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Styles · American IPA

Beer style · BJCP 2021 21A

American IPA

IPA

Published ranges These are the ranges the BJCP 2021 guidelines publish for this style.

Original gravity
1.056–1.070
Final gravity
1.008–1.014
Bitterness
40–70 IBU
Color
6–14 SRM (12–28 EBC)
Alcohol
5.5–7.5 % ABV

What it is

The defining modern American hop showcase: intense citrus, pine, tropical and resinous hop aroma and flavor over a lean, clean malt base. Bitterness is firm and the finish dry, so the hops carry all the way through.

Flavor

What a American IPA should taste like, on the three wheels the studio scores every recipe against. The shaded ring is the style’s range on each axis, from 0 at the center to 5 at the edge.

Hops

Citrus and resin/pine, with room for tropical, stone fruit, berry, floral, earthy/woody, herbal or spice.

Malt

Grainy, with room for bready/biscuit, toasty, caramel or sweet/honey.

Fermentation

Clean, with room for fruity esters.

Hops that suit it

The traditional choice

What American IPA has classically been brewed with.

Also right on character

Varieties whose loudest notes all sit on this style’s hop wheel, best fit first. How much to use is the recipe’s question; these are the ones that taste right.

And 178 more hops whose character fits. These are the 24 that fit best.

Yeasts that suit it

Strains the lab made for beers like this one, whose fermentation character sits inside the style’s wheel. A strain sold by several labs is listed once; its page names the others.

And 103 more yeasts whose character fits. These are the 24 that fit best.

Style numbers, names and vital statistics are from the BJCP 2021 Beer Style Guidelines, where you will find the official descriptions. The descriptions and flavor wheels here are Beerwright’s own. Beerwright is not affiliated with or endorsed by the BJCP.