About
The Los Angeles craft beer scene is well-served by every beer style under the sun, but India Pale Ale (IPA) is the single most dominant style. Hoppy IPA has become the defining style of West Coast beer, and no one loves their hops more than we do in LA! Craft beer lovers around here are pretty spoiled; we have an ever-expanding plethora of great IPAs available to us and a growing number of places to get them. This festival is a gathering of some of the very best.
Over 50 breweries have been invited to submit the IPA of which they are most proud. Submitted IPAs will all be available to drink during the festival. And unlike most festivals, LA IPA fest is about really enjoying your beer with friends, not about lining up for a thimble of beer. If you’re a Hop Head like us, let’s celebrate our hops craving and the beers and brewers that satisfy them.
THE FESTIVAL - November 11th, 2023
The hoppiest weekend of the year is coming... The 9th Annual Los Angeles IPA Festival will be at Brennan's this year!
In keeping with IPAFest's commitment to California and craft, we’ll be tapping IPAs all brewed by different local breweries in our Golden State!
We are welcoming back an all-star cast of judges comprised of some of your favorite brewers to choose the winner of this year’s IPA Fest.
Awards & Competition
THE HOPS
IPAs have a long history in Canada and the USA. With the advent of Prohibition in the United States, IPA ceased to be manufactured. Many modern breweries produce a version of the style. Contemporary American IPAs are typically brewed with distinctively American hops, such as Cascade, Centennial, Citra, Columbus, Chinook, Simcoe, Amarillo, Tomahawk, Warrior, and Nugget.
THE COMPETITION
All of the IPAs that will be available are eligible for any of the following awards:
First, Second, and Third place will be awarded to the beers judged to be the best by our panel of judges. Beers will be held to BJCP standards that have been modified slightly for this competition. ABVs must be between 6% and 8% and the IPAs should be in the American West Coast-style.
Three rounds of group judging will advance five entries to the final round. All judges will evaluate and score the fibe finalists. Judging will take place all day Saturday. Presentation of awards will take place on Saturday at 4:00 pm.
Each attendee will be able to cast their vote for their favorite IPA. The beer with the most votes wins the People’s Choice award.
BJCP AMERICAN IPA STYLE DESCRIPTION:
Aroma: A prominent to intense hop aroma with a citrusy, floral, perfume-like, resinous, piney, and/or fruity character derived from American hops. Many versions are dry hopped and can have an additional grassy aroma, although this is not required. Some clean malty sweetness may be found in the background, but should be at a lower level than in English examples. Fruitiness, either from esters or hops, may also be detected in some versions, although a neutral fermentation character is also acceptable. Some alcohol may be noted.
Appearance: Color ranges from medium gold to medium reddish copper; some versions can have an orange-ish tint. Should be clear, although unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be a bit hazy. Good head stand with white to off-white color should persist. Flavor: Hop flavor is medium to high, and should reflect an American hop character with citrusy, floral, resinous, piney or fruity aspects. Medium-high to very high hop bitterness, although the malt backbone will support the strong hop character and provide the best balance. Malt flavor should be low to medium, and is generally clean and malty sweet although some caramel or toasty flavors are acceptable at low levels. No diacetyl. Low fruitiness is acceptable but not required. The bitterness may linger into the aftertaste but should not be harsh. Medium-dry to dry finish. Some clean alcohol flavor can be noted in stronger versions. Oak is inappropriate in this style. May be slightly sulfury, but most examples do not exhibit this character.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-light to medium-bodied mouthfeel without hop-derived astringency, although moderate to medium- high carbonation can combine to render an overall dry sensation in the presence of malt sweetness. Some smooth alcohol warming can and should be sensed in stronger (but not all) versions. Body is generally less than in English counterparts.
Overall Impression: A decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale.
History: An American version of the historical English style, brewed using American ingredients and attitude.
Ingredients: Pale ale malt (well-modified and suitable for single- temperature infusion mashing); American hops; American yeast that can give a clean or slightly fruity profile. Generally all-malt, but mashed at lower temperatures for high attenuation. Water character varies from soft to moderately sulfate. Versions with a noticeable Rye character (“RyePA”) should be entered in the Specialty category.
Vital Statistics:
IBUs: 40 – 70 | SRM: 6 – 15 | OG: 1.056 – 1.075 | FG: 1.010 – 1.018 | ABV: 6 – 8%
