Here's something to make any British brewer proud – the IPA remains one of our greatest contributions to world beer culture. From its origins in 18th-century Burton upon Trent to today's craft beer revolution, this style continues to evolve whilst maintaining its essential character.
For home brewers, IPAs offer the perfect balance of tradition and innovation. You can honour the classical English approach with Maris Otter and Fuggles, or embrace modern American techniques with Citra and Mosaic. Either way, you're continuing a brewing legacy that stretches back generations.
Classic English IPA: Getting Back to Basics
Let's start where it all began – the traditional English IPA that made this style famous. These beauties showcase everything brilliant about English brewing: balance, complexity, and that indefinable "Englishness" that comes from proper ingredients and time-honoured techniques.
English IPAs built their reputation on English hop varieties like Fuggles, Goldings, and more recently, Jester and Pilgrim. These hops provide earthy, floral characteristics that complement rather than dominate the malt foundation. The secret lies in using proper English base malts – Maris Otter remains the gold standard – combined with crystal malts for colour and complexity.
Aim for 4.5-6.2% ABV with moderate to high bitterness (40-60 IBU). The mouthfeel should be fuller than American versions, with noticeable malt sweetness balancing the hop bite. English ale yeast contributes subtle fruity esters that add another layer of complexity without overwhelming the hop character.
American IPA: Lessons from Across the Pond
American brewers took our IPA concept and ran with it, creating something entirely different yet equally valid. American IPAs prioritise hop aroma and flavour over pure bitterness, showcasing New World hop varieties that provide tropical, citrusy characteristics unknown in traditional English brewing.
The American approach uses a cleaner malt bill – typically American two-row with minimal crystal malt – creating a drier beer that lets hop flavours shine. Late kettle additions, hop stands, and aggressive dry hopping maximise aroma whilst controlling harsh bitterness.
What can we learn from American techniques? Plenty. Their emphasis on hop timing and aroma extraction has influenced British brewers to reconsider traditional hopping schedules. The key is adapting these techniques to British tastes and ingredients.
New England IPA: The Controversial Cloudy Wonder
Love it or hate it, the New England IPA has revolutionised modern brewing. These hazy beauties challenge everything we thought we knew about beer clarity and hop utilisation.
The style relies on late hop additions – whirlpool and dry hop phases – often using 10-15g per litre of finished beer. Wheat malt and oats (up to 20% of the grist) create that signature creamy mouthfeel whilst supporting hop oils in suspension. The result? Massive hop aroma with surprisingly low perceived bitterness.
For British brewers, this style offers lessons in hop utilisation efficiency. You can achieve incredible hop character with less actual bitterness, making these beers more accessible to traditional bitter drinkers.
Exploring Regional IPA Variations
Black IPA: Dark Arts Black IPAs prove that innovation doesn't require abandoning tradition. These dark beauties combine the hop-forward character of IPAs with subtle roasted malt complexity.
The trick lies in malt selection – use dehusked dark malts like Carafa Special to achieve colour without harsh burnt flavours. British chocolate malt provides excellent colour and flavour when used judiciously (around 3-5% of the grist). Pair with citrusy hops rather than earthy English varieties for best results.
Red IPA: Amber Ambitions Red IPAs showcase how crystal malts can enhance rather than compete with hop character. Using 8-12% medium crystal malt provides beautiful colour and caramel sweetness that supports hop bitterness brilliantly.
This style works particularly well with British hop varieties – Admiral and Challenger provide excellent bittering whilst complementing malt sweetness. The combination creates distinctly British character whilst embracing IPA innovation.
Double IPA: Going Large Double IPAs take the IPA concept to its logical extreme – more hops, more alcohol, more everything. These beasts typically range from 7.5-10% ABV with massive hop additions to match.
The challenge lies in balance. You need sufficient malt backbone to support the alcohol and hop intensity without creating a sweet, cloying mess. British brewers often excel at this style because our tradition of strong ales provides excellent foundation knowledge.
British Brewing Techniques for Modern IPAs
Water chemistry matters enormously for IPAs. British water varies dramatically by region, but most areas benefit from additions of calcium sulphate (gypsum) to enhance hop character. Target 150-200ppm sulphate for hop-forward styles, balanced with appropriate chloride levels for malt support.
Hop selection offers exciting opportunities. British hop breeding programmes have produced varieties like Jester, Pilgrim, and Olicana that combine traditional English character with modern aroma profiles. Don't overlook these gems in favour of imported varieties.
Temperature control during fermentation prevents fusel alcohol production in higher-gravity IPAs. Maintain 18-20°C throughout primary fermentation, and consider pressure fermentation for cleaner profiles in bigger beers.
Advanced Hopping Techniques
Biotransformation represents the cutting edge of hop utilisation. Adding hops during active fermentation (days 2-3) allows yeast to modify hop compounds, creating unique flavours impossible through traditional techniques.
Dry hopping timing affects final character significantly. Short contact times (2-3 days) emphasise bright, fresh hop character, whilst longer periods (5-7 days) develop more complex, integrated flavours. Choose based on your desired outcome.
Consider hop forms carefully. Pellets provide convenience and consistency, but whole hops offer different extraction characteristics that some brewers prefer for specific applications.
Quality Control and Consistency
IPA brewing demands attention to detail. Hop oils are volatile and delicate – protect them from oxygen throughout the process. Consider closed-transfer techniques and CO2 purging for sensitive styles like New England IPAs.
Ingredient freshness matters more for IPAs than almost any other style. Always check hop harvest dates and storage conditions. Poorly stored hops can destroy an otherwise perfect beer.
Consistency comes through process control. Document everything – water chemistry, hop additions, fermentation temperatures, and timing. Successful IPA brewing requires reproducible processes.
Looking Forward
The IPA category continues evolving, with British brewers leading innovation whilst respecting tradition. Local ingredient incorporation, sustainable practices, and unique fermentation techniques create distinctly British interpretations of global styles.
Remember that great IPAs start with understanding your objectives and choosing appropriate techniques. Whether brewing a traditional English IPA or experimenting with modern innovations, focus on ingredient quality and process excellence.
The beauty of IPA brewing lies in its combination of tradition and innovation. Respect the classics, embrace new techniques, and never stop learning. After all, that's what British brewing has always been about.
Grainfather Team
