West Coast IPA

Really just an American IPA

OK, let me get this out of the way first. West Coast IPAs are American IPAs. Full stop. Please, try to breathe. I’ll talk you through this. American IPAs remain a very popular style today, but they are continuing to change over time, as they have since they helped usher in the craft era. West Coast IPAs are a subset of American IPAs that have a slightly narrower range than the full style. To me, it’s more of a marketing term or lifestyle choice than anything else, so use the term if you like. Beer drinkers will understand what you are talking about.

To be perfectly clear, all West Coast IPAs are American IPAs, but not all American IPAs are West Coast IPAs. They are not exact synonyms, but they are similar. I’ll go even further. Not all IPAs on the West Coast are West Coast IPAs, and not all West Coast IPAs are found on the West Coast. It’s certainly a kind of IPA that originated on the West Coast and is popular on the West Coast. I’ve had people argue with me that San Diego IPAs are really a different thing from West Coast IPAs too, which ignores the fact the name was coined there, but also it just goes to show that some beer people will argue about anything.

American IPA is BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) style 21A within Category 21 IPA, along with specialty IPA and hazy IPA. If entering in competitions, you can add “West Coast IPA” in the comments, perhaps with the ABV, IBUs, and hop varieties, to assist with the judging. English IPAs are grouped with other British-derived beers for sensory and judging purposes, not to imply that they aren’t related.

West Coast IPA History

I have previously recounted the history of IPA when I wrote about English IPA, the original India pale ale and Burton ales. I won’t rehash that except to say that IPA is originally an English style, created in London but perfected in Burton-on-Trent. Popular for over 100 years, its market presence faded in the 20th century as gravities dropped and it became indistinguishable from pale ales and bitters. It never really died out, but it did help inspire the IPA craze today in the craft beer era.

The United States had IPAs before the craft beer era, notably the well-regarded Ballantine IPA. But that beer was more closely related to historical English IPAs than modern American IPAs. It faded around the time craft beer was getting started in America. Anchor Liberty Ale (first made in 1975) is often regarded as the first modern American IPA, although it didn’t use that term at the time (or pale ale, for that matter). There simply weren’t enough examples or craft breweries to think about things in style terms much beyond ale vs. lager.

Bert Grant’s IPA (released in 1983) was the first beer called an IPA in the craft era. Some important Californian IPAs were first made in the mid-1990s: Blind Pig IPA in 1994, Lagunitas IPA in 1995, and Stone IPA in 1997. A distinctly American take on IPAs was emerging, different from traditional English IPAs (or the memory of such things) and those IPAs further East (I don’t like saying East Coast because that slights Midwest breweries such as Bell’s and Great Lakes that make excellent IPAs). 

Craft beer was already evolving and innovating but we were also at the start of developing a more detailed understanding (and documentation) of beer styles. Believe it or not, when I started judging in the mid-1990s, there was only one India Pale Ale description, and it described the historical English beer. Judges just sort of understood that these could also be made with American ingredients. In the 2004 edition of the Beer Judge Certification Program Style Guidelines, I divided IPA into English IPA, American IPA, and Imperial IPA (later to be renamed Double IPA) to acknowledge what was clearly happening in the market.

Around that time, Green Flash Brewing Co. out of San Diego, California, came out with a beer called West Coast IPA, a term they trademarked and subsequently applied to other styles (which demonstrates that it is more of a marketing term than a style). Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River has commented that the term West Coast IPA became more of a generic term with consumers around 2010 and it is used to provide differentiation in a large and growing market. It has come to be seen as a subset of American IPA, or some might think of it as the modern American IPA. The product it was differentiating itself from wasn’t hazy IPA, which was only just emerging in New England; it was distinguishing from products like Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, Harpoon IPA, and Dogfish Head 60-minute IPA.

So, while West Coast IPAs started as an individual beer from a brewery that no longer exists (and was actually not even a pale beer), it set a trend that essentially took over the previous category as other types of American IPAs became less popular. As hazy IPAs grew and mutated, that style became further separated from the traditional IPA. Variations of American IPAs blossomed for awhile (remember black IPA?), but have mostly fallen out of favor. However, the emerging trend of cold IPA (still not a fan of that name, but please bring me another one of those beers) is raising new questions about the future of American IPA. I’m personally very curious about what the next few years will bring.

Sensory Profile

Modern West Coast IPAs are pale, dry, bitter, hoppy beers of above-average strength (usually in the 6.2% to 7.5% ABV range). The malt profile is relatively neutral and usually without any caramel flavors. The bitterness is significant and the late-hop profile is prominent with a fresh dry-hop character. They can have a minerally finish with sulfates adding to the dry finish and sharpening the perception of bitterness. The body is medium-light and the beer is well-carbonated to encourage drinkability, despite the bitterness and alcohol levels. The fermentation profile is also relatively neutral.

If all of this sounds like an American IPA, you’re starting to get the picture. Let me point out some of the narrower characteristics of West Coast IPA, however, to illustrate the differences. Basically, West Coast IPAs are on the upper end of the range of alcohol and bitterness, and at the lower end of the range for final gravity and color. They generally avoid crystal malts and emphasize more modern (although not necessarily cutting-edge) hops. Classic or modern hop varieties can be used, but dank, weedy, sulfurous (think alliums, like onion, garlic, leek, chive, or shallots) or resiny varieties are quite popular. The common element is that the hops often have an aggressive, some might say abrasive, quality. Dry hopping is pretty much a requirement. The water profile is closer to English IPA than Hazy IPA, in that sulfates are common. The yeast character is usually neutral rather than lightly fruity.

I could go into more depth on the individual characteristics, but that risks describing individual beers. The differences are subtle, and more about ingredient choice and overall balance than anything else. It’s a beer style that is meant to be enjoyed fresh as oxidation has nowhere to hide. The late-hop character is critical and can be adapted with newer varieties.

I guess I might mention the perception of bitterness in these beers, as they seem to be lessening in recent years. In the early 2000s, there was a concept that was described as the “lupulin threshold shift,” popularized by Vinnie Cilurzo. It basically said that as a drinker was more exposed to bitter beers, their tolerance for bitterness increased, and it then made them desire beers with even greater bitterness. This led to a kind of IBU arms race in West Coast IPAs and other styles where breweries were trying to make beers with even greater bitterness. This thankfully seems to have ended as breweries are currently rediscovering the joys of drinkability.

Today, I think of West Coast IPA as a mainstream craft beer style that is being made in many countries around the world where fresh hops can be found. As a judge, the challenge is to maximize the hoppiness and bitterness of the beer while still retaining the drinkability and enjoyment of full pints. Qualities such as smoothness are desirable and the alcohol level shouldn’t come through as strongly — this is a beer where the alcohol should be felt, not tasted.

Brewing Ingredients and Methods

Mitch Steele, in his outstanding IPA book, talks about a profile for a West Coast IPA. He characterizes it as having a high percentage of pale malts with a low percentage of crystal malts. The water is Burtonized with a sulfate-rich composition, which enhances the bitter, dry-hop profile. The beer is dry hopped and is on the stronger side for IPAs. I agree with all these statements, so let’s unpack them.

A high percentage of pale malts is something above 85%, but it can be a mix of almost anything. Neutral 2-row North American brewer’s malt or pale malt is an obvious choice, but Pilsner malt, pale ale malt, or even some continental malts can be used. However, the malt flavor shouldn’t get too strong and shouldn’t have overly bready or toasty flavors. Remember, hops come first in this beer.

Crystal malts are something under 15% of the grist, typically well under that mark and are not too dark (60 °L and less). Personally, I like to use Munich malt as a substitute for a light crystal malt to give more maltiness and less sweetness, but this is a personal choice. I see many brewers using some dextrin-type malts to add a little body, but this could also be accomplished through mash temperature control. A light use of simple fermentable sugar is possible.

American craft beers were traditionally a single-infusion mash, so it makes sense to mash for attenuation and add a little dextrin malt to make sure the body doesn’t get too thin. The alcohol level is often around 7%, but the finish is dry so take that into account when calculating the original gravity. You want the final gravity to be on the low side for an IPA to give that dryness, so don’t go too big on the starting gravity or you’ll quickly be in the double IPA alcohol range.

Hops can be any American or New World variety, so this is a very personal choice for a brewer. Many West Coast brewers seem to like the resiny, dank, piney, weedy, garlicky, and citrusy varieties more than the more modern tropical and fruity varieties often found today in other versions of American IPAs. West Coast IPAs often have multiple hop varieties, although one of my favorites (Alpine Beer Company’s Duet) is known for using just two hops, Amarillo® and Simcoe®. When I make American IPAs, I often skip a bittering addition to use a first wort hop addition. But in a West Coast IPA, a traditional 60-minute bittering addition can give it a little extra bite. 

Multiple hop additions are common, often with the late-hop additions being quite heavy. Additions in the last 10 minutes are common, and post-boil additions via a whirlpool or hopback are also frequent. Dry hopping is expected to give a big fresh hop aroma. The challenge in all these hop additions is to avoid excessively green or harsh flavors, often called hop burn, and the modern phenomenon of over-attenuation due to enzymes in dry hops, called hop creep. Basically, these become a problem with enormous additions of fresh hops, especially those of lower-alpha acid concentration for extended times. So, I prefer to use higher-alpha hops in one addition and to limit the contact time to three days or less. These issues are more of a problem in hazy IPAs, but they can show up in American IPAs.

The water profile used in this beer emphasizes sulfates but also has a light touch of chloride. Carbonates are to be avoided since they can give dull, soapy flavors. Depending on where you live, you may have better results building your profile with reverse osmosis water.

Neutral yeast is common in this beer, so the Chico/California ale strain is perfect. I often switch it up and use the Anchor strain, 1272 American Ale II/WLP051 California V, in my American IPAs for its light fruitiness. Either is a solid choice, but the Chico yeast is probably most authentic for this style. 

Homebrew Example

My example is a variation of one of my favorite American IPA recipes, with a reformulation moving it higher in alcohol and bitterness, upping the dry hopping, and using the classic Chico yeast. 

I’m using a variety of pale malts as the base for the beer. I often use a mix of Pilsner and 2-row American pale malt as a clean base, and I’m adding a touch of pale ale malt for a slight bready note and Munich for a little extra maltiness without getting sweet. I’m using a step mash for attenuation while still providing some body. If you want to use an infusion mash, shoot for something around 151 °F (66 °C) and add a quarter pound (113 g) of Carapils® malt.

Instead of first wort hopping, I’m using a bittering addition of Warrior®, which is a higher-alpha hop that gives a clean bitterness. Kind of like Magnum hops for Americans. Amarillo® and Simcoe® provide much of the flavor and aroma with late and whirlpool additions. The beer is heavily dry hopped with Citra®, Centennial, and Amarillo®, but keep the contact time to three days or less to avoid picking up too much astringency from the hop matter. 

The water is adjusted with calcium sulfate and a little calcium chloride, which is done to sharpen the final flavor profile. The final gravity is similar to my normal IPA but I’ve increased the starting gravity a little to get a higher alcohol content and I increased the IBUs from my preferred 55 to a more typical 70. I’ve talked about changes to a standard recipe of mine to show you how you might take one of your IPA recipes and make it more West Coast in nature. Both are still American IPAs, but they hit different parts of the range of the style.

IPAs can be a very personal choice as people have different flavor preferences and bitterness tolerances. But I think all IPA lovers can’t get enough of a fresh hop character and that’s one thing that a proper West Coast IPA will deliver. As the pendulum swings towards cold IPAs, I wonder if some day we’ll be talking about West Coast IPAs in the same nostalgic tone as Ballantine, or if we’ll look at West Coast IPA as an important milestone in the evolution of IPA towards some future state. Hmm, bring me another one and let’s talk about it . . .  

West Coast IPA By The Numbers

• OG: 1.056–1.070
• FG: 1.008–1.014
• SRM: 6–14
• IBU: 40–70
• ABV: 5.5–7.5%

West Coast IPA

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.063  FG = 1.011
IBU = 72  SRM = 6  ABV = 6.9%

Ingredients
5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) Pilsner malt
5 lbs. (2.3 kg) 2-row pale malt
1.5 lbs. (680 g) Munich malt
1 lb. (454 g) Belgian pale ale malt
15 AAU Warrior® hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 15% alpha acids)
9.2 AAU Amarillo® hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 9.2% alpha acids) 
13 AAU Simcoe® hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids) 
1 oz. (28 g) Amarillo® hops (hopstand)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops (hopstand)
1 oz. (28 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop) 
1 oz. (28 g) Centennial hops (dry hop) 
1 oz. (28 g) Citra® hops (dry hop) 
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale), Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), or SafAle US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step
This recipe uses reverse osmosis (RO) water. Adjust all brewing water to a pH of 5.5 using phosphoric acid. Add 1⁄4 tsp. of calcium chloride and 1 tsp. of calcium sulfate to the mash.

This recipe uses a step infusion mash. Use enough water to have a moderately thick mash (1.5 qts./lb. or 3.1 L/kg). Mash the grain at 146 °F (63 °C) for 45 minutes. Raise the temperature to 156 °F (68 °C) for 15 minutes. Raise the temperature to 168 °F (76 °C) and recirculate for 15 minutes. 

Sparge slowly and collect 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of wort. 

Boil the wort for 75 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. For the hopstand hops, allow the wort to cool to 180 °F (82 °C) before adding the hops. Stir, and let rest for 20 minutes before proceeding.

Chill the wort to 66 °F (19 °C), aerate well if using a liquid strain, then pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. Rack to secondary and dry hop for three days.

Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.

West Coast IPA

(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.063  FG = 1.011
IBU = 72  SRM = 6  ABV = 6.9%

Ingredients
9 lbs. (4.1 kg) pale liquid malt extract
15 AAU Warrior® hops (60 min.)(1 oz./28 g at 15% alpha acids)
9.2 AAU Amarillo® hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 9.2% alpha acids) 
13 AAU Simcoe® hops (10 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids) 
1 oz. (28 g) Amarillo® hops (hopstand)
1 oz. (28 g) Simcoe® hops (hopstand)
1 oz. (28 g) Amarillo® hops (dry hop) 
1 oz. (28 g) Centennial hops (dry hop) 
1 oz. (28 g) Citra® hops (dry hop) 
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale), Wyeast 1056 (American Ale), or SafAle US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step
Use 6.5 gallons (24.5 L) of water in the brew kettle; heat to 158 °F (70 °C). Turn off the heat.

Add the malt extract and stir thoroughly to dissolve completely. Turn the heat back on and bring to a boil. 

Boil the wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated in the recipe. For the whirlpool hops, allow the wort to cool to 180 °F (82 °C) before adding the hops. Stir, and let rest for 20 minutes before proceeding.

Chill the wort to 66 °F (19 °C), top off fermenter to 5.25 gallons (20 L) with water, aerate well if using a liquid strain, pitch the yeast, and ferment until complete. Rack to secondary and dry hop for three days.

Rack the beer, prime and bottle condition, or keg and force carbonate.

Written by Gordon Strong