Most IPA recipes are way too complicated.
Too many hops.
Too many steps.
Too many things to screw up.
So I wanted to prove something:
👉 You can brew a great IPA with a simple recipe.
This is my go-to easy IPA recipe — designed for beginners, but still good enough that you’ll want to brew it again and again.
📺 Watch the Full Brew Day
👉 [Embed your YouTube video here]
🍻 Why This IPA Recipe Works
This isn’t a watered-down IPA.
This is a true American IPA, just simplified:
- Clean bitterness
- Bright citrus flavor
- Light caramel backbone
- Smooth, crisp finish
And best of all:
👉 It’s super easy to brew on an all-in-one system like the BrewZilla.
If you’re brand new, you may want to check out this full beginner guide first:
👉 https://makebeereasy.com/how-to-home-brew-the-complete-guide/
📊 Recipe Stats
- Batch Size: 5 gallons (finished)
- OG: 1.060–1.062
- FG: 1.010–1.012
- ABV: ~6.2–6.5%
- IBU: ~40–45
- Color: Golden
This puts it right in the sweet spot for a classic IPA.
🧾 Ingredients
Grain Bill
- 11 lb US 2-Row Pale Malt
- 0.5 lb Crystal 40L
- 0.5 lb Carapils (Dextrin Malt)
This combination gives you:
- Solid malt backbone
- Slight sweetness
- Great head retention
Hops
- 0.75 oz Magnum (60 minutes)
- 1 oz Cascade (15 minutes)
- 1 oz Cascade (5 minutes)
- 1 oz Cascade (whirlpool)
- 2 oz Cascade (dry hop)
Cascade keeps it simple and classic:
- Grapefruit
- Citrus
- Light floral
Check this out if you want to understand how hops really work in your beer.
Yeast
Choose one:
- US-05 (Safale) — easiest option
- Wyeast 1056
- WLP001
These all produce a clean fermentation that lets the hops shine.
Read this if you’re unsure how yeast affects your beer.
🔥 Mash Instructions
- Mash at 152°F (67°C) for 60 minutes
- Optional: Mash out at 168°F for 10 minutes
Go here if you want a deeper understanding of the mash process:
🍳 Boil & Hop Schedule
Boil for 60 minutes.
Hop Additions
- 60 min: Magnum (bittering)
- 15 min: Cascade
- 5 min: Cascade
🌪️ Whirlpool (Key Step)
After the boil:
- Cool wort to about 170°F
- Add 1 oz Cascade
- Let it steep for 15 minutes
This step adds:
- Big aroma
- Smooth flavor
- Minimal bitterness
🍺 Fermentation
- Pitch yeast at 66°F
- Let rise to 68–70°F
Dry Hop
Day 4–5:
- Add 2 oz Cascade
If you want to improve your fermentation results check this post out.
⏱️ Brewing Timeline
- Day 0: Brew and pitch yeast
- Day 4–5: Dry hop
- Day 10–14: Bottle or keg
💧 Water Profile (Optional)
If you want to dial it in:
- Calcium: ~100 ppm
- Sulfate: ~150 ppm
- Chloride: ~75 ppm
This gives you that crisp IPA finish.
Here is a post if you want to go deeper on water chemistry.
🍊 What This IPA Tastes Like
Expect:
- Bright citrus (grapefruit)
- Light floral aroma
- Smooth bitterness
- Slight caramel backbone
- Clean, crisp finish
👉 This is a classic, easy-drinking IPA.
💡 Pro Tips
- Keep fermentation temps stable
- Use fresh hops
- Don’t skip the dry hop
- Be patient — give it at least 10 days
🎯 Final Thoughts
If you’ve been putting off brewing an IPA because it seems too complicated…
👉 Start here.
This recipe is:
- Simple
- Reliable
- Repeatable
And it proves you don’t need a complex setup to brew great beer.
🍺 Want to Go Further?
👉 Want my Top 5 best-selling brew pub recipes? Grab them here: https://make-beer-easy.kit.com/b861580768
👉 Or browse more step-by-step guides here:
https://makebeereasy.com/brewing-guides/