Comparison
American IPA vs West Coast IPA
What is the difference between American IPA and West Coast IPA?
The short answer
American IPA and West Coast IPA are closer than the comparison suggests. The measurable differences are small — yeast fruitiness (esters) is the largest of them — so tradition, strength and what each is brewed for will tell you more than the flavour axes do.
Generated from the two style records. No editor has written this comparison up, so it carries no verdict beyond what the data supports.
Where they overlap
They share comparable bitterness, body, hop aroma, overlapping strength ranges, the same style family — the boundary between them is narrower than the comparison suggests.
Side by side
| American IPA | West Coast IPA | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | IPA | IPA |
| Fermentation | Top-fermented (ale) | Top-fermented (ale) |
| Origin | United States | United States |
| Category status — One of these is a more settled category than the other, which is worth knowing before treating the comparison as exact. | Established | Emerging |
| Strength | 5.5–7.5% ABV | 6–7.5% ABV |
| Bitterness (IBU) — IBU measures iso-alpha acids in the lab. It does not track perceived bitterness, which residual sweetness, body and roast all alter — compare the sensory rows below for how each actually tastes. | 40–70 IBU | 55–85 IBU |
| Colour | Gold to light amber — 6–14 SRM, 12–28 EBC | Pale gold to light amber — 4–9 SRM, 8–18 EBC |
| Original gravity | 1.056–1.070 | 1.058–1.070 |
| Final gravity | 1.008–1.014 | 1.006–1.012 |
| Serving temperature | 7–10°C | 7–10°C |
| Carbonation | 2–3 vol CO₂ | 2–3 vol CO₂ |
| Glassware | Tulip glass, Teku glass, Nonic pint | Tulip glass, Teku glass |
| Clarity | clear | brilliant |
How they taste different
| Character | American IPA | West Coast IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Yeast fruitiness (esters) | Trace–Low | Not characteristic |
| Bread & biscuit | Low | Not characteristic |
| Stone fruit | Low–Moderate | Not characteristic |
| Caramel & toffee | Trace | Not characteristic |
Which should you choose?
- You want more yeast fruitiness (esters) → American IPA
- You want something more restrained — less yeast fruitiness (esters) and bread & biscuit → West Coast IPA
Derived from where the two actually differ. Neither is better — this is a question of which difference you want.