[bonjour]

Some of say we are the North Coast.

Some are a little more malty in the East.  The West Coast IPAs have a simple malt bill and a ton of hops, bone dr finish on some.

The ones around here are more "Balanced".

naw, the west coast IPAs are more "balanced"  They have the closest hop weight to malt weight of any of them.

;-)

We fill the kettle with hops, then we "dry malt" the beer after fermentation.


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See what I mean 

[micsager]

West coast IPAs are the way AIPA should be.

East coast IPAs need more hops.

Let the bickering begin....

Who would dare argue with that statement?

[maxieboy]

West coast IPAs are the way AIPA should be.

Can I get a hellz yeah!? 

[bluesman]

I like to think of East Coast IPA's like a Dogfish 60 or 90 min as more balanced than the very bitter and dry West Coast versions. The difference between the two coasts lies in the finish of the style. From my experience there is a smack you in your face hops presence with West Coast IPA's as opposed to a more subdued hop effect with East Coast brews. The West Coast has the convenience of the Pacific Northwest "C" hops (Centennial, Cascade, Chinook and Columbus)  pine needle and grapefruit.

Whereas the East Coast has some European influences with the use of more crystal malts which leads to more body and darker beers. There is also the combining of American and English hops which are less bitter.

Dogfish Head's founder Sam Calagione states that "ounce for ounce I use as many hops as my Pacific Coast counterparts, including extra-bitter American hybrids such as Warrior and Amarillo."

Being an East Coast guy, I find the availability of West Coast beers to be limited but I am always searching for new examples of my favorite style of beer. I love IPA's, with lots of fresh hops.

I enjoy IPA's from both coasts.

[bluesman]

Here's an oldie but a goodie on this very subject. 

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=1045.msg12577#msg12577

[davidgzach]

I enjoy IPA's from both coasts.

+1.  As far as I'm concerned it's really hard to mess up an AIPA.  They are just like pizza.  When good they are fabulous, and when bad, they are still pretty darn good.  I have to agree that East Coast are maltier with a more bitter hop balance where West Coast tend to have the hop flavor and aroma dominate with a drier finish.  Either way is equally as good for me depending upon the craving at the time.....

Dave

[redbeerman]

I enjoy IPA's from both coasts.

+1.  As far as I'm concerned it's really hard to mess up an AIPA.  They are just like pizza.  When good they are fabulous, and when bad, they are still pretty darn good.  I have to agree that East Coast are maltier with a more bitter hop balance where West Coast tend to have the hop flavor and aroma dominate with a drier finish.  Either way is equally as good for me depending upon the craving at the time.....

Dave

Oh no, not pizza too!   I like IPAs period, but I have noticed that some Eastern versions are darker and have a fuller finish.  And some really do need more hops.  I find it disturbing for a beer to have "hop" in the name and be lacking in hop flavor and aroma.  You know who you are, pro brewers.

[Mark G]

So it sound like the consensus is the West coast version is too hoppy (is that really possible?), and the East coast version is too malty. So I guess that means the Midwest is perfectly balanced.

[a10t2]

So it sound like the consensus is the West coast version is too hoppy (is that really possible?), and the East coast version is too malty. So I guess that means the Midwest is perfectly balanced.

Since Two Hearted is the best IPA in existence, I'd say that's probably true.

[mabrungard]

Since Two Hearted is the best IPA in existence, I'd say that's probably true.

Yep!

[ccfoo242]

We fill the kettle with hops, then we "dry malt" the beer after fermentation.

:D:D:D:D


-Sent from the future.

[kylekohlmorgen]

This is why I don't like "styles" of IPA - "American IPA" should have such a broader interpretation than it does. Judges should think of more examples than the west-coast 'style' (i.e. Two-Hearted, 60 Minute).

I'm a homebrewer, so I can make an IPA with Citra, EKG, Nelson Sauvin, Sorachi Ace, and a touch of Hallertau. And it would be delicious. Would it best an all-Citra of the same quality in BJCP competition?? Of course not - even though it would be more complex and unique.

Guess I just won't enter it this year. More IPA for me

[skyler]

I haven't had the opportunity to try many of the renowned midwestern IPA's since they don't make it to anywhere I have lived in the past 5 years (Portland, NYC, and various places in California). But having had just about every IPA that can be easily found in NYC, Portland, and California; I am well aware of the different coasts' styles. Near as I can tell, when a really dry, hoppy, aromatic, dry-hopped IPA is brewed on the east coast, it is credited as being "west coast" and people on the east coast claim it as superior to the 4-month old bottles of Stone IPA or Pliny that they bought at their local market.

The gold standard of the East Coast IPA (at least in terms of availability in the northeast) is Harpoon IPA. That is a refreshing beer, but at about 6% ABV and being just barely hoppy, it would be considered a plain American Pale Ale on the west coast. That's not to say that there aren't east coast breweries who make bold, hoppy, clean, dry IPA's, but the general make-up of the style is less hop-forward on the east coast. I don't think yeast has as much to do with it as some would argue - Deschutes manages to make plenty of fine hoppy beers with their English yeast and I know plenty of other west coast breweries that do the same thing. I think it is really all about dry hopping, hop choice, and quantity of hops used. If you brew an IPA that looks like this (for 5 gal) then you are brewing an east coast-style IPA regardless of where you are:

90% 2-row
5% crystal
5% carapils

40 IBUs worth of Centennial @ 60 min
.5 oz Cascade @ 30 min
1 oz Cascade @ flameout

Mash Temp 152F
OG 1.060, 55 IBUs, 6.1% ABV

And if you do this, you aren't:

90% 2-row
5% Munich 10L
5% Carapils

30 IBUs of Summit @ 60
20 IBUs of CTZ @ 30
20 IBUs of Amarillo @ 10
3 oz Citra @ flameout
2 oz Citra/Amarillo/Simcoe dry-hopped

Mash Temp 148F
OG 1.067, 70 IBUs, ~7% ABV

[skyler]

And for some odd reason, my tongue believes Colorado beer qualifies as west coast, geography-be-damned!