Brewing an English IPA at home with Goldings hops

English IPA is balanced, not a hop bomb

English IPA sits between a strong bitter and an American IPA. Typical numbers: original gravity 1.050 to 1.070, about 5 to 7.5% ABV, 40 to 60 IBU and a gold to amber colour around 6 to 14 SRM. The malt is bready and biscuity, the bitterness is firm and the hops taste earthy, floral and lightly spicy rather than citrusy.

If you have brewed our English bitter, think of this as its stronger, hoppier sibling. If you are used to West Coast IPA, expect more malt, less aroma and a different hop personality.

A grist built on British pale malt

For 20 litres at about 1.060 and 72% efficiency:

• 5.0 kg Maris Otter or another British pale ale malt (90%)
• 0.3 kg medium crystal malt, around 60 to 80 EBC (5%)
• 0.15 kg biscuit or amber malt (3%)
• 0.1 kg wheat malt for head retention (2%)
• Mash at 65 to 66 °C for 60 minutes

Keep crystal modest. A little adds colour and toffee. Too much makes the beer sweet and heavy. It also hides the hops.

Goldings need more grams

East Kent Goldings usually carries around 4 to 6% alpha acid, less than half of many American bittering hops. That changes the arithmetic. To hit 50 IBU in 20 litres with a 5% alpha hop:

• Utilisation for a 60 minute boil at this gravity is roughly 23%.
• Grams needed = 50 IBU x 20 litres / (0.05 x 1,000 x 0.23), about 87 g.

So a full bittering charge of Goldings is close to 90 g before any late hops. Many brewers bitter with a higher alpha English hop such as Target or Challenger, then save the Goldings for flavour and aroma. Either way, add 30 g of Goldings at 15 minutes, 30 g at flameout and a dry hop of 40 to 50 g. Expect a big hop mat in the kettle. Leave extra volume for losses.

Burton-style water gives the bite

English IPA traces back to brewing at Burton upon Trent, where the water is very high in calcium sulphate. That sulphate sharpens bitterness and dries the finish. Our guide to building a Burton water profile covers the full version. For homebrew, a moderate step is enough: with RO or soft water, add about 6 to 8 g of gypsum and 2 g of calcium chloride to the 20 litres.

If your borewell water is hard with high bicarbonate, dilute it with RO water first. Aim for mash pH 5.2 to 5.4.

English yeast, held steady

An English ale strain brings mild fruit esters that suit the style. Pitch at 18 °C and hold 18 to 19 °C for the first four days, then let it rise to 20 °C to finish. In Indian heat, an English strain left at 28 °C turns heavily fruity and can produce fusels. A water bath or fridge keeps it in range. Many English strains flocculate early, so rouse the fermenter gently if gravity stalls around 1.016 to 1.018.

Dry hop when gravity is nearly final for three to four days, then cold crash and package.

Carbonation and storage

English IPA is carbonated lower than American styles, around 2.0 to 2.3 volumes. Serve at 10 to 12 °C so the malt and hops both show.

Historically, IPA was shipped to India on long sea voyages. Modern English IPA is best fresh. Goldings aroma is delicate and fades within weeks in warm storage, leaving dull, earthy bitterness. Keep it cool and drink it within two months.

Cask-style serving suits this beer if you have the kit, since soft carbonation and cellar temperature show off the malt. Most homebrewers will bottle or keg. Either way, keep finished beer out of the sun and drink it while the hop aroma is still there.

What separates good from flat

A good English IPA has firm, clean bitterness, a bready malt backbone and floral, earthy hop aroma. Common faults are harsh bitterness from too much sulphate, sweetness from too much crystal and stale hops. Goldings that smell cheesy have been stored warm. Buy recent harvests and keep them in the freezer. Telling earthy hop character from stale hop character is a palate skill worth building.

Work out your bittering charge from the packet

Buy 100 g of East Kent Goldings and rub a pellet between your fingers next to a citrusy American hop. Then work out your bittering charge with the formula above using the alpha acid printed on your packet. That number tells you how much to order.

Common questions

Why do I need so many Goldings?

Goldings are low in alpha acid, often around 5%, so you need more grams for the same bitterness. Many brewers bitter with a higher alpha English hop and save Goldings for late additions.

What water suits an English IPA?

Water with plenty of sulphate, in the Burton style. With soft water, about 6 to 8 g of gypsum per 20 litres is a good start.

How carbonated should an English IPA be?

Lower than American styles, around 2.0 to 2.3 volumes.