Draille Hop : Modern West Coast IPA - 20L

Brew the Modern West Coast IPA recipe by Draille Hop

Imagined at the foot of the Pic Saint‑Loup by Bertrand Bonnery, founder of the nanobrewery Draille Hop Brewing, this Modern West Coast IPA recipe embodies the contemporary evolution of traditional American IPAs. Originally designed for his professional setup and adapted for homebrewers, it offers a modern reinterpretation of the style: a dry, highly drinkable beer despite its 6.6% ABV, driven by incisive yet perfectly clean bitterness.

Its clear golden colour (11.9 EBC) is built on a base of Pale Ale Malt enhanced with a touch of Light Wheat Malt. The technical signature of the recipe lies in the “First Wort Hop” method (adding Columbus directly during lautering) for a noble, integrated bitterness of 65 IBU. The aromatic phase relies on the legendary American trio: Citra, Simcoe and Mosaic, infused in the whirlpool at 80 °C and then expressed through a double dry hop.

Fermented at 15 °C with two sachets of the famous Safale US‑05 (“Chico”) strain, this beer delivers high attenuation and ideal aromatic neutrality, allowing intense notes of citrus, tropical fruits and a refreshing resinous touch to shine.

Why choose this product?

• An authentic Modern West Coast IPA with firm bitterness (65 IBU) and an ultra‑dry profile.
• A First Wort Hop technique for noble, perfectly integrated bitterness.
• The synergy of three iconic hops: Citra, Simcoe and Mosaic (citrus, passion fruit, resin).
• A recipe crafted by a passionate brewer, ideal for lovers of powerful and refreshing beers.

Technical specifications

• Final volume: 20 L
• Style: Modern West Coast IPA
• Alcohol (ABV): 6.6%
• Bitterness: 65 IBU (Firm)
• Colour: 11.9 EBC (Clear golden)
• Brew time: 5 h (60‑min boil | 20‑min whirlpool at 80 °C)
• Total water volume: 33.8 L (18.35 L mash + 15.45 L sparge)
• Water profile: Ideal Sulfate/Chloride ratio = 3/1 | Mash pH: 5.2 | Ideal sparge water pH: 6
• Original gravity (OG): 1.058 | Final gravity (FG): 1.008
• Difficulty: Medium
• The pack includes only the malts, hops and yeasts required for the recipe.

Rolling Beers Tips

• Precise hop weighing: This kit contains sealed hop bags (100 g Columbus, 100 g Citra, 100 g Simcoe, 100 g Mosaic). As we cannot pre‑portion hops for each step, you must weigh each addition precisely (30 g Columbus in FWH; 30 g Mosaic + 20 g Citra + 20 g Simcoe in whirlpool; 50 g Mosaic + 25 g Citra + 25 g Simcoe in 1st DH; 15 g Mosaic + 25 g Citra + 20 g Simcoe in 2nd DH). Store leftovers in the freezer.
• First Wort Hop technique: Add the 30 g Columbus to your boil kettle as soon as lautering begins, before turning on the burner. This method yields smoother, better‑integrated bitterness.
• Cool fermentation at 15 °C: Maintain fermentation at 15 °C for 3–4 weeks. This slightly lower temperature prevents unwanted esters and lets citrus and resin hop oils shine.
• Double Dry Hop & Cold Crash: Add the first dry hop 24 h after pitching. The second dry hop is done at the end of fermentation, 3 days before a strict cold crash at 2 °C.

Product FAQ

• Why are there hop leftovers in the kit? To preserve freshness and quality, we supply sealed original hop bags. Simply weigh the exact portions required and store the rest airtight in the freezer.
• Do I need a pressure fermenter? No. Although pressure equipment allows ideal CO₂‑rich packaging and prevents hop oxidation, you can brew this recipe in a classic fermenter: perform a cold crash and bottle with 6 g/L sugar.
• Why use a 3/1 Sulfate/Chloride ratio? A sulfate‑rich water profile enhances bitterness and provides the dry, sharp mouthfeel essential for an authentic West Coast IPA.

The kit includes

• 5.20 kg Pale Ale malt
• 0.30 kg light wheat malt
• 100 g Columbus hops (30 g used in the recipe)
• 100 g Citra hops (70 g used in the recipe)
• 100 g Simcoe hops (65 g used in the recipe)
• 100 g Mosaic hops (95 g used in the recipe)
• 2 sachets Safale US‑05 yeast