American IPA The New West Coast IPA

[Dgallo]

I’d be comfortable personally up to about 1.070 pitching one pack but I would definitely rehydrate it with some diluted wort just to make sure the yeast active prior to pitching. Above that I’d use 2 or make a true starter

 

[bwible]

So I’ll admit I did not read anyone else’s response to you so I may be just mimicking what they said but if I was brewing with your current equipment (fermenting in a keg) I would do the following;
~~~~~~~<
*I’d Install a floating diptube in 3 kegs (if you want to do only 2, then one keg will be both your dryhop keg and serving keg). One for fermenting, one for dryhoping and one for serving (in a two keg system, dryhop and serving will be the same.*

1) ferment in one of your kegs at about 4.75 - 4.8 gallons. You will added a product called “ferm cap” which will prevent your krausen and foam from being an issue.

2) I would then conned the co2 post of the fermenting keg to the co2 post of the dryhoping keg, that is filliped to the brim with a sanitizing solution. I would then have the dryhop kegs liquid post connected to a hose that is open and placed in a brew pale of at least 6 gallons (7 is better)

3) fermentation will purge that keg, so when all of the liquid is gone, I’d weigh out my dryhop, and open the dryhoping keg and quickly dump in the hops and close it back up as fast as possible. I’d keep everything hooked up this way until fermentation was over.

4) I’d then disconnect all lines and cold crash the beer in the fermentation keg to drip the yeast out. After 48 hours under 50*f, I would then rack the beer from the fermenting keg to the dryhoping keg using co2 from my tang to push and then gas off the dryhoping keg by connecting the co2 post of the dryhop keg to an open hose in the bucket that has the sanitizer in it.

5) once all the beer is in the dryhoping keg, I would keep it below 50*f for 48hrs. During that 48hrs I would invert the keg 4-6 times (let it sit upright 8 hours, then invert it for the next 8, and then repeat this every 8 hours or so you flip it over about 6 times during dryhoping.

6)I would then crash the dryhoping keg at serving temps for the next 48 hours (if your doing a 2 keg system where this keg is also your serving keg, you would then add beiofine through the prv and then connect the gas to carb). It will now be time to transfer to the serving keg

7)make sure your serving keg is properly purged. Once that’s done, measure out your biofine in a syringe (3 ml per gallon is a good rate). Connect the this keg to gas for a second to give it positive pressure. Then unscrew the prv. Once unscrewed grab the biofine syringe, when the gas slows out of the price, shot the biofine through the prv opening and rescrew it in.

8) next close transfer to the serving keg by connecting the dryhoping kegs co2 post to the co2 tank, the liquid post to the purged serving kegs liquid post, and then the seving kegs co2 post to the hose that is open ended and placed in the pal with sanitizer.

9) once fully transferred, I’d agitate the keg, inverting it a few times to make sure the biofine was evenly dispersed. I’d then set the serving keg to your serving temperature and proper carbonation psi and your ready to go

Followed your advice. This is a cold IPA for a club challenge for July.

 

[Dgallo]

Followed your advice. This is a cold IPA for a club challenge for July.

View attachment 879016

Looks killer. How’d it turn out

 

[bwible]

Looks killer. How’d it turn out

Very happy with it. Citra, Centennial, and Mosaic.

 

[duelerx]

That’s an interesting idea for a trend, I could definately see it happening… but here in CA it is most definately not happening yet! By far the dominant WCIPA style is all base malt (usually w pilsner) super drinkable, dry, practically just hoppy lager - I mean those terms as adjectives, not categories.

But man WCIPA is constantly changing and has been since…. I don’t know 2010?

I’d be interested in getting a good history on who started the pils malt trend in SD. It may have been NPBC but I was there when they opened in 2016 and hop fu had a touch a crystal then. I know green cheek won a gabf medal with an all Pilsner WCIPA in 2018. I only remember that because he called it an “ipa without crystal”

Edit cross out

I remember Gordon Strong in his recipe book said munich is the new crystal, no crystal on his ipa recipes

 

[Dgallo]

I remember Gordon Strong in his recipe book said munich is the new crystal, no crystal on his ipa recipes

I think that still stems from prior to the big understanding how much o2 played a part on heavily dryhoped ipas. Crystal malts can oxidize easily.

When I brew a true modern west coast I don’t use any crystal. But if I’m just making a west coast I love adding about 5-8% crystal 10-15L and 12-15% Vienna. I’m pretty excessive when it comes to being anti o2, so I haven’t had an issue in sometime, but I love the touch of sweetness in the middle crystal can bring to a west coast when used right.

 

[bwible]

I think that still stems from prior to the big understanding how much o2 played a part on heavily dryhoped ipas. Crystal malts can oxidize easily.

When I brew a true modern west coast I don’t use any crystal. But if I’m just making a west coast I love adding about 5-8% crystal 10-15L and 12-15% Vienna. I’m pretty excessive when it comes to being anti o2, so I haven’t had an issue in sometime, but I love the touch of sweetness in the middle crystal can bring to a west coast when used right.

And do you suppose the lower numbered crystal contributes less to oxidation than the higher numbers? Wondering if thats the case.

 

[Dgallo]

And do you suppose the lower numbered crystal contributes less to oxidation than the higher numbers? Wondering if thats the case.

I’m sure the lowers % of crystal would be less reactive. But I just think people moved away from crystals because of fear for oxidation, which is valid. now people are being better about keeping o2 out, especially those who brew hoppy styles, I would suggest folks give it a shot again with their better know how they will get to see the benefit crystals can bring to a hoppy beer with sound process

 

[Dgallo]

I’m sure the lowers % of crystal would be less reactive. But I just think people moved away from crystals because of fear for oxidation, which is valid. now people are being better about keeping o2 out, especially those who brew hoppy styles, I would suggest folks give it a shot again with their better know how they will get to see the benefit crystals can bring to a hoppy beer with sound process

And do you suppose the lower numbered crystal contributes less to oxidation than the higher numbers? Wondering if thats the case.

Sorry just realized you were talking the lovibon of the crystal. I don’t know for fact if darker crystal would make it more or less sensitive to oxygen. My guess would be the darker the greater risk as the link to the oxidation is from the process of caramelizing the malt but I truly just don’t know.

I use the lighter crystal so it doesn’t impact the color as much

 

[Broothru]

I didn’t ask that but I can. I will say that I gave both the mosaic quantum and the mosaic Omni. Both vials smell great but the Omni smells absolutely beautiful

Quick question:

I just picked up a couple of 5ml Abstrax terpenes, one each 5ml of Omni Stratus and 5ml of Quantum Nectaron. The original plan was to juice up a 3 month old keg of NZ Pilsner, which was Nectaron @ FWH and :60, Pacifica and Nelson at :20 & Flameout. They’re ready plan finished beer was quite nice but I always felt is could use a slight boost.

There’s ~3 gallons left in the keg, so I’m looking to use an eye dropper to pick out a dosing of one or the other, but I’m hung up on the actual amount. Best I can get from the literature is “add a drop or two in a glass and see how you like it.”

Any suggestions for 3 gallon batch?

 

[DuncB]

I've used some Amplifire and would say use the eye dropper in a glass and base your changes on that!

 

[Dgallo]

Quick question:

I just picked up a couple of 5ml Abstrax terpenes, one each 5ml of Omni Stratus and 5ml of Quantum Nectaron. The original plan was to juice up a 3 month old keg of NZ Pilsner, which was Nectaron @ FWH and :60, Pacifica and Nelson at :20 & Flameout. They’re ready plan finished beer was quite nice but I always felt is could use a slight boost.

There’s ~3 gallons left in the keg, so I’m looking to use an eye dropper to pick out a dosing of one or the other, but I’m hung up on the actual amount. Best I can get from the literature is “add a drop or two in a glass and see how you like it.”

Any suggestions for 3 gallon batch?

1ml of quantum is equivalent to 1oz of t90. I’d say that’s about 1ml/gallon of beer for quantum for a normal dose (you already probably dryhoped heavy so this would be a boosting rate)

So for 3 gallons I’d probably use 2.5-3 ml through the prv to avoid any oxidation

 

[Broothru]

1ml of quantum is equivalent to 1oz of t90. I’d say that’s about 1ml/gallon of beer for quantum for a normal dose (you already probably dryhoped heavy so this would be a boosting rate)

So for 3 gallons I’d probably use 2.5-3 ml through the prv to avoid any oxidation

Yeah, it looked almost like the Omni was twice the dosing of the Quantum, so the numbers look good. I usually dose into purged kegs through the Liquid Out port, so that when I pressure transfer into the receiving keg that the turbulent flow ensures a thorough mix.

I’m psyched to give Abstrax a try. I still have part of a 5ml El Dorado hop oil from several years ago that left a lot to be desired. What I’ve read about the Abstrax looks promising, especially for brightening up an older batch.

Thanks for the help.

 

[ihavenonickname]

I’ve really liked the Abstrax Omni. 5 ml/5gallon is their rec. Works out to 0.1ml per pint for taste tests. A 1 ml syringe with 0.1 marking makes that easy. Nectaron and mosaic have been really great. Ive got some of the cannibis terps to try next. I don’t know if they necessarily make a better beer but it’s a cool format and make it really fun to play around with. Just my two cents.

 

[ihavenonickname]

1.058 OG 50/50 GW 2 row/gambrinus pilsner malt.

Mash @148 and hold for at least 1 hour. I did 3 hours really helps drive attenuation.Target mash 5.2-5.3pH. I use RO plus 180ppm So4, 80Ca, 50Cl. I used phos in the mash. After a long mash, an hour boil the pH was 4.95 even after the big (edit)WP hop load, so I made no other adjustments.

FWH with Strata ~ 15 IBU’s
Hop shot extract @60 ~ 20 IBU’s
Strata @5 ~ 10 IBU’s
1/2 gram per gallon Mosaic incognito into kettle @flame out.
180WP held for 30 minutes. 1/4 oz per gallon each Nelson and Mosaic.

Ferment with Bry-97 @63 until 50% through fermentation. Then raise to 68to finish. I gave it an extra week, then soft crash prior to DH. Equal parts Nelson, strata, mosaic, mosaic cryo at 2oz per gallon total for DH With agitation, 3 days at 60F.

Incredible this finished at 1.003 so it is dry and snappy but i think the body is still fantastic. It’s got that ghost town style “oily” hoppy body, some resinous texture. The Nelson leads and is unmistakable sweet fruit up front, then all mosaic. It’s dry and crisp. This feels a bit like Ive landed on how I want my WCIPA. I really like this body and hop structure. I think I’ll stick with similar a hop schedule like this and just sub in different hops. But the bits of extract, cryo and Incog feels like the right intensity to me. I’ve got another one conditioning that has simcoe and Columbus cryo in the DH. But if anyone asks what’s the best way I know how to make WCIPA, this is it!

 

[Andyandroid]

Quick question:

'...I just picked up a couple of 5ml Abstrax terpenes,..'

Where are these available? I am in Canada and want to try the Abstrax SAZ product.

TIA,

Andreas

 

[synonymous18]

What water chem is everybody aiming for?

 

[anteater8]

What water chem is everybody aiming for?

I went 110:40 sulfate:chloride and it was perfect for me

 

[jordanfrenzy]

1.058 OG 50/50 GW 2 row/gambrinus pilsner malt.

Mash @148 and hold for at least 1 hour. I did 3 hours really helps drive attenuation.Target mash 5.2-5.3pH. I use RO plus 180ppm So4, 80Ca, 50Cl. I used phos in the mash. After a long mash, an hour boil the pH was 4.95 even after the big (edit)WP hop load, so I made no other adjustments.

FWH with Strata ~ 15 IBU’s
Hop shot extract @60 ~ 20 IBU’s
Strata @5 ~ 10 IBU’s
1/2 gram per gallon Mosaic incognito into kettle @flame out.
180WP held for 30 minutes. 1/4 oz per gallon each Nelson and Mosaic.

Ferment with Bry-97 @63 until 50% through fermentation. Then raise to 68to finish. I gave it an extra week, then soft crash prior to DH. Equal parts Nelson, strata, mosaic, mosaic cryo at 2oz per gallon total for DH With agitation, 3 days at 60F.

Incredible this finished at 1.003 so it is dry and snappy but i think the body is still fantastic. It’s got that ghost town style “oily” hoppy body, some resinous texture. The Nelson leads and is unmistakable sweet fruit up front, then all mosaic. It’s dry and crisp. This feels a bit like Ive landed on how I want my WCIPA. I really like this body and hop structure. I think I’ll stick with similar a hop schedule like this and just sub in different hops. But the bits of extract, cryo and Incog feels like the right intensity to me. I’ve got another one conditioning that has simcoe and Columbus cryo in the DH. But if anyone asks what’s the best way I know how to make WCIPA, this is it!

View attachment 879696View attachment 879697

I'm loving BRY-97 for clean, hoppy beers. I pitch two packets into 5.5g of 1.05x-ish oxygenated wort and hit FG in 48-72hrs. It drops clearer for me than S-05 (though everything I've read states the opposite should be true) and I think the hops shine a little bit more than S-05 as well.

 

[duelerx]

1.058 OG 50/50 GW 2 row/gambrinus pilsner malt.

Mash @148 and hold for at least 1 hour. I did 3 hours really helps drive attenuation.Target mash 5.2-5.3pH. I use RO plus 180ppm So4, 80Ca, 50Cl. I used phos in the mash. After a long mash, an hour boil the pH was 4.95 even after the big (edit)WP hop load, so I made no other adjustments.

FWH with Strata ~ 15 IBU’s
Hop shot extract @60 ~ 20 IBU’s
Strata @5 ~ 10 IBU’s
1/2 gram per gallon Mosaic incognito into kettle @flame out.
180WP held for 30 minutes. 1/4 oz per gallon each Nelson and Mosaic.

Ferment with Bry-97 @63 until 50% through fermentation. Then raise to 68to finish. I gave it an extra week, then soft crash prior to DH. Equal parts Nelson, strata, mosaic, mosaic cryo at 2oz per gallon total for DH With agitation, 3 days at 60F.

Incredible this finished at 1.003 so it is dry and snappy but i think the body is still fantastic. It’s got that ghost town style “oily” hoppy body, some resinous texture. The Nelson leads and is unmistakable sweet fruit up front, then all mosaic. It’s dry and crisp. This feels a bit like Ive landed on how I want my WCIPA. I really like this body and hop structure. I think I’ll stick with similar a hop schedule like this and just sub in different hops. But the bits of extract, cryo and Incog feels like the right intensity to me. I’ve got another one conditioning that has simcoe and Columbus cryo in the DH. But if anyone asks what’s the best way I know how to make WCIPA, this is it!

View attachment 879696View attachment 879697

Your recipe looks solid, I'm thinking of dividing a batch and ferment one with Bry97 and the other with Nova Lager, been testing Nova cold and hot and I like how it let the hops shine in the beer

 

[ihavenonickname]

Ya sounds like a great comparison. I’ve not used nova lager but I like the idea of it, I hear it’s very low sulfur. I love 34/70 but I’m going away from it for ipa because of occasional sulfur issues.

 

[duelerx]

Ya sounds like a great comparison. I’ve not used nova lager but I like the idea of it, I hear it’s very low sulfur. I love 34/70 but I’m going away from it for ipa because of occasional sulfur issues.

Yeah I listened an interview from Wayfinder using 34/70 for Cold IPA and avoiding sulfur fermenting warm. I think Nova works so much better for these kind of styles.

 

[Dgallo]

Yeah I listened an interview from Wayfinder using 34/70 for Cold IPA and avoiding sulfur fermenting warm. I think Nova works so much better for these kind of styles.

You’re going to get sulfur with 34/70 regardless during fermentation. The warmer ferment will help it degass quicker for sure. You can certainly ferment it cold but you should drive the temp up at the end. If sulfur is making it in in the finished beer, you’re packaging it too soon and not giving it time to degass. So either way just make sure it’s gone before racking it into the serving keg.

Also note, fermenting under pressure or in the same keg your serving it from will make it take much longer to degass

 

[tracer bullet]

If sulfur is making it in in the finished beer, you’re packaging it too soon and not giving it time to degass. So either way just make sure it’s gone before racking it into the serving keg.

Interesting. I've used 34/70 a few times and wondered why people love it. I would get sulfur, but I'm also impatient. I think you solved that one for me.

 

[Dgallo]

Interesting. I've used 34/70 a few times and wondered why people love it. I would get sulfur, but I'm also impatient. I think you solved that one for me.

Glad to offer advice. I’m sure it’s the same reason wayfinder ferments warmer. They are looking to turn over tanks as quickly as possible so warm fermenting will help them do that

 

[bwible]

@Dgallo - thank you for help and advice earlier. Followed it and my cold IPA won our clubs July IPA challenge. One experienced judge told me it was clearly the best IPA there. Only 8 entries, but still. This was my first time doing a few things, including closed transfers and using biofine. Recipe and writeup below.

“Thanks everyone for participating in the IPA contest. Here are the results:

1. Cold IPA brewed by Bill W
2. American IPA brewed by Bob M
3. SMASH IPA brewed by John D tied with Hazy IPA brewed by Pat L”

I wanted to brew Cold IPA for this because its the antithesis of Hazy IPA. Its creation is largely credited to Kevin Davey of Wayfinder Brewing in Portland, Oregon, Though its not an “official” BJCP style, he says he is a GABF judge, and he wrote his own style guideline. Here’s the guideline from their website.

https://www.wayfinder.beer/cold-ipa

Here’s an interview with Kevin where he talk s about it, hosted by Northern Brewer:



Key points:
- Adjunct grain bill - pilsner + 20% - 40% corn or rice + 10% sugar in boil (I used 20% Minute Rice)
- Aim for light color, no crystal or character malts
- Mash low for attenuation
- All hops late, they say put all in the whirlpool. I used Citra, Centennial, and Mosaic mixed and did 15 then 5, then dry hop.
- Shoot for 1:1 BU:GU with all late hop additions. Should not be as aggressively bitter as West Coast IPA..
- Dry hop at high krausen - I waited til it dropped 10-15 points. There *might* be some biotransformation, (not sure if 34/70 does that?) but I think the point of this is really to minimize
oxygen uptake.
- Ferment with lager yeast warm OR with ale yeast cold (We’ve done previous presentations on using 34/70 warm)
- Use Biofine, gelatin, or other fining. Its supposed to be clear - opposite of a hazy

I brewed 3 gallons in a 5 gallon Cornelius keg and did closed transfers.

I spent alot of time reading and researching it. This was the first time I brewed it. Its the first time I ever brewed any beer with rice, first time using Minute Rice. This is the first time I fermented in a keg and the first time I did closed transfers. My 5 gallon keg I ferment in has the bottom inch and a half cut off the dip tube. The keg I closed transferred to has a floating dip tube and I went in through that.

Really different from anything I brewed before. It’s not IPL because it’s not lagered and the use of adjuncts. It’s not really a west coast IPA, as there is no crystal malt and the hops don’t have to be the C hops. Though people say it is a variation off a West Coast IPA.

I converted my recipe to 5 gallons:

Cold IPA
Date: 6/12/25

Size: 5.0 gal

Targets:
Original Gravity: 1.061
Terminal Gravity: 1.010
Color: 3.02 SRM
Alcohol: 6.69%
Bitterness: 61.2

Ingredients:
5.75 lb (50.5%) Pilsner Malt - (I have Montana High Country Pils)
1 lb (8.8%) Breiss Distillers Malt - (I decided to add this for some extra enzymes with these adjuncts)
6 oz (3.3%) Cara-Pils® Malt - (I like Carapils for foam and head retention)
2.25 lb (19.8%) Minute Rice - (pre-gelatinized, add straight to the mash)
.75 lb (6.6%) Rice Hulls -(Sparge aid for 2.25 lbs of rice - YMMV)

1.25 lb (11.0%) Corn Sugar - boiled 60 m - you could also add this late

.75 oz Citra (13.2%) - 15 m
.75 oz Mosaic® (13.2%) - 15 m
.75 oz Centennial (10.4%) - 15 m

.75 oz Citra (13.2%) - 5 m
.75 oz Mosaic® (13.2%) - 5 m
.75 oz Centennial (10.4%) - 5 m

1 ea Fermentis W-34/70 Saflager W-34/70

.75 oz Citra (13.2%) - dry hop at high krausen
.75 oz Mosaic® (13.2%) - dry hop at high krausen
.75 oz Centennial (10.4%) - dry hop at high krausen

Notes

Mash at 149 degrees

Predicted Ph: 5.38

Calcium Magnesium Sodium Chloride Sulfate Ratio
91 10 24 60 179 .33

34/70 at basement temp

I hit gravity a little high at 1.066 and decided to go with it. Yeast went down to 1.004, I guess because of the adjuncts - rice + 10% corn sugar. And I used Distiller’s malt for extra enzymes, plus I mashed low per the instructions. You want this beer to attenuate well. This beer fermented quickly, 1.066 on 6/12, 1.004 on 6/15. So this is actually a little over 8%.

 

[Bassman2003]

@Dgallo - thank you for help and advice earlier. Followed it and my cold IPA won our clubs July IPA challenge. One experienced judge told me it was clearly the best IPA there. Only 8 entries, but still. This was my first time doing a few things, including closed transfers and using biofine. Recipe and writeup below.

“Thanks everyone for participating in the IPA contest. Here are the results:

Thanks for sharing. The only thing I might add is you might want to add some more acid at the end of the boil to lower the final beer pH given how many hops are being added late. Purely subjective but something to experiment with as you become more advanced with this style.

 

[An Ankoù]

I've just got hold of some Krush pellets and was looking for a recipe to give them an airing. I could possibly use some elements from this thread.
WCIPA doesn't make for a good acronym to the English reader. I'll have to call it something else.

 

[bwible]

Thanks for sharing. The only thing I might add is you might want to add some more acid at the end of the boil to lower the final beer pH given how many hops are being added late. Purely subjective but something to experiment with as you become more advanced with this style.

Next time I might try reducing the distillers malt to 1/2 lb. I think I might have gone overboard looking for extra enzymes but I got away with it.

 

[duelerx]

I like this table from Lallemand