Brewing Eclectic IPA: Pushing the Boundaries of India Pale Ale

Brewing Eclectic IPA: Pushing the Boundaries of India Pale Ale
By Dick Cantwell
Brewers Publications | June 2018
$19.95

After centuries of fits and starts—from its now-famous origin story, to the iconic post-Prohibition, 60-IBU Ballantine IPA—India Pale Ale presently accounts for nearly a third of the craft segment’s sales. In his newest book, Dick Cantwell applies his expertise to capturing the best brewing practices within the current spectrum of IPAs now available. While acknowledging the complexity of the traditional IPA (as he points out, introducing hops correctly requires a deep dive in itself), Cantwell focuses on the recipe development of recently emerged sub-styles. He explores how to add ingredients like fruit, vegetables, even coffee and chocolate; what to consider when aging IPAs on wood; and the ironic souring of this style that developed as an attempt to prevent souring. Professional brewers may go with him down the rabbit hole (who knew oak has five flavor-active compounds?), while others can skip to the expertly crafted recipes. Either way, this book is yet another of Cantwell’s invaluable contributions to the brewing community. ■