). Pitch yeast starter.
Ferment between 64–68 °F (18–20 °C). Transfer to a secondary vessel after primary fermentation is complete.
Dry hop for one week with 0.5 oz. (14 g) Amarillo®, 0.5 oz. (14 g) Simcoe®, and 0.5 oz. (14 g) Centennial hops. After one week dry hop again with 0.5 oz. (14 g) Simcoe® and 0.5 oz. (14 g) Cascade hops. Prime to 2.3 volumes of CO2.
