A relatively new beer style that is being discussed in a lot of forums and breweries. The people who love it are going for dry, crisp, hop-forward beer with very little body/mouthfeel. Wayfinder out of Portland OR is the orignal brewer of the style (that we could find) and this is how they describe the style. "We were trying to make something with the elements of West-Coast IPA but taken to the extreme. We wanted something drier with excessive hoppiness but a cleaner finish. Frankly, we tried to make a style of beer that could showcase American hops in a new way. Cold IPA hits with a strong punch of aromatic hop intensity and high bitterness but finishes crisp and clean leaving the drinker craving another sip. It’s Wester than West Coast."
What makes it different from a IPL?
Makeing a Cold IPA differs considerably from brewing an IPL. The biggest difference is temperature of fermentation. While brewed with lager yeast, you brew it warm (58-62F) so while not typical Ale temp warm but much warmer than most lagers. In addition fermenting under pressure is key to keeping down esters. Cold IPAs are typically brewed with adjuncts (rice/corn at 20-40%) and 2 row pilsner malt with no specialty malts in order to keep it dry. Cold IPA's focus on American Hops where IPLs can vary.
