Beer Style: IPA Family
The Next Great IPA
There may be no style that has evolved and branched out into as many sub-styles during the craft beer era as IPA. So the question on many homebrewers’ minds is where the style is going next. We asked a number of brewers and beer industry professionals for their thoughts.
Cold IPA
Whether it’s a new, distinct style or just a modified version of an existing style, one thing we can all agree on is that cold IPAs are delicious. Learn to brew this smooth, dry IPA that hits all the right hoppy notes.
Whale Spit IPA
Whale Spit IPA (5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)OG = 1.072 FG = 1.012 IBU = 61 SRM = 7 ABV = 7% Ingredients10 lbs. (4.5 kg) 2-row pale malt1.2 lbs. (0.5 kg) Carapils® malt1.2
Gordon Strong’s Cold IPA
Whether it’s a new, distinct style or just a modified version of an existing style, one thing we can all agree on is that cold IPAs are delicious. Brew this smooth, dry IPA that hits all the right hoppy notes.
Chefs Tipsy Elephant
This specialty IPA features the African marula fruit — yellow stone fruits about the size of golf balls that are high in sugar, sweet, syrupy in texture, and with an almost citrus-like flavor. Marula was said to accentuate the hop character. Brewed by the 1000 Hills Chef School, it took first place in the IPA category at the 2024 Intervarsitybrew competition.
New Realm Brewing Co.’s Elani Cold IPA clone
This is the first recipe Geoff Belcher, Head Brewer at New Realm Brewing Co.’s Charleston, South Carolina, location brewed with Elani® as it provides a clean slate for the hop. The resulting beer is bursting with citrus and stone fruit flavors and aromas.
Logboat Brewing Co.’s Rocket Shark Vista Flyer clone
This was the fifth iteration of Logboat’s rotating IPA Rocket Shark Series in which the brewers wanted to explore and experiment with Vista. “Rocket Shark Vista Flyer is a juicy IPA featuring a unique blend of hops for a layered taste experience. Vista, Nelson SauvinTM, and Huell Melon hops contribute notes of bright tropical fruit, white wine, big strawberry, and subtle gooseberry. An Ideal IPA for those who love a big, fruity beer with depth and nuance,” said Jason Woody, the brewer who designed the recipe.
Russian River Brewing Co.’s Blind Pig IPA clone
“My first version of Blind Pig IPA was in 1994 at my very first brewery, Blind Pig Brewing Company, which was located in Temecula, California. This recipe originated from my homebrew days starting in 1989. Years later after Natalie and I took over Russian River Brewing Company from my former employer, Korbel Champagne Cellars, we were able to obtain the trademark for Blind Pig IPA so we brought her back to life.” – Vinnie Cilurzo
Russian River Brewing Co.’s Pliny the Elder clone
We first made Pliny the Elder in 1999, initially for a Double IPA festival at The Bistro in beautiful downtown Hayward, California. Previous to that, in 1994 I had made what is now considered to be the first modern double IPA in recent brewing history. So making a big, over-the-top IPA was not something new to me. In 2004, after Natalie and I took over Russian River Brewing Company . . . Pliny the Elder became a year-round beer and quickly became our top selling beer, which it still is today. – Vinnie Cilurzo
Russian River Brewing Co.’s Happy Hops clone
As hazy IPAs were gaining popularity, and before Russian River had brewed Mind Circus, our hazy IPA, I wanted to see if I could brew a beer that had all the juicy notes of a hazy IPA, but that was clear to the look. So Happy Hops became what I jokingly called our, “not so hazy, hazy IPA.” It is more of a progressive/modern IPA in that it has a lower bitterness compared to our other IPAs, but it carries lots of rich, juicy hop notes due to backloading the whirlpool with a sizable hop addition as well as a good size dry hop charge. – Vinnie Cilurzo
Deviant Wolfe Brewing Co.’s Norwegian Wizard Crisis clone
This hazy IPA is a staple in Deviant Wolfe’s lineup that relies on kveik yeast for a quick, warm fermentation. There are significant hops additions, all of which come post-boil.
Aussie-Style DIPA
This dip-hopped double IPA is one of the most unusual flavor profiles I have ever made. The dip hop mix produces flavors very much like white wine.
