As far as styles go, it took Hazy/New England IPA’s years of upward trends and research for them to be added to the Brewers Association (BA) and Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) Guidelines, 2018 and officially 2021 respectively. With Cold IPA gaining traction fast and the beers tasting great, this new take on IPA is going where Brut IPA never had a chance to. Cold IPA isn’t an official style (dare I say, yet?), but it does have some distinction and potential for it to stick around for the long term.
Here's some irony for you: The 2021 update to BJCP includes Brut IPA. Similar situation to when the 2015 update included Black IPA when that style had fallen in popularity by then.
Some trends come in strong but remain somewhat popular to stick around here and there like Black IPA/American Black Ale. Others have nearly disappeared from the landscape while others reluctantly refuse to go away like Milkshake IPA. Then, some trends completely vanish like Brut IPA. As I see it, this current trend of Cold IPA is a culmination of the constant want for Lagerbier to be the next big trend and the popularity of anything IPA.
Sidenote: I’ve come to realize the Lagerbier family of beers has gained much love and respect in the beer community from not only brewers and beertenders, but even among enthusiasts. No trend is needed anymore!
What the hell is a Cold IPA, anyways? The knee-jerk reaction is to say Cold IPA is simply a new marketing term for India Pale Lager (IPL) is one that makes sense when taken at face value. I asked around my beer community, mainly enthusiasts and casual drinkers if they had any idea what a Cold IPA was. It was surprising that, even among some of my closest beer-drinking friends, many could not either give me a concise answer from one to another or had no clue as to what it was. Most fell along the lines of it being a marketing ploy for IPL. There is a difference, however. Even if I stayed quiet at the time or simply agreed with my friends, I did so because I was still taking mental notes.
As Kevin Davey from Wayfinder, the creator of Cold IPA, points out in his post to New School Beer (link below), Cold IPA incorporates the use of rice or corn adjusts, lager yeast at ale temperatures (65°F) or Kölsch yeast (at about 60°F) to reduce sulfur compounds while still providing some fruity esters, and dry hop at the tail end of fermentation. That last point is one of the key processes used in Hazy/New England IPA’s to capitalize on biotransformation of hop resins by still-active yeast. The grain bill leans towards an Italian Pilsner base. Although Davey doesn't do this as part of his method, a short Lagering time also seems to be used at some of my local spots, which would make sense so long as the result is as intended. Expressive and vibrant hop verities as with a typical American IPA. Filtering or centrifuging for bright clarity isn’t out of the question, either.
To further make a distinction away from IPL or Dry-Hopped Lagers, Davey points out that the use of an American IPA grain bill and fermenting with a lager yeast does not yield pleasant results most of the time. Likewise, with a Pilsner that is then dry-hopped with distinctively aromatic hops used for IPA, he points out. This is likely due to the citrus and tropical fruit-forward hops used in IPA's don't have any esters to dance with. While there are some examples of both processes that lead to tasty beers, I’d argue not at the rate that Cold IPA has in its short time in the spotlight. Brut IPA never got this much love and it is nearly unanimous in agreement why; they did not fare well on the palate.
That’s not to say it’s clear-cut, and the argument is done. No, not far from that. Remember that BA and BJCP Guidelines are just that… guidelines. They are not law, thankfully. That gives the brewer great freedom to deviate from any said style to showcase his/her/their talents, artistry, creativity, and expertise. On the flip side, it is nice to have styles clearly defined and adhered to, especially when it comes to classic, traditional styles such as Helles, Dark Mild, or Flanders Red. A little give and take and flexibility tend to go a long way. If it didn’t, we would never have any new styles, I think. Cold IPA is a testament to that.
So, that was a quick rundown on Cold IPA. Around Orange County, we have some nice ones that have shown up. Green Cheek, Stereo, Radiant, and others have and I’m sure will continue to produce Cold IPA, although some may not use rice/corn as I’ve come to find out, or use a different/add in a lager method. Not a deal-breaker by any means just yet. It’s all part of the beauty when it’s not an official style… for now(?). Aromatic and oscillating back and forth between crisp/crushable and assertive/snappy, Cold IPA makes for one pleasant drinking experience.
Next time a fellow beer drinker asks what’s with this style and how it is or isn’t an IPL, you can discuss it over a cold one… a Cold IPA, that is.
Cheers!
Gilbert “Charlie” Perez, Advanced Cicerone®
Photo Credits:
Picture of Stereo beer by me. Photos of Radiant and Green Cheek beers were obtained from their respective social media, all credit to them.