Hops

Hops take center stage in a West Coast IPA, and they don't grow in San Diego. Breweries source them from the Pacific Northwest, where varieties like Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe, Citra, Mosaic, and Amarillo thrive. Cascade was released in 1972 and is considered the forefather of many of these aromas. Ballast Point's Sculpin and Stone IPA both draw their character from this hop family.

Hops have two jobs to do. Boiled into the wort, they release alpha acids that give the beer its bitterness. Added late, in the whirlpool or later still in the fermenter, they instead contribute essential oils with aromas of grapefruit, orange, pine resin, and tropical fruit. Adding hops late in the tank is called dry hopping.

How bitter is a West Coast IPA? According to BJCP guidelines, an American IPA ranges from 40 to 70 IBU. IBU is a measure of bittering compounds — the higher the number, the sharper the bitterness. A Double IPA runs 60 to 100 IBU. What matters is that the bitterness stays hard and clean, not cushioned by sweetness.

Hops are meant to be fresh, and breweries make that visible. Stone printed a drink-by date on some of its IPA labels. The aroma fades over time, and an old IPA tastes stale and flat.

Newer hop varieties have reshaped the style in recent years. Brewers are reaching for more fruit-forward varieties, and the resin of earlier years is increasingly giving way to mango or pineapple. Those who want to brew the classic way stick with Cascade and Centennial.