How To Brew New England IPA [NEIPA] in 7 Days
New England IPA is a style of American IPA that has turned the beer world on its head. It contains a rather intense, tropical fruit forward hop aroma and flavor.
It is heavily dry hopped so much that it contributes to the beer’s hazy appearance.
A New England IPA has full body, smooth flavor and a less perceived bitterness that a typical IPA offers.
The West Coast IPA
For many years the palate of the American IPA drinker accepted bitterness as an accepted flavor quality to a good beer. Afterall, the counterbalance between the sweet maltiness required a bitterness to round out the overall flavors of a beer.
This essentially was the 1980s and 1990s in America when it came to IPAs. These IPAs were mostly brewed on the west coast in America. Breweries on the east coast were also picking up on this trend of the west coast IPA.
Greg Noonan
Meanwhile, on the east coast, a brewer by the name of Greg Noonan began making a name for himself.
Noonan was already known in the brewing world for his book, Brewing Lager Beer: The Most Comprehensive Book for Home – And Microbreweries. Noonan opened the Vermont Pub & Brewery in Burlington, Vermont.
His focus with this brewery was to brew many different beer styles and be as innovative as possible. Noonan found success with his numerous different beer styles, winning medals at the Great American Beer Festival, GBBF, and other competitions.
John Kimmich
John Kimmich was a homebrewer in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania working in a homebrew supply store. In 1994, he moved to Vermont to learn commercial brewing from Greg Noonan. The desire to open his own brewery was in forefront in Kimmich’s mind.
In November 2003, in Waterbury, Vermont The Alchemist Pub and Brewery opened. In January of 2004, Kimmich brewed what some consider arguably the first New England IPA. This beer was called Heady Topper.
Heady Topper
Heady Topper was a big double IPA with an 8% ABV and a bitterness of 75 IBUs. It was not a palate wrecker like its predecessor, the west coast IPA. Instead it invited the drinker in with its fresh hop aroma and flavor. It was reported that this beer contained seven hops used late in the boil and/or in the dry hop.
This beer’s mouthfeel was softer and silkier than a traditional IPA. It is said to round out the hoppiness both of flavor, aroma, and bitterness. The grist of a traditional New England IPA may include oats, wheat and other adjuncts to promote haziness and the pillowy soft mouthfeel.
Style Profile for New England IPA
Appearance
The color ranges from straw to yellow, possibly with an orange hue. Hazy, often opaque clarity. Beer should not be cloudy or murky.
Visible floating particulates, which could be hop matter or yeast are a fault. Medium rocky meringue white head with high to very high retention.
Aroma
Intense hop aroma, usually fruity with qualities of stone fruit, tropical fruit and citrus are very common. Newer American and New World hop varieties are chosen.
Clean, neutral malt in the background with light bready sweetness without caramel or toast. Creamy, buttery, or acidic aroma is inappropriate for the style. Alcohol character should be restrained and not hot.
Mouthfeel
Medium to medium-full body with smooth character. No harsh, hop astringency. Medium carbonation. Beer should not be creamy or viscous mouthfeel or an acidic twang or raw starch texture.
Flavor
Hop flavor is high to very high and reflects the aroma with qualities of stone fruit, tropical fruit and citrus being very common. Perceived bitterness can be low to medium-high. Aftertaste of hop character should not be harsh or sharp. Low to medium malt flavor.
Food Pairing
Meats such as venison, lamb, beer; cooked with a savory and fruity sauce pairs really well with a tropical stout.
Seared scallops or steamed oysters also make a great accompaniment. Spicy Indian, Asian, Mexican dishes also pair nicely. Curries made with coconut milk are a homerun with this beer style.
Tips for Brewing your own New England IPA
Grain
English 2-Row or American 2-Row is traditionally used for a New England IPA. 85-90% of the grist should comprise the base grain. Crystal/Caramel malts are used to add color and body to the beer.
Wheat , flaked barley, flaked oats, carapils malt is used to enhance the beer’s body. If these are used, use them in small qualities.
Hops
While any beer is a balance of grain, hops, and yeast profile, New England IPAs are geared toward making sure the hops stand out.
It is a great way to showcase their most incredible flavors and use the hop’s terpenes to the fullest. The first thing to note about hop additions is the low, bitter profile of the beer. Hop additions do not start at 60 or 30 hop additions.
Instead, the bittering is coming from relying on the whirlpool additions to the bitter the beer. Speaking of whirlpool additions, this is where a majority of the hopping of the beer takes place.
Also, heavy dry hop additions help to carry this beer into the hop bombs so many crave these days.
Dry hopping during fermentation also helps to curb the fear of oxidation. The hops that are used are usually those grown on the west coast. New Zealand and Australia have plenty of varieties that are keeping these beers interesting.
Yeast
There is no one single strain that is a must for brewing a New England IPA.
Many brewers gravitate towards London III strain such as Vermont, Barbarian, and Juice from Imperial Yeast, Wyeast, White Labs, or Omega. When deciding on a yeast, you will then decide on what brewing approach you will take.
Mashing high and using a yeast that is going to attenuate further or mash low and use less attenuative yeast. The decision is yours, but have a plan prior to brewing this beer.
New England IPA By the Numbers
- Color Range: 3 – 7 SRM
- Original Gravity: 1.060 – 1.085 OG
- Final Gravity: 1.010 – 1.015 FG
- IBU Range: 25 – 60
- ABV Range: 6.0 – 9.0%
New England IPA Recipe
Grain
- 52% 7 lbs American 2-Row
- 15% 2 lb Flaked Barley
- 11% 1lb 8 oz Aromatic Malt
- 11% 1lb 8 oz Carafoam
- 11% 1lb 8 oz White Wheat Malt
Hops
- 1 oz Centennial – Boil 30 min
- 1 oz Amarillo – Boil 20 min
- 1 oz Centennial – Boil 20 min
- 1 oz Galaxy – Boil 20 min
- 1 oz Amarillo – Dry Hop 5 days
- 1 oz Centennial – Dry Hop 5 days
- 1 oz Galaxy – Dry Hop 5 days
- 1 oz Amarillo – Dry Hop 3 days
- 1 oz Centennial – Dry Hop 3 days
- 1 oz Galaxy – Dry Hop 3 days
Yeast
- 1.0 pkg Ringwood Ale (Wyeast Labs #1187)
Mash at 152°F (66°C) for 60 mins then Boil for 60 mins.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a NEIPA beer?
A NEIPA beer, also known as New England IPA, is a style of beer that is hazy or cloudy in appearance. It is characterized by its juicy and fruity flavor profile, often with a softer bitterness compared to traditional IPAs.
The haze in NEIPA comes from the use of certain grains, dry hopping techniques, and sometimes the addition of adjuncts like oats or wheat.
How does the NEIPA recipe differ from other IPA recipes?
The NEIPA recipe, especially the all-grain version, often includes a higher percentage of flaked oats or wheat to contribute to its hazy appearance.
Additionally, the hop additions are typically done later in the brewing process, resulting in a more aromatic and less bitter beer. The NEIPA recipe also focuses on using hops that impart fruity and tropical notes.
What is the typical IBU range for a NEIPA?
The NEIPA IBU range typically falls between 40-60 IBUs. However, despite this range, NEIPAs are often perceived as less bitter due to the balance of fruity hop flavors and the softer mouthfeel.
How do you brew a NEIPA?
To brew a NEIPA, one would start with a base malt, often combined with flaked oats or wheat for the hazy appearance.
The water chemistry is adjusted to emphasize the hop character. Late hop additions, as well as dry hopping, are crucial for imparting the desired aroma and flavor. Fermentation is done with a yeast strain that can accentuate the fruity hop flavors.
How does an American IPA differ from a New England IPA?
While both are styles of IPAs, the American IPA is generally clearer with a more pronounced bitterness. The New England IPA, or NEIPA, is hazy with a softer bitterness and a pronounced juicy, fruity hop character.
The brewing techniques and ingredients, especially the choice of hops and grains, differ between the two styles.
Additional NEIPA Videos:
Former President of my homebrew club, Plainfield Ale and Lager Enthusiasts (PALE) in the western suburbs of Chicago, IL. I brew on my BIAB system with my incredibly patient and understanding wife, adorable 9 year old daughter, and 12 year old brew dog.
