New England IPA
New England IPA
The New England IPA. A hazy, juicy, tropical brew whose profile would never be confused with the flavors or general perception of the region it's named after. The New England IPA, or NEIPA, was developed fairly recently, only gaining certification as an actual beer style by the BJCP in 2015. The first version of the NEIPA is Heady Topper from The Alchemist in Waterbury, Vermont. It's unique profile quickly gained popularity and breweries across the region scrambled to make their own version.
Eventually, the NEIPA style evolved into a style of beer distinct from the bitter IPAs of previous generations. The heavily hopped West Coast styles and more balanced East Coast IPAs were trampled by the uniquely flavorful upstart from New England. Hazy and heavily dry hopped, the NEIPA relied on hips not for the bitter punch beer drinkers were accustomed to, but rather a delicate, citrus forward profile that hadn't been explored with great depth before.
These days, nearly every brewery has a NEIPA. Some specialize in the style, and we are lucky here in Southeastern Connecticut to have access to so many great NEIPA makers, like Treehouse, Beer'd, and Abomination, that we can delightfully consider ourselves spoiled. This has become the style of beer that brings new or timid beer drinkers into the craft beer world. It's juicy flavors and aromatics are welcoming to those who are not familiar with more traditional or esoteric beer styles. The tropical and/or citrus notes are known flavors, so focusing on them allows neophytes access to the larger universe of craft beer.
These fruit flavors are, remarkably, created by hops. Domestic hops have a large amount of Alpha Acids, and for generations of brewers, this meant bittering and little else. Hop varieties like Columbus, Chinook, and Simcoe were used at the beginning of a boil, bringing the big hop punch forward and creating the generic American IPA. The bittering hop is left by the wayside in a NEIPA, with additions only in the last 15 minutes of the boil or later. Most hops are added in a hopstand, the period between cutting the heat of the boil and before the cooling process, or as dry hops. Dry hops are added in secondary fermentation, where no IBU will be added, leaving the bitterness behind for huge aromatic and flavor boosts.
Some brewers, especially home brewers, like to add hops during biotransformation. This addition, essentially when the primary fermentation is at its peak and the krausen is highest, will add hop characteristics and haze to the final product. There are a parcel of brewers that are concerned with opening the fermenter to the elements at this stage, however defenders of this step recognize the CO2 barrier created by the fermentation itself as a protector against free radicals or wild bacterium that might find there way into the fermenter. Also, they say the beer is at risk for such a short period of time that the chances of infection are very low.
As mentioned previously, the NEIPA is an evolving style. So many different tactics have been used to garner the haze and juiciness that is important to the style that no one technique has been universally acknowledged as the best. Some breweries rely on hopstands and significant dry hopping. Some on heavy flaked malt (oats, wheat, or barley), to add haze and body to their brew. Some adjust their water chemistry to develop the signature characteristics of the style. Every brewery has their own system, as does every homebrewer. Each one is worth diving into, and each one works in its own way, however we don't have that kind of time here.
Our recipe focuses on haze and body. The juicy hop profile is easy to come by with domestic hops, such as: Citra, El Dorado, Amarillo, Azacca, Mosaic, Centennial, Cashmere, Idaho 7, Ekuanot, and Bru-1 a secret weapon for larger breweries such as Dogfish Head and under utilized by homebrewers. Danker hops, with heavier musk and herbal qualities come from the Southern Hemisphere, like Galaxy and Vic Secret from Australia, or Nelson Sauvin and Pacific Jade from New Zealand. All of these listed hop varieties add either citrus, tropical, or other premium aromas and flavors to your NEIPA.
New England IPAs range, generally, between 6-9% ABV and can appear a light straw color all the way to bright orange, depending on the recipe. One of the defining characteristics in all NEIPAs is haze. You shouldn't be able to see through a well made NEIPA, however it shouldn't appear to be muddy or swampy. There are several commercially available varieties out there, especially in the Northeast, so when you are developing your version, there are a lot of options with which you can do some research.
OUR RECIPE
12 lbs 2-Row Pale Ale Malt
1 lb White Wheat
1/4 lb Carafoam
2 lbs Flaked Wheat
3 oz Citra Hops
3 oz Mosaic Hops
3 oz El Dorado Hops
3 oz Amarillo Hops
US-05 Dry American Ale Yeast
Malts We Use
2-Row Pale Ale Malt: A basic base malt, this won’t impart too much color and very little flavor. It is a pretty clean, crisp malt that works well with specialty grains and pretty much any style of beer. American varieties are generally less starchy and lighter than English breeds.
White Wheat: White Wheat offers sweet malty flavors and head retention among other things. It can be used as a base of a specialty malt and is effective at adding body and mouthfeel to beers.
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