How to Brew Your Own IPA at Home

Style: American IPA
Batch Size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Boil Time: 60 minutes
Efficiency: 75%
Estimated ABV: 6.5%
IBU: 60
SRM (Color): 7-10

Ingredients

Malt Bill (Grains)

10 lbs (4.5 kg) American 2-Row Pale Malt
1 lb (0.45 kg) Caramel/Crystal 40L
0.5 lb (0.23 kg) Munich Malt

Hop Schedule (For Bittering, Flavor, and Aroma)

Bittering: 1 oz (28g) Magnum (60 min)
Flavor: 0.5 oz (14g) Centennial (15 min)
Aroma: 1 oz (28g) Cascade (10 min)
Aroma: 1 oz (28g) Amarillo (5 min)
Dry Hop: 1 oz (28g) Citra + 1 oz (28g) Mosaic (after fermentation, 3-5 days)

Yeast

Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or Safale US-05 (Dry Ale Yeast)

Other Additions

Whirlfloc tablet (for clarity) – add with 15 minutes left in the boil
Yeast Nutrient – add with 10 minutes left in the boil

Brewing Instructions

Step 1: Preparing Your Equipment

Sanitize all brewing equipment using a no-rinse sanitizer (StarSan is a good option). This includes your fermenter, hoses, and any utensils that will touch the wort after the boil.

Step 2: Mashing the Grains (If Using All-Grain)

1. Heat 3.5 gallons (13L) of water to 152°F (67°C).
2. Add the crushed grains into a mash tun or brew kettle using a grain bag.
3. Stir well to ensure all the grains are soaked.
4. Maintain the temperature at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes. Stir occasionally.
5. After an hour, heat an additional 3 gallons (11L) of water to 168°F (76°C) for sparging.
6. Slowly rinse the grains (sparge) with the hot water, collecting about 6.5 gallons (24.6L) of wort in your brew kettle.

Shortcut: If brewing with extract, substitute the grains with 6.6 lbs (3 kg) of light dry malt extract (DME) and dissolve in hot water.

Step 3: Boiling & Hop Additions

1. Bring the wort to a rolling boil and start a 60-minute timer.
2. 60 minutes: Add 1 oz Magnum hops for bittering.
3. 15 minutes: Add 0.5 oz Centennial hops + Whirlfloc tablet.
4. 10 minutes: Add 1 oz Cascade hops + Yeast Nutrient.
5. 5 minutes: Add 1 oz Amarillo hops.
6. After 60 minutes, turn off the heat and start cooling.

Step 4: Cooling the Wort

1. Use a wort chiller (or an ice bath) to cool the wort to 68°F (20°C) as quickly as possible (20-30 minutes).
2. Transfer the cooled wort into a sanitized fermenter, leaving behind any hop residue and trub.
3. Take a gravity reading using a hydrometer or refractometer (OG should be around 1.065).

Step 5: Fermentation

1. Aerate the wort by shaking the fermenter for a few minutes.
2. Pitch the yeast (follow the instructions for rehydration if using dry yeast).
3. Seal the fermenter with an airlock and place it in a temperature controlled area at 66-68°F (19-20°C).
4. Fermentation will be vigorous for the first 3-5 days, then slow down over the next week.

Step 6: Dry Hopping (For Aroma Boost)

1. After 7 days, add 1 oz Citra + 1 oz Mosaic directly into the fermenter.
2. Let it sit for 3-5 days.

Step 7: Bottling or Kegging

1. After about 10-14 days, check if fermentation is complete (Final Gravity should be around 1.012-1.014).
2. If bottling, mix 5 oz priming sugar with boiled water and add it to the beer before bottling.
3. Transfer beer into bottles or a keg, ensuring minimal oxygen exposure.
4. Let bottles carbonate for 10-14 days at 70°F (21°C) before drinking.

Tasting Notes for the Finished Beer

Appearance
Bright golden-amber with a slight haze.
A thick, frothy white head with excellent retention.

Aroma
Bursting with citrus (grapefruit, orange, lime).
Hints of pine, floral, and tropical fruit.

Flavor
A balanced malt backbone with slight caramel sweetness.
Assertive hop bitterness with resinous pine and juicy citrus notes.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Crisp, dry finish that keeps you coming back for another sip.

Brewer’s Tips for a Better IPA

Use Fresh Hops – The fresher your hops, the more vibrant the flavor and aroma.
Oxygen is the Enemy – When transferring beer, minimize splashing to prevent oxidation.
Temperature Control is Key – Keep fermentation in the ideal range for clean yeast performance.
Experiment with Dry Hops – Adjusting the dry hop schedule can give different aroma profiles.