5-Gallon NEIPA Recipe Using Cascade Hops: Claim, that one of the most popular styles among current IPA fanatics is the New England India Pale Ale (NEIPA) due to its haze, juice, and low to moderate bitter characteristics. It is important to note that NEIPAs differ from the regular versions of the IPAs through their accentuation of the tropical, citrus, and fruity notes as opposed to bitterness. To provide you with information on how to brew the best NEIPA, you have to understand the importance of malt, yeast, and, most importantly, hops.
Cascade hops are typical American hops used in West Coast IPAs, yet they can also well enhance NEIPAs because of their citric and floral character. If Citra or Galaxy are the fresh new kids on the block, Cascade may not be the flavor of the moment, but it still delivers and adds a breath of fresh air to a NEIPA’s hazy, juicy character.Â
In this article, let me take you through NEIPA with a 5-gallon recipe where the Cascade hops are the highlight of the brew. No matter the level of experience in homebrewing, this guide will assist you in brewing a juicy haze, NEIPA with the flavors of the Cascade hops fully intact.
What is a NEIPA? 5-Gallon NEIPA Recipe Using Cascade Hops
Now that we know what a NEIPA is, let us also take a look at what makes them special. Neipas are beers originating from the New England region of the U. S.; they are known to be hazy, this comes from the use of specific grains, yeast, and dry hopping methods. It is not as hoppy as the traditional IPA, which is known to be clear and bitter, and instead possesses a tropical juicy appearance, soft bitterness, and creaminess in mouth feel.
Haze formation in NEIPAs can come from high-protein grains such as oats and wheat as well as the timing of adding hops. The last two, hopping and dry hopping during the fermentation process add to the beer’s aroma without dominant bitterness.Â
German/Belgian ale yeast or American ale yeast (White Labs Vermont Ale yeast, Conan) are very critical in building the fruity esters as well as mouthfeel in the beer to create that fabric softness and juiciness. Understanding what makes a NEIPA a NEIPA, it’s time to focus on how Cascade hops can work in this context.
5-gallon NEIPA Recipe Featuring Cascade Hops
The following recipe provides a juicy, hazy NEIPA with the Cascade hops dominating the recipe and the beer. Well, incorporate a mixture of grains, and a neutral yeast to ensure that the major focus is on the hops and a hop schedule that will allow moderate hopping rates. The end product is a slightly wet, juicy beer with flavors of citrus, grapefruit, and hints of tropical fruits.
Commands
Mashing the Grains
Begin by heating 4. Five gallons of water to 165 degrees Fahrenheit or seventy-four degree Celsius in your mash tun or brew kettle. When the water is hot, add the crushed grains gradually and stir well with a spoon so that the grains do not stick together. Your target mash temperature is 152°F (67°C) will result in too much body and sweetness that should make the hops come through.
Sour the grains for one hour with the temperature being as stable as you can make it, then mash the grains. The infusion of pale malt, flaked oats, and Wheat malt shall help in the creation of hazel common in NEIPA besides ensuring that the feel is also soft. The oats bring protein and haze while the wheat is an addition that improves the head retention. At the end of an hour, increase the mat temperature to 170°F (77°C) for a 10-minute mash-out. This step is useful in halting the enzyme activity and also exposing the sugars and making them available during the sparging stage.
Sparging and Boiling
After the mash is done, start with the sparge as soon as you can, if you have not already done so. Gradually wash the grain bed with 170°F (77°C) water until about 6 is measured. Five gallon (24. 6 liter) wort. Start the boil and add 1 oz of Cascade hops at 60 minutes this will give a moderate bittering hop addition. Cascade three doesn’t bitter the beer but lends a pleasant bitterness especially good for NEIPAs without dominating the juicy aspect. Finally, add another 2 oz. of Cascade hops at the boiling stage five minutes before the boil time reaches fifteen minutes.Â
This addition will be late and will help to bring more citrus and floral notes, while not making it bitter. With 10 minutes left before the end of the boil put in your Irish moss/whirl floc as a fining agent which will help in optioning the beer and adding yeast nutrients to support the fermentation process when preparing your beer.
After 60 minutes of boiling, release the heat and allow the wort to cool down to about 180°F (82°C). Even at this temperature hops give off their aromatic oils, although they are not highly bitter. Finally, assume a temperature of 80 ‘C; dissolve the last 3 oz of Cascade hops in the wort and stir or whirlpool for 20 minutes.Â
Day Hopping for Aromatic Impact
The first dry hop addition occurs when fermentation is roughly 70-80% done which is normally on the fourth or fifth day of brewing. Cascade hops should be included in the fermenter with 2 oz. It assists in increasing the hop aroma with efforts to add bitterness to the beer type. After another 3-4 days, commonly in the middle of the second week, transfer the second 2 oz of Cascade hops to the fermenter. Let the hops rise for another 3 to 5 days then you can transfer the beer into a keg or bottle it.
Bottling or Kegging
After the dry hopping process is done transfer your fermenter to the refrigerator or colder area with a temperature ranging 32-35°F (0-2°C) for 24-48 hours. This step makes sure of any floating particles of hops or yeast with the help of gravity hence producing a clear beer.Â
Pour the beer into a keg and carbonate to about 2 psi. Alternatively, mix voltsof C or add priming sugar, and allow to slowly carbonate for 1-2 weeks. If the beer will be bottled, you need to raise the carbonation level a notch higher due to the beer’s juicy haze.
Tasting Notes and Pairing Propositions
This beer is a hazy golden color with a thick frothy white head as is expected from a NEIPA, especially one made with Cascade! The scent is quite powerful as soon as you open it and reminds you of grapefruit, citrus peel, and very light floral accents, and there is a typical Cascade hop presence.Â
Feel it on the palate, the citrusy oranges, lemons, and the mild flavor of pine, joining the sweetness of malt from oats and wheat. The bitterness on the palate is not overpowering; the bitterness is tame and subdued so that the flavors of the hops come out blazing.
The texture of the bread is tender and close-grained with a good mouth feel which is due to the addition of oats and water chemistry with higher levels of chloride. All in all, this beer is soft, juicy, and rather easy to consume which makes it suitable for the fans of NEIPA who would still enjoy the vibes of classic Cascade hops.
 Best served with dishes that will enhance the beer’s lively citrus flavors. Many different lunches are suitable for the workplace; one could move away from the norm and prepare a lightly grilled chicken taco, citrus-glazed salmon fish, or an exquisite summer salad with avocados and limes, among others. The NEIPA has fresh, fruity, and tropical flavors, yet it pairs well with savory and spiced foods with the juicy body of the beer to combat the thickness of heavier food.
Conclusion
Cascade hops might be more recognizable when it comes to traditional West Coast IPAs but they make this beer in the NEIPA recipe refreshing and exciting. Cascade varieties have a secret citrus/floral/mild-pine note that complements the haziness and juicy sensation of a NEIPA while presenting a clean and not overly bitter drink.Â
This 55-gallonNEIPA recipe is perfect for the brewer who wants to brew a modern trendy beer while also giving the nod to the hop that started all Cascade hops. Whether homebrewing a keg or brewing for a party, this NEIPA is guaranteed to receive high praise for its citrusy aroma, passionfruit and pineapple flavors, and a hazy, smooth mouthfeel. Happy brewing!