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Styles · English IPA

Beer style · BJCP 2021 12C

English IPA

Pale Commonwealth Beer

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

Original gravity
1.050–1.075
Final gravity
1.010–1.018
Bitterness
40–60 IBU
Color
6–14 SRM (12–28 EBC)
Alcohol
5.0–7.5 % ABV

What it is

The historical English IPA: stronger and more bitter than a bitter, with English hop flavor and aroma over a firm but unsweet malt base. Yeast fruitiness and a dry finish belong; American citrus and resin do not. The balance leans bitter without tipping into a modern American IPA.

Flavor

What a English 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

Floral and earthy/woody, with room for citrus, herbal, spice or resin/pine.

Malt

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

Fermentation

Clean and fruity esters.

Hops that suit it

The traditional choice

What English 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 63 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 193 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.