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What Is Unfiltered Beer?

Thomas Short — Fri, 22 May 2026 20:47:30 +0000

It feels like every brewery these days has at least one Hazy IPA on tap. If they do, they might also have a hazy pale ale, or even an unfiltered lager. So, what makes these beers unfiltered, and what does unfiltered beer even mean? Let me be the first to tell you that unfiltered beer is made so by design (unless your friend just took up homebrewing and is cutting corners). So, it’s perfectly good to drink, and in some instances is preferable to filtered variations. Some breweries have embraced unfiltered beers and choose to brew most or all of their styles without filtering. Let’s take a closer look at filtered vs unfiltered beer, what makes a beer unfiltered, and any differences between a Hazy IPA and unfiltered beer. Filtered Beer vs Unfiltered Beer: What’s the Difference? During the brewing process, sediments, mostly particles of yeast and protein, are left floating in the brew. Many brewers choose to remove these sediments from the final product through a process known as filtering. There’s also a method in between filtering and unfiltering called rough filtering, because why not? For the purposes of education, we’ll consider rough filtering to be mostly unfiltered. What is Unfiltered Beer Like? Unfiltered beer usually has a cloudy color due to the leftover sediment, but this isn’t always the case. There are varying levels of “things” leftover during the brewing process depending on what you’re making. So, some unfiltered beers are cloudier than others. The flavor in unfiltered beer can best be described as unfiltered. When brewers remove sediment, including the yummy proteins, it can soften the entire flavor profile. Unfiltered beer gives you the full-on hop, yeast, brew flavor profile. As a result of not getting filtered, unfiltered beer can seem heavier or denser than filtered beer. But the quality of an unfiltered beer over a filtered beer lies entirely in the brewer and your personal beer opinion. And yes, it’s ok if you don’t like unfiltered beer. Health Benefits of Unfiltered Beer: No Hangover (Allegedly)! Did you know that unfiltered beer has some health benefits, making it a relatively healthy beer? Yes, by leaving the beer unfiltered, brewers leave in extra goodies like vitamin B and fiber. While I can’t attest to the truth of the claim, some brewers assert that B vitamins reduce hangovers. So, unfiltered beer is less likely to give you a hangover. I haven’t experimented with this hypothesis, so try at your own risk. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Short Brews Beer Blog (@shortbrews) Unfiltered Beer Brands Let’s look at some examples of unfiltered beer that you can (probably) find near you: Unfiltered Beer and Wheat Beer Wheat beer and unfiltered beer look…pretty similar, to say the least. While the two share a cloudy appearance, the similarities end there unless the wheat beer is actually an unfiltered wheat beer. Really, the only difference between a beer and a wheat beer is that wheat beers use wheat as the primary grain during brewing in lieu of barley. Yes, wheat beers still use barley, but the ratio of wheat to barley is relatively high. So, to recap, while unfiltered beer and wheat beer look similar, they are not the same unless the wheat beer is unfiltered. Unfiltered IPA vs Hazy IPA As I’ve explored in the past, the factors that make a hazy IPA hazy are debatable. What makes an IPA an IPA is debatable. Basically, some brewers will choose not to filter an IPA and brand it as a hazy IPA. Others will choose not to filter an IPA and brand it as an unfiltered IPA. Unfiltered hazy IPA? Lunacy. So some hazy IPAs are unfiltered, and some unfiltered IPAs are hazy, but sometimes they’re neither or both, or one but not the other, but sometimes still both… Ok, I’m losing track here. How about an easy answer: the difference between an unfiltered IPA and a hazy IPA depends on what your brewer says. Is Unfiltered Beer Popular in the United States? I would say that yes, unfiltered beer is popular in the United States, with my reasoning being that craft beer in general is popular in the US. I can’t speak for its popularity outside of the US, so if your country loves unfiltered beer, let me know!

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What’s a Maibock Beer?

Thomas Short — Thu, 21 May 2026 21:31:58 +0000

Everybody loves a classic, and the Maibock is a classic. A Maibock is a type of strong beer from Germany. By strong, I mean that the Maibock is a hefty lager, usually darker in color than you’d get from a Helles or Pilsner. The Maibock is a lighter type of Bock and is popular in the spring. Unfortunately, like other classics, the Maibock has gone largely forgotten, relegated to obscure tap lists the same way you might have to wait for Some Like It Hot to show up on Turner Classic Movies just to watch the final scene. It’s a shame. Today, I want to explore the Maibock, praise the Maibock, and make a plea: Return the Maibock. What is a Maibock? The German Maibock beer style originated from the town of Einbeck and was originally named Einbeck. However, Bavarians had an accent, so the townsfolk of Munich pronounced it as ein Bock, which means goat. Over time, people just started calling these beers Bock instead of Einbock. As a cute little nod to the past, many Bocks and Maibocks have goats on their labels. History aside, the Maibock is a Bock that’s much paler in color, so much so that another name for the beer is Heller Bock, meaning Light Bock. Maibock vs Bock: What’s the Difference? As Cold IPA is to IPA, Maibock is to Bock. A Bock is a general type of strong beer best defined by the substyle it’s brewed in. The Maibock is a style of Bock, which means it has siblings. Here’s a quick rundown of the Bock family: What Does a Maibock Taste Like? While the traditional Bock has an incredibly malty flavor, the Maibock tampers this flavor down a bit, letting the hops shine through a little more. However, don’t expect the full-blown hop blast of an IPA when you sip on a Maibock. Maibocks are still malty, just not nearly as much as the traditional Bock. Most Maibocks have this awesome amber color that you just don’t find enough at craft breweries these days. In terms of booziness, expect something in the 6%-8% ABV range, though these can easily go higher in ABV. Ode to the Maibock: The Final Verse Openly lamenting the lack of Maibocks in the craft world is admittedly whiny and pathetic, and I don’t care. As much as I love a good pale ale, IPA, or crispy boi lager, it does get to the point where I crave a little more variety. I know that most craft brewers don’t brew Maibocks because they don’t sell as well as a 7% Hazy IPA that’ll go gangbusters on Saturdays and Sundays with the 35-45 male demographic. But I can, at the very least, write this ode. O! Maibock, how that art so tasty and cool How bad I wish to drink you by the pool When the sun beats down, and the wind is fair O, my sweet Maibock, you should also be there!

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What Is a Rice Lager?

Thomas Short — Tue, 05 May 2026 14:22:03 +0000

A rice lager is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a lager that’s made with rice. Malt, one of the main beer ingredients, is any type of malted grain, usually barley or wheat. Rice lagers usually add rice to the mix, making up anywhere from 25-40% of the grain bill. Rice lagers are light in body, clean on the finish, and a little less bitter than a more traditional barley-forward lager. Rice adds fermentable sugars but not a ton of flavor, letting the crisp flavor of beer shine without getting drowned out in malts. Oh, and rice is incredibly cheap and easy to produce, a big reason why giant commercial brewers have been using it in their beer for decades. What Does a Rice Lager Taste Like? Rice lagers aren’t very complex compared to something like a Vienna lager, but that doesn’t mean they lack character. Most rice lagers are incredibly clean, lightweight, and easy to drink. You should get dryness and crispness as well, with low bitterness since the beer usually has a small hop presence. Think of a rice lager as the polar opposite of an IPA. While an IPA will be heavy, high in ABV, and incredibly hop-forward, a rice lager is light, refreshing, and clear in color. Rice lagers are perfect for hot days and pair really well with food like pizza. Why Are They Sometimes Called Japanese Rice Lagers? The main reason a rice lager would be called a Japanese rice lager is that many famous rice lager brands, like Sapporo or Asahi, come from Japan. Japanese brewers had a lot of rice to work with, and they perfected the art of making a rice lager. In the United States, a craft brewery selling a Japanese rice lager is emulating the specific style that Japanese brewers utilize. There’s even a chance that none of the ingredients in these Japanese rice lagers are from Japan! It isn’t so unlike a brewer creating a Pilsner even though they’re not making the traditional beer style from Pilsen, Czechia. Are Rice Lagers Gluten Free? Just because rice is gluten-free doesn’t mean rice lagers are gluten-free. Rice lagers are rarely, if ever, brewed 100% with rice. Those other malt grains, like barley or wheat, definitely contain gluten. So no, rice lagers are not gluten-free unless listed otherwise by the brewer. Be sure to check with the brewer first before assuming any beer is gluten-free. Best Rice Lagers to Try If you want a great example of a good rice lager, I recommend these beers: Rice Lager vs Traditional Lager How does a rice lager compare to a more traditional or regular type of lager? Well, it basically comes down to the rice. A traditional lager made with malted barley will be full-bodied, have a golden or amber color, and a sweet malt flavor. Rice lagers, being rice-forward, will be drier and crisper, and much lighter in feeling. Both styles of lager are excellent, and neither is better; there’s just a better time to drink one option over the other.

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What Is a Session IPA?

Thomas Short — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:56:24 +0000

A session IPA is exactly what it sounds like: an IPA that you can have more than one of during a “session.” This style of IPA is brewed to have hop and malt flavor while keeping ABV low, usually in the 3.5% to 5% ABV range. If you like visiting breweries but don’t want to commit to a 7% West Coast IPA, then a session IPA is perfect for you. What ABV Is a Session IPA? As with many American beer styles, there are no specific rules determining what is or isn’t a session IPA. However, most brewers follow similar guidelines, so most session IPAs will be right around 4-4.5% ABV. This is quite a bit lower than a traditional American IPA that’s in the 6-7% range, and a lot less than DIPAs with an 8-10%% ABV. This low ABV ceiling is what makes the session IPA so great, but also difficult to brew. Session IPA vs. Regular IPA: What’s the Difference? The main difference between a session IPA and a regular IPA is the alcohol content. But there are other differences between the two styles. IPAs get a lot of flavor, body, and mouthfeel from the malt, which also provides the sugars needed to kickstart fermentation and produce alcohol. Because a session IPA has reduced alcohol, it also has a naturally reduced malt structure. When done poorly, a session IPA would taste thin and watery with too much harsh hop flavor. To avoid this, brewers use higher temperatures to leave more unfermentable sugars and add adjunct ingredients, like wheat or oats, to add fullness. Brewers also rely more heavily on dry hopping to make sure hop flavor doesn’t overwhelm the beer early in the boil. The end result is a sessionable IPA with more flavor without more alcohol. Session IPA vs. Pale Ale: Aren’t They the Same Thing? If you’re thinking that a session IPA and pale ale sound pretty similar, you’re not alone; after all, both have a similar ABV range and are more approachable than an IPA. The difference between the two is in the approach. What’s more is that some brewers make session pale ales, which are 3-4% ABV riffs on your traditional pale ale. So, if something is sessionable, it basically means that it’s an alcohol-reduced version of a traditional style. What Does a Session IPA Taste Like? The goal of a session IPA is to emulate an IPA, but without the high ABV. You should get a strong hop character from a session IPA, which usually means flavors like citrus and pine with floral notes. Citra and Mosaic are two popular hops for the style since they bring a lot of flavor and aroma without a ton of bitterness. Flavors you shouldn’t get in a well-made session IPA are those heavy, resinous, bitter flavors that linger in strong IPAs. You should get something light, clean, and easy to drink more than one of. Where Did Session IPA Come From? The idea of a “session” beer is pretty old, with a lot of origin stories tracing the style back to 20th-century wartime England. Because of wars, pub hours were restricted to two daily drinking windows called sessions. During these sessions, lower ABV beers were a popular choice, since people would theoretically come to drink during both sessions. The session IPA is much newer, and it’s not even officially recognized as a style. We do know that the session IPA style first started popping up in the early 2010s, with the Founders All Day IPA (one of my favorite low calorie beers) popularizing the style in the US. Best Session IPAs to Try If you want to try a session IPA, I recommend checking a local brewery first, or trying one of these options that are available around most of the United States:

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What Is A West Coast IPA?

Thomas Short — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 15:31:11 +0000

When you think of an IPA, what comes to mind? If you said bitter, hoppy, and boozy, then the West Coast IPA has made an impression on you. After all, West Coast IPAs are what helped make craft breweries as popular as they are today. West Coast IPAs are known for being, well, bitter. They’re also known for being incredibly hoppy, though you shouldn’t mistake hoppy and bitter to mean the same thing. Lastly, West Coast IPAs are nice and boozy, usually somewhere in the 6.5-7.5% ABV range. The West Coast IPA is known for its intense bitterness, strong hop character, and clean finish. While WC IPA has had its ups and downs in terms of popularity, it’s still one of the most recognizable styles in the beer world. Let’s dig into what makes West Coast IPAs so special. A Brief History of the West Coast IPA The West Coast IPA was born out of equal parts curiosity and boredom with the status quo of beer. Craft brewers in the 1990s and early 2000s were trying to find a way to break out of the mundane lager-focused brewing operatus mundi. Lagers are great, but brewers were looking for a little more variety. So, they went back to old IPA styles that hadn’t been popular in years and started to experiment. At the same time, hop growers up in Yakima Valley were creating and cultivating hops that were piney, citrusy, and bold. These hops, like Cascade and Simcoe, added tons of bitter flavor and hop aroma that beer drinkers weren’t familiar with. Naturally, experimental brewers were enamored with these hops. The result of experimental hops and experimental brewing was the West Coast IPA, a hop-forward, bitter ale that tasted like nothing before. The style originated on the West Coast but quickly spread across the country. How Is a West Coast IPA Made? One of the beauties of any type of IPA is that there is no set-in-stone rule on how to brew the style. However, to get a traditional WC IPA, most brewers follow similar steps to reach a specific output. West Coast IPAs are usually brewed with less malt than other styles, letting the hops take center stage. Most WC IPAs use hops like Cascade, Simcoe, and Citra, adding them during the boil to extract bitterness and again during dry hopping for aroma. The fermentation process uses clean-fermenting ale yeasts that don’t add a ton of flavor since the goal is to focus on the hops. After fermentation, most IPAs are filtered to give them that signature clean, clear look, though some brewers may choose to leave them unfiltered. The end result is a beer with assertive hop flavor, a dry finish, and a crisp, clean mouthfeel. Are West Coast IPAs and Hazy IPAs the Same? No, the WC IPA and Hazy IPA are two distinct styles, though they’re both popular IPA styles. The biggest differences are bitterness, clarity, and mouthfeel. West Coast IPAs are clear, dry, and bitter. Hazy IPAs are pretty much the opposite: hazy, softer, juicier, and far less bitter. The hop character in a West Coast IPA leans piney and resinous, while it leans tropical and fruity in a Hazy. They’re both hop-forward, so it’s fair to say that they’re both pretty hoppy, but the actual style is quite different. West Coast IPA Flavor You probably know by now that the defining character of the West Coast IPA is its bitterness, and that bitterness is balanced by aromatic hop flavor instead of malty or hoppy sweetness. Here’s what you should experience from a WC IPA: Flavors you should get: Flavors you should NOT get: West Coast IPAs typically land in the 6.5–7.5% ABV range, with IBUs often between 50–80, making it pretty bitter compared to most other beer styles. What’s a Good West Coast IPA? If you’re asking me, maybe the best example of a West Coast IPA is Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing in Santa Rosa, California. It’s widely considered to be the gold standard of the style (even though it’s technically a Double IPA). Here are some other notable West Coast IPAs worth trying that should be available in most of the country: You should be able to find a pretty solid WC IPA at a local craft brewery, too. Are West Coast IPAs Making a Comeback? For a while there, it seemed like the West Coast IPA had been edged out by the Hazy IPA wave. Bitter beer was practically a meme, and for a few years, cloudy, juicy beers dominated tap lists everywhere. Thankfully, most craft beer crazes return to Earth after time, and when the dust settles, we’re left with the best of the best. This means more WC IPA presence in taprooms, and I’m all for it. Plenty of craft breweries never abandoned the style, and today you’ll find West Coast IPAs earning renewed respect from beer drinkers young and old. The clean, dry, bitter character that once felt overwhelming now feels refreshing in a market saturated with soft, sweet beers. The West Coast IPA isn’t making a comeback so much as it never really left. It just wasn’t the star of the stage for a while.

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What Is A Cold IPA?

Thomas Short — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:41:12 +0000

From high ABV to low ABV, East Coast to West Coast, the IPA just seems to keep reinventing itself. One of the more recent and more interesting developments is the Cold IPA. A Cold IPA is a style brewed with adjunct grains, like rice or corn, and fermented with lager yeasts at warmer-than-lager temperatures. Then, the brew is dry-hopped with a variety of flavorful hops, resulting in a clear, crisp, “cold” IPA. Think of it as a more crushable version of an IPA, or a much hoppier version of a lager. Cold IPA Origins Before getting more into what makes Cold IPAs unique, let’s examine the style’s origins. The Cold IPA was pioneered by Kevin Davey around 2017-2018, when he was head brewer at Wayfinder Beer in Portland, Oregon. He wanted to create an IPA that showed off hop flavor, but in a different way than Hazy IPAs do. The result was a crushable IPA with tons of hop flavor, a perfect spiritual successor to the West Coast IPA. How are Cold IPAs Made? The Cold IPA is just like any other type of beer, brewed with the same main ingredients: water, yeast, grains, and hops. However, Cold IPAs follow a specific brewing process that differs ever so slightly from the normal IPA brew. The result is a high-attenuation beer (sometimes reaching 88% apparent attenuation) at around 7% ABV with a clean malt flavor and tons of hop character. What Does a Cold IPA Taste Like? Cold IPAs have a lot of hop-forward flavor, but not in an overly bitter or fruity way. Here’s what you can expect from most Cold IPAs: Cold IPAs eschew juicy, murky aesthetic of Hazy IPAs and move away from the sometimes over-aggressive bitterness of old-school West Coast IPAs. They split the difference in a way that even non-IPA drinkers can appreciate. What Makes a Cold IPA Cold? A Cold IPA is “cold” because of the colder-than-typical brewing process for an ale. Cold IPAs follow parts of lager recipes, including lower temperature fermenting and sometimes even lager yeasts over traditional ale yeasts. Granted, brewers use all sorts of different processes when brewing beers, and they don’t all follow the same exact recipe. Instead of copying each other exactly, brewers might opt to lean heavier on lager yeast at a warmer fermenting temperature. Others may not use lager yeast at all, instead going with a more traditional IPA mixture, albeit at a lower fermenting temperature. Cold IPA vs. IPL (India Pale Lager) If you’ve ever had an IPL, you might be thinking that a Cold IPA and IPL are more or less the same thing. The end result may seem similar, but they’re more different than you might exect. An IPL swaps ale yeast for lager yeast and typically cold ferments for a longer period of time, much like a traditional lager. They’re usually brewed entirely with malts and no adjuncts, making the final brew relatively malty in flavor. A Cold IPA ferments warm and fast with lager yeast, uses a significant adjunct grains, and dry-hops during fermentation. The goal with a Codl IPA is to show off the hop flavor, while an IPL hits a better balance between malt and hop. Where Can I Get a Cold IPA? While the Cold IPA style has grown beyond Oregon, Portland remains one of the best places to find the beer. Relapse Cold IPA from Wayfinder Beer is the original, and it’s definitely worth a try. Most Cold IPAs I’ve tried aren’t year-round releases, so your best bet is checking a local taproom. The style has spread widely enough that most breweries in hop-friendly markets have taken a crack at it. Go Get a Cold IPA! The Cold IPA sits right in a sweet spot that hits every ask I have of ale: hop-forward, crisp, and crushable. It’s a brewer’s beer that also happens to be approachable, a rare combination that gives me hope that the Cold IPA style will thrive for years to come. If you haven’t tried one yet, you probably already live within reach of a taproom pouring one. Go find it!

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What Is A Vienna Lager?

Thomas Short — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:30:53 +0000

The Vienna lager is one of the most historically significant lager styles ever created, and one of the most underappreciated ones on American tap lists today. It’s amber in color, malt-forward, crisp, and easy to drink, yet it almost went extinct in the country that invented it. The fact that it survived at all is thanks to a fascinating chain of historical accidents stretching from Austria to Mexico to the American craft beer revolutions. A Vienna lager is an amber lager brewed primarily with Vienna malt, fermented cold with lager yeast, and finished with some light hopping that brings in a touch of bitterness. The result is a clean and toasty beer with a dry finish and excellent balance: not too sweet and not too hoppy. It’s one of my favorite styles of beer and it deserves a lot more attention than it gets. Vienna Lager History As a surprise to absolutely nobody, the Vienna lager comes from Austria, potentially even Vienna! For an actually useful background, Vienna lagers came to be around the same time as the Pilsner did. What an awesome time it must have been to be a beer fan, assuming you lived in or around Bavaria. Harkeing back to 1841, the Vienna Lager was created by Anton Dreher, an Austrian brewer who worked at Schwechat Brewery just outside of Vienna. The Vienna lager made a splash pretty quickly as a “light” beer. Of course, by today’s standards, the Vienna lager isn’t light at all, but it was a revolution in beer lightness at the time. TO understand the importance of the Vienna lager, you should know that most beer in Central Europe at the time was dark brown due to heavily roasted grain. Needless to say, a non-smoky beer brewed with care was an immediate hit. But then the Vienna lager nearly vanished entirely. But why? Well, remember how I mentioned the Pilsner? Yes, the Pilsner became the next big thing, and Vienna lagers faded into the background. While you won’t find many Vienna lagers brewed in Vienna, you will find them in Mexico and craft breweries in the US. What Does a Vienna Lager Taste Like? Vienna lagers are most defined by their awesome malt character. Here’s what to expect when drinking one: What a Vienna lager is not is hoppy, sweet, or heavy. The goal of the style isn’t to push forward one single flavor, but to balance quality ingredients for a more complex flavor. How Is a Vienna Lager Made? The brewing process for a Vienna lager is pretty straightforward, which is exactly what makes it difficult to do well. Since the style requires balance, any mistakes will show up in the final brew. Malt: Vienna malt makes up 60–100% of the grain. Some brewers might add small amounts of Munich malt for deeper color and complexity, or some Pilsner malt for a lighter, crisper finish. Hops: Noble German hops, such as Hallertau, Saaz, Styrian Goldings, are used just enough to balance the malt. Bitterness typically falls between 18–30 IBUs, so it has some bitter hop flavor but not enough to dominate the brew. Yeast: Vienna lagers are bottom-fermented with clean lager yeast at cold temperatures, then lagered for a few weeks. It’s a slow process, which is part of the reason why you don’t see Vienna lagers as commonly as IPAs on craft beer menus. Vienna Lager vs Other Lagers The Vienna lager shares a lot in common with other styles, but with some noticeable differences. Here are a few: Vienna Lager vs. Märzen The Vienna and Märzen are both amber, malt-forward lagers with similar ingredients. The main differences: Märzen is typically a bit stronger (aroudn 6% ABV vs. Vienna’s 4.5–5.5%), slightly richer and more full-bodied, and traditionally brewed in March to be consumed at Oktoberfest in the fall. Vienna lager is the year-round brew, assuming someone is willing to brew it. Vienna Lager and Pilsner The Vienna lager and Pilsner are practically twins. Not because they’re similar, but because they were first made around the same time, around 1840. Outside of that, they have noticeable differences. Pilsners are golden in color, light, crisp, and clean. Vienna lagers are amber, rich, and malty. There can be crossover in the ingredients used, especially with malt, but how the malt comes through in the final brew is entirely different. Vienna Lager and Mexican Lager Ok, now we get to the really fun comparison: Vienna lagers and Mexican lagers. In the past I’ve blanket-statemented to people that they’re basically the same. And that blanket statement is sort of true, to an extent. The Mexican lager draws a lot of inspiration from Vienna lagers. The style was introduced in Mexico in the 1860s when Austrian Emperor Maximilian I was put in charge of ruling Mexico and brought Austrian brewers along for the ride. Over time, Mexican brewers took the recipe and tweaked it slightly by introducing local ingredients (mainly corn) and brewing for local tastes. Some modern Mexican beers, like Negra Modelo and Dos Equis Ambar, have a lot in common with the traditional Vienna lager style. So, the modern Mexican lager branched out from the Vienna lager it was based on. But if the ultimate form of flattery is imitation, then the Vienna lager must be one of the most flattered beers out there. Appreciating the Vienna Lager The Vienna lager may not have the trendy appeal of a Cold IPA or the Oktoberfest fanfare of a Märzen, but it’s one of the most carefully balanced, historically important beer styles ever made. If you see one on tap, order it. Brewers who are making this style are doing it because they genuinely love it, so you know it’ll be good.

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IPA vs DIPA: Main Differences

Thomas Short — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:00:08 +0000

There are myriad buzz words in beer, many of which sound similar and mean practically the same thing. For new and seasoned beer drinkers alike, trying to pin down the difference between an IPA and a Double IPA might seem impossible. Aside from their names and ABVs, these two styles of IPA seem practically the same in every way. Let’s break down what an IPA is, what a DIPA is, and how they’re different (or not). What’s an IPA? An IPA, short for India Pale Ale, is a type of pale ale that increases the hop flavor. For the most part, IPAs tend to lean hop forward, relying more on bitter or juicy hop flavor than on sweet and caramely malt flavor. Most IPAs fall in the 6-7% ABV range. Many beer drinkers use the terms “hoppy” and “bitter” interchangeably with IPAs, but there is a difference. Hops like Simcoe and Cascade can be more bitter, while hops like Citra and Mosaic can be juicy. So, an IPA can lean bitter or juicy, depending on the hop blend. It’s worth noting two things when defining an IPA. First, this comparison uses the American IPA as a point of reference. Second, nobody can really agree on what an IPA actually is, down to a specific definition; it’s more a relative comparison. With that in mind, let’s look at the DIPA. What’s a DIPA? A DIPA, sometimes written as IIPA or Imperial IPA, was designed to try and double the hoppy flavor a more traditional IPA. By adding more hops, a DIPA has a lot more flavor, whether that be bitter, juicy, or a balance of the two. Because DIPAs are designed to go above and beyond a traditional IPA, they also come with a much higher ABV, usually in the 8-9% range. DIPAs also have a much thicker mouth feel due to all the hops. Pliny the Elder is an excellent example of a DIPA, and arguably the first mainstream example of the style. Which is Best: IPA or DIPA? A traditional American IPA and DIPA have so much in common that it’s difficult to say which is best, but I would go so far as to say that IPAs are better for one reason: craft breweries serve tons of IPAs and not many DIPAs. If you’re looking for good flavor, a nice balance of hops, and maybe some maltiness, an IPA is the right choice. If you want bold flavors and a higher ABV, go with a DIPA.

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Beer vs Malt Liquor: What’s The Difference?

Thomas Short — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 16:36:24 +0000

Everyone knows that malt liquor is an affordable, easy, cheap, convenient, and inexpensive alternative to beer. But how exactly does it differ from regular beer, and why is it so cheap while craft beer prices keep climbing? The answer lies in pretty much every step of the brewing process. Let’s break it all down. What is Malt Liquor? Malt liquor is technically a type of beer. It’s brewed from the same core ingredients as beer (malted barley, water, hops, and yeast), but with a few important additions that change everything: Beer vs malt liquor fits the square-rectangle analogy. All malt liquor is beer, but not all beer is malt liquor. Think of malt liquor as a very specific subcategory of beer that’s been engineered for super high ABV and extremely low cost. Legally, the definition of malt liquor varies by state, but the Federal Alcohol Administration Act defines malt liquor as any malt-based beverage brewed to a higher alcohol threshold. The threshold is also determined by states, and most state laws put that threshold at above 5% ABV. Which, if you’ve been to a craft brewery recently, means that an IPA would legally be classified as malt liquor in some states. This is why beer is sometimes labeled as a malt beverage. What Are The Differences Between Beer vs Malt Liquor? Ok, let’s break down the main differences between malt liquor and non-malt liquor beer. Ingredients Beer is made from the core ingredients of malted barley, hops, yeast, and water. You can add other ingredients or make substitutes, but beer generally requires these ingredients. Malt liquor starts with those same ingredients but adds a lot of corn and rice, both of which are much cheaper than malt. Some malt liquors also have extra white sugar or dextrose, since the yeast turns that sugar into alcohol. The result is a higher ABV without the complexity of flavor (read: good flavor) you’d get from quality grain. One other difference is that malt liquor also usually uses six-row barley instead of the two-row barley commonly used in craft and traditional beers. Six-row barley has a higher protein content, which contributes to malt liquor’s characteristically denser, syrupy texture. Brewing Both beer and malt liquor go through the same basic brewing steps, but the devil is in the details. Beer can be either top-fermented (ales) or bottom-fermented (lagers), giving brewers more flexibility to produce a wide range of styles. Malt liquor is always bottom-fermented. To hit higher alcohol levels, malt liquor brewers also add special enzymes to the brew. These enzymes break down starches that normal yeast used in beer wouldn’t otherwise ferment, which pushes the ABV even higher. This process also strips away a lot of the malt and grain flavor you’d find in beer, but flavor isn’t important for malt liquor. Malt liquor is also brewed at lower temperatures than most beers, which doesn’t allow as much flavor to come through during fermentation. It’s a great strategy for a clean, high-ABV output with no complexity or flavor. There’s one more difference worth mentioning: hops. Hops are basically an afterthought when brewing malt liquor. Hops add bitterness, juiciness, aroma, and balance to beer, but hops also cost money. Malt liquor barely uses hops, which makes the final brew sweet and bland. ABV ABV is one of the most noticeable differences between beer and malt liquor. Standard beer typically falls in the 4–7% ABV range, though select craft styles can go much higher (barleywines and imperial stouts can go as high as 12–14%). Malt liquor is usually brewed in the 6–9% ABV range, with some abominations going even higher. The difference between the two may not seem big, but the key is the intent behind the ABV. In a good craft beer, ABV is a byproduct of the style and profile the brewer is looking for. In malt liquor, the sweet, flat flavor is a byproduct of the high ABV the brewer is going for. Flavor Comparing the flavor between beer and malt liquor is difficult, mostly because the two barely have anything in common. Beer, when brewed well, has an incredible range of flavor. A hazy IPA is sweet and juicy, while a Vienna lager is malty and balanced. A West Coast IPA can be bitter and piney, while a Pilsner can be crisp and clean. Beer can be citrusy, floral, roasty, sour, crisp, creamy, bitter, sweet…you get the point. Malt liquor is sweet, dense, and pretty harsh, but again, this is the goal of malt liquor. There is flavor in a malt liquor, and it technically has character. It just isn’t something that people drink for flavor. Price and Packaging Malt liquor is cheap to make because it’s made of cheap ingredients. Corn and rice are a lot cheaper than quality barley, and not using many hops means not spending much on hops. That’s why a 40 oz of Olde English 800 costs less than a decent craft IPA. The 40 oz bottle itself is a signature of malt liquor, a unique packaging that you don’t find with much else. It’s basically a sign for anyone looking specifically for malt liquor. Beer vs Malt Liquor: Quick Comparison Beer Malt Liquor Base Ingredients Barley, hops, yeast, water Barley + corn/rice/sugar adjuncts ABV Range 4–12%+ (varies widely) 6–9%+ Hop Usage High (style-dependent) Minimal Fermentation Top or bottom Bottom only Flavor Profile Extremely diverse Sweet, heavy, simple Packaging 12–24 oz typical Often 40 oz Price Varies widely Generally cheap Famous Brands Budweiser, Sierra Nevada, etc. Colt 45, OE800, King Cobra Beer vs Malt Liquor: Which Is Better? Beer is better than malt liquor.

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Non Alcoholic Beer: How It’s Made

Thomas Short — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 16:31:12 +0000

The non alcoholic beer craze is sweeping the nation. After two years of lockdown and (I assume) more-than-usual drinking, people worldwide are flocking to find something — anything! — that’s healthier than beer. In the least shocking news ever, it turns out that non alcoholic beer is better after exercise than alcoholic beer. While non alcoholic (or NA) beer isn’t as healthy as something like water, it’s definitely a step way above alcohol. But any amount of critical thinking about NA beer begs the question: how do you brew something without it becoming alcoholic? Even kombucha has some amount of alcohol, due to the brewing process. It turns out that there’s more than one way to brew a non alcoholic beer. What Is in Non Alcoholic Beer? There seems to be a misconception that non alcoholic beer has little in common with alcoholic beer. However, NA beer is made from the same four basic ingredients (water, grains, yeast, and hops) as any other type of beer. You’ll still get the hop and malt flavor of beer, and all beer is mostly just water. It’s how brewers make NA beers that makes them so unique. How Do You Make NA beers? The best, and really only, way to brew a non alcoholic beer is by…brewing beer. Basically, there are four main methods for making a beer non alcoholic: Let’s take a look at how each process works. Controlled Fermentation Controlled fermentation, also known as arrested fermentation, is the most common method for creating NA beer. With this method, brewers ferment the yeast as normal, but stop the fermentation process before the yeast converts too much sugar into alcohol. One way brewers do this is by keeping the temperature below 60 degrees, which slows down yeasts. The reason controlled fermentation is commonly used is that it’s the easiest method for brewers to adopt, as it doesn’t require a ton of specialized equipment. However, it can be tough to get a low-to-no ABV in every brew, and you won’t capture as much flavor as a normally brewed beer. For a real-world example of this method, look no further than Athletic Brewing. They use controlled fermentation in all their beers. Dealcoholization Yes, science can now suck the alcohol out of alcohol. Dealcoholization is the process of removing alcohol from a finished product, which in this case is beer. This method allows for full fermentation, which can increase the flavor of the NA beer. However, this process requires specialized equipment (which is expensive), so big breweries are the most likely to use this method. The easiest way to get rid of alcohol is by boiling the brew or filtering. However, boiling destroys the flavor of beer, and filters need to be advanced, so you can’t just boil your beer at home and run it through a Brita to get a tasty non-alcoholic beer. Breweries can de-alcoholize beer in a few ways: Each method has its pros and cons; for example, Vacuum Distillation usually leaves about 0.5% ABV left in the brew. However, this low of an ABV is basically negligible. Regardless of how a brewer makes non alcoholic beer, one thing remains constant during the entire process: the beer. Dilution Dilution is simple: just keep adding water to the fully fermented beer until the ABV drops to 0.5% or lower. Of course, the amount of water it would take to do this would completely thin out the flavor of beer, so brewers usually only use dilution in combination with another tactic. Simulated Fermentation The best way to avoid alcohol in beer is to make sure no alcohol ever gets introduced. Simulated fermentation skips the fermentation process entirely. Of course, you need fermentation for carbonation and flavor. So, brewers add other ingredients to try to replicate the missing flavors (with varying success). I’ve also read that there are experimental non-alcholic yeasts that essentially ferment without producing any alcohol. I’m not sure how real or effective this is, though. What was the first non alcoholic beer? The history of beer is long and storied, rich and fascinating. Of course, anything with a long history is bound to have holes in information or debatable origins. Non alcoholic beer falls under this every-opinion-might-be-right umbrella. Naturally, I consulted Wikipedia, and it gives a very wishy-washy history of “well, low alcohol beer was maybe around hundreds of years ago” and “I guess there was probably non-alcoholic beer in places where you couldn’t have alcohol.” Of course, it could be that non alcoholic beer has been brewed myriad times over the past several thousand years, and brewers just didn’t have the tools to measure alcohol content. So, to answer the question, there is no first non alcoholic beer. Does Non Alcoholic Beer Have Alcohol? As I previously mentioned in my Dry January post, many non alcoholic products technically have trace amounts of alcohol in them. However, because there are different methods of producing non alcoholic beer, the amount of alcohol in your brew can vary. For example, any brew that doesn’t use yeast won’t be alcoholic since yeast is required for brewing. Brews with yeast could yield low ABV brews, so low that they might as well be NA. If you’re looking to make a healthy switch, any NA beer should suffice. If you cannot have alcohol for another reason, then it’s worth spending more time researching whichever beer you’re looking to buy. Non Alcohlic Beer FAQs

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What Are Citra Hops?

Thomas Short — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:51:37 +0000

It’s nearly impossible to find a craft brewery that doesn’t include Citra hops in at least one beer. Citra hops are a delicious hop variety, a large reason why it’s become such a popular hop to brew with. Like Mosaic hops, Citra hops are good for IPAs, especially those of the juicy and hazy variety. Let’s take a look at Citra, a hop that’s good for IPAs in different ways. What Are Citra Hops in Beer? Citra hops are a type of hop variety that brings a juicy, citrusy punch to beer. They’re one of the most widely used hops in craft brewing today, and there’s a good chance you’ve already tasted Citra hops without knowing it. Brewers tend to use Citra most in East Coast IPAs and hazy IPAs because of the soft, fruity quality it adds, but you can sometimes find it in West Coast IPAs and pale ales, too. One benefit of Citra is that it works well alone and with other hops. Citra can be used alone in a beer as a single-hop style, where the whole point is to let the Citra flavor shine, or it can be blended with complementary hops like Mosaic, Galaxy, and Amarillo to create something even more complex. Where Do Citra Hops Come From? Citra hops were developed in Yakima, Washington, around 2007–2008, a result of decades of hop breeding done by hop scientist Gene Probasco. Up until its public release in the late 2000’s, Citra was going by the incredibly catchy name “BHC 394.” Upon its release, brewers across the nation started including it in IPAs. As IPAs became more and more popular, so did Citra. Today, Citra is the #1 most grown hop variety in the United States, and it has been ever since it overtook Cascade hops in 2018. What Does Citra Taste Like in Beer? Citra hops have a bold, tropical flavor and aroma. Oh, and it tastes a lot like citrus, hence the name “Citra.” Think of fruits like mango, orange peel, passion fruit, grapefruit, lime, and peaches. Citra brings a lot of flavor, but the flavors you taste depend on how the brewer uses the hop. Regardless of the style or blend, expect a bright, juicy beer that’s incredibly easy to drink. Citra also has an alpha acid content of around 11-15%, meaning it does bring some bitterness as well. However, this isn’t the bitter flavor that people associate with old-school West Coast IPAs, and it provides more balance to the sweet fruity flavors than anything else. What is a Citra Beer? When you see a beer at your local brewery with a name like “Citra IPA,” “Citra Pale Ale,” or anything else Citra-themed, there’s a pretty good chance that Citra hops are the main hop, or the only hop, included. Brewers do this to show off what a single hop variety can do, and Citra is popular enough to carry a whole beer on its own. But Citra shows up in plenty of popular beers without being named in the title. Psuedo Sue by Toppling Goliath is a famous example of Citra on display, as is Three Floyds’ Zombie Dust. For my West Coasters, the Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing is a Citra-dominated brew. Most craft breweries include information on the hops they’ve included in their beer, so next time you’re looking at a menu, you might notice just how many IPAs take advantage of Citra. What Beer Styles Use Citra Hops? Citra is best in beers that showcase hop flavor over malt, so don’t expect to see Citra hops in a Vienna lager or Pilsner. You’ll most commonly find it in: Why are Citra Hops Popular? Why is Citra so popular? A combination of timing and flavor. Citra came along right as the craft beer boom was really taking off, and it gave brewers a juicy, fruity hop that was incredibly accessible for people just getting into drinking beer. The hop also has enough complexity to not be one-dimensional, so the resulting beer was bound to be interesting. When hazy IPAs exploded in popularity in the 2010s, it cemented Citra’s place as a go-to hop. The soft bitterness and juicy fruit character is exactly the flavor brewers were looking for in a hazy IPA. The hop is also versatile enough that it works for brewers at every scale, from your local brewer to gigantic craft breweries. Its range of flavor, consistent quality, and popularity among beer drinkers (whether they know it or not) are all reasons brewers continue to buy and use Citra hops.

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Pale Ale vs IPA: Are They Actually Different?

Thomas Short — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 17:51:19 +0000

It’s fair to feel confused about the difference between a pale ale and an IPA. When you look at a brewery menu, the two can seem almost indiscernible, from the types of hops used to the IBUs. I’m not just saying that alcohol needs a label (though the government says it does), but being able to tell an IPA apart from a pale ale would be nice, especially when you’re at a new brewery, and you have no idea what you might like. So, let’s take a look at the differences between a pale ale and IPA, because there are a few factors that make these styles of brew unique from each other. Is a Pale Ale the Same as an IPA? No, a pale ale is not the same as an IPA. While an IPA is technically a type of pale ale, the two styles have a few clear differences, especially with how predominant the IPA has become in craft brewing. The short answer ist hat pales ales are a lighter, more balanced, and lower ABV style, while IPAs lean more into hops to bring out juicier or more bitter flavors. Both IPAs and pale ales can be brewed using similar hops and malts, but the final products are different. What is a Pale Ale? A pale ale is an ale that’s…pale. Suprising, I know. Despite the name, pale ales are known for their amber-ish hue, though some more modern iterations of the brew can vary in color. Pale ale is technically an umbrella term used to describe an array of ales, including: The best word to describe pale ales is “balance.” Pale ales tend to have some bitterness and hoppiness, just not as much as an IPA would. The real balance of bitter and hop depends on the types of hops the brewer uses; for example, a Citra hop pale ale will have a juicier flavor and be relatively low in bitter flavor. Also, because a pale ale leans less on hops than an IPA, you’ll get more of the malt flavor coming through. Malts tend to have a sweeter flavor, which gives most pale ales a fantastic blend of tasting notes. You can also tell a pale ale by its relatively medium ABV, usually somewhere in the 5-6% range. Pale ales tend to be bitter, but not IPA bitter, and hoppy, but not IPA hoppy. What is an IPA? The India Pale Ale, or IPA, is a dominant force in the craft brewing market. I’m not sure there’s a successful craft brewery open that doesn’t have at least two types of IPA on tap. The style is also incredibly divisive, because many people might assume that IPAs are always incredibly bitter. As a technical subtype of the pale ale, the IPA takes everything the pale ale does and dials it up. Expect more alchohol, more bitterness, more juice, more body, more of pretty much everything. There are also specific IPA substyles that wouldn’t be a pale ale, such as: IPAs lean heavily on hops when compared to other styles, including regular pale ales. Most IPAs skew away from malt flavors and embrace hop flavors, which can range from bitter and dank to juicy and sweet. Like with pale ales, the core flavor of an IPA depends on the hop mix. As with any type or style of beer, the specific difference between a pale ale and IPA comes down to whatever the brewer decides to call it. However, I would find it disingenuous to call a 7% hazy beast a pale ale, or a 5.5% citra sipper an IPA. Pale Ale vs IPA: Main Differences Ok, now that we’ve explored each style a bit, here are the main differences that a casual beer drinker can use to discern the two styles: Pale Ale IPA When to Choose Each Style If you’re struggling to choose between a pale ale and an IPA, I have a few opinions on when each works best. Pale ales are best for: IPAs are best for: Pale Ale vs IPA: Which is Better? Which wins in a fight between pale ale and IPA? Well, the IPA is certainly more popular since brewers will have 10 IPAs on the menu and maybe one pale ale. However, the IPA is a type of pale ale, giving the pale an edge. But I think that IPAs have become so unique that they shouldn’t be classified as pale ales any longer. This is the day and age of the IPA, like it or not. Personally, I like pale ales better. Thanks for reading! FAQ: Pale Ale vs IPA

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