I made my first version of this new-style West Coast IPA last year, and learned some lessons about hopping techniques in the process. During that previous batch, I used a hop bag that was too small for the dry hopping addition, and as a result the hop flavor/aroma were pretty underwhelming. This time around, I opted to let the hops float free in the fermenter. I use a BrewBucket 7.5, which has a rotating pickup arm, so I could do a closed transfer into the keg without excessive hop particles clogging things. The hop choices on this version used up some of my hop stash–three-quarters of a pound of hops went into the final recipe!

Denny Kongish West Coast IPA

• 12 lb. 5 oz. pilsner malt (Rahr)
• 1 lb. Vienna malt (Weyermann)
• 0.5 tsp. BrewTanB, added to mash
• 4 oz. dextrose, added to boil
• 0.85 oz. Enigma hop pellets (17.9% alpha), 60 minute boil
• 0.5 tsp. BrewTanB, 10 minute boil
• 1 Whirlfloc tablet, 5 minute boil
• 2 oz. LUPMOMAX Cashmere hop pellets (13.5% alpha), 30 minute whirlpool
• 1 pkg. California ale dry yeast (WLP001, White Labs)
• 4 oz. Idaho #7 hop hash (31.4% alpha), dry hop in primary fermenter
• 2 oz. Azacca hop pellets (12.2% alpha), dry hop in primary fermenter
• 2 oz. LUPOMAX Sabro HBC 438 hop pellets (19.0% alpha), dry hop in primary fermenter
• 1.15 oz. Enigma hop pellets (17.9% alpha), dry hop in primary fermenter

Target Parameters

• 1.063 s.g., 1.010 f.g., 7.0% abv, 64 IBU, 5 SRM
• Full volume infusion mash, held at 149° for 120 minutes and 168° for 10 minutes
• Neutralized Claremont tap water with Campden tablet, RO water, and mineral salts added to mash to achieve 51 ppm Ca, 8 ppm Mg, 33 ppm Na, 104 ppm SO4, 53 ppm Cl, 8 ppm CO3.

Procedure

• Starting with 3 gallons of tap water, I added 2.5 mL of 88% lactic acid as well as a Campden tablet, along with 5 gallons of RO water, 0.75 CaCl, 1.5 g epsom salt, and 3.5 g gypsum to hit the target water parameters.
• I heated the water to 155° and added the grains, along with 17.2 mL of 10% phosphoric acid for pH adjustment, to hit an estimated pH of 5.35.
• I held the mash at 149° for 120 minutes, with recirculation, and then raised the mash to 168° for 10 minutes before pulling the grains.
• In total, I collected 6.9 gallons of runnings with a gravity of 1.050, for 69% mash efficiency.
• I brought the runnings to a boil, with a 90 minute total boil. After 30 minutes, I added the first round of hops, and then proceeded following the recipe.
• After the 90 minute boil, I chilled to 170° before adding the whirlpool hops and letting them sit for 30 minutes while whirlpooling.
• Next, I chilled to 68°, transferred to the fermenter, and chilled down to 64° before pitching the yeast.
• I brewed the beer on 1 January 2025, and it had a starting gravity of 1.066.
• I added the dry hops on 11 January 2025, loose into the fermenter.
• I cold crashed the beer on 15 January 2025.
• I kegged the beer on 18 January 2025, into a CO2 purged keg. Final gravity was 1.007–that’s wonderfully dry and works out to 7.8% abv. I had a similar experience last batch, so this mash regime works wonders!

Tasting

• Appearance
  • Light gold beer, slight haze, which pours with an exceptionally persistent and creamy white head–it’s like a meringue! This head leaves beautiful lacing down the side of the glass. The beer is surprisingly clear. As a result, I am feeling good about my decision not to use post-fermentation finings; this likely helped with oxidation reduction.
• Aroma
  • Citrus and dank hop aroma at a high level, neutral yeast profile, and no malt character to speak of in the aroma.
• Flavor
  • Very bitter, citrus pith and dank hop character, with a bit of grapefruit along the way, and a long-lingering hop aftertaste. The hop flavor is a bit one-note; it has the usual issue with Azacca to my tastebuds, which is an orange pith quality on the edge of rotten orange. I’ve never understood the appeal of that hop! Low level of maltiness, but it is there. Clean fermentation character.
• Mouthfeel
  • Medium-high carbonation, medium-light body, very dry finish.
• Overall
  • 7.5/10
• Would I Brew This Again?
  • I really like this recipe as a template for a double IPA; it is a clean background to let the hops shine. This is the first time in awhile that I have let the hops float free for dry hopping, and with the Brew Bucket’s rotating pickup arm, things worked well. Thanks to the closed transfer (and perhaps the BrewTanB?), the hop character has held up well. The beer is clear enough without finings, so I think there is no need to use Biofine Clear as the original recipe stipulates. Azacca, as usual for my experience, gives a harshness in the citrus note that I don’t care for. This formulation is a bit one-note on the hops. But, it’s okay overall! In a beer like this, a different hop combo would be the ticket to hoppiness.
    • Interesting note: when I tasted this again last night, after a rauchbier, I got more tropical notes, and the unpleasant orange wasn’t as apparent. I would rate the beer higher in that case – perhaps a 8.5/10.