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Beer
West Coast IPA
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The beer style known as India Pale Ale, or IPA for short, has its own distinct history and origin. As the British Empire expanded further east into India, they found the climate unsuitable for brewing the country’s traditional ales.
As a precaution to keep the beer flavourful during the months-long journey from England to India, the beer was treated to an abundance of hops, far more than the typical recipe would allow. This new bitter ale was a hit, and eventually the beer became lighter and easier to drink while still packing that hop punch.
As the American craft beer scene blossomed in the 1980s and 1990s, this new wave of breweries sought to redefine forgotten traditional European styles, including the IPA. Over time, American IPAs evolved into their own subgroups. One of the most popular IPA styles in recent years is referred to as the West Coast IPA.
West Coast IPAs are notable for their big tropical and citrus fruit aromas. The malt base is relatively mild, giving those bright fruit notes prime billing and expanding from the smell into the flavour. There is no balance here — West Coast IPAs are all about the hops. The mouthfeel is light to moderate and the finish is crisp and dry. The slightly aggressive alcohol percentage (6 to 8 percent) is masked by the orange, pineapple, and papaya flavours. Great examples include what many claim to be the best of type:
Russian River – Pliny the Elder (8%)
A true leader in the hop-wars of the west coast, Pliny the Elder hits you over the head with hoppy bitterness and manages to smooth the rough edges out enough to become an enjoyable brew.
Pentrich – Mark it Zero (8%)
Imperial West Coast IPA hopped with Simcoe and Chinook.
NEIPA
The New England IPA is a relatively new style originally brewed out of Vermont. It showed up on the beer consumer radar around 2011, but it was not until after 2015 that the style really exploded and became one of the most sought-after styles.
The style supposedly began 14 years ago with an IPA called the Heady Topper, brewed by The Alchemist brewery. Brewer John Kimmich experimented with an IPA recipe, deciding not to filter nor pasteurise the beer – both common methods used to extend a beer’s shelf life.
This resulted in a thicker IPA with microscopic compounds, enzymes, and cultures that added both flavour and aroma. Customers started to recognise it for its distinct taste, aesthetic appearance which was unusually murky, almost like orange juice; hence it’s nickname, the hazy IPA.
Neon Raptor – A Few Moments Later (7.2%)
This is a soft, almost spongy New England IPA with Simcoe, Amarillo and Columbus hops. It’s citrusy and yellow and great to share with neighbours.
Verdant – Even Sharks Need Water (6.5%)
Simcoe, Citra and Galaxy combine with a super-fruity house yeast strain to make a classic New England IPA – just a hint of bitterness, and a balance of sharper citrus fruits to stop the tropical aroma being too sweet.
By Sean McKeown
