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What was once an optional step for clarity has become virtually essential for packing flavor into IPAs and other hop-forward beers. Commercial brewers have specialized gear for it, while homebrewers—whether they realize it or not—also have everything they need for whirlpooling.

Rather than focusing on established beer styles, this San Diego brewery lets inspired ingredients drive the beers they make, with a loose, local, and at times even rustic approach.

Southern Grist first brewed Insert Juicy Pun as a “jacked up” version of its Mixed Greens hazy IPA, “with an irresponsible amount of Galaxy, Mosaic, and Citra hops,” the brewery says. “We taste strong notes of orange pulp, papaya, pineapple, and peach.”

From our Love Handles files on beer bars we love: L.A.’s Glendale Tap offers a retro feel, 52 taps full of great local beers, and neighborhood vibes.

From Emancipation Brewing in Fairbury, Illinois, comes this recipe that local patrons have been enjoying in quantity at their occasional Kölsch Nights.

Big-city breweries and bars aren’t the only ones who can draw crowds with events dedicated to traditional Kölsch service. In rural Fairbury, Illinois, the locals have quite taken to Kölsch Night in the converted dairy barn at Emancipation Brewing. Cofounder and head brewer Lincoln Slagel explains how and why it works.

Westbound & Down director of brewing operations Jake Gardner won’t tell you how to write your West Coast-style IPA recipe. But he will tell you how to make yours better—with more pronounced hop aroma and flavor that lasts longer in the package.

Ayla Kapahi, head brewer at Borderlands in Tucson, Arizona, shares this recipe for their easy-drinking wheat beer with German aroma hops, some light fruity esters, and a Southwestern twist: the addition of prickly pear.

For a bright, fruity flavor that’s special to Mexico and the American Southwest, consider the humble prickly pear. (Just watch out for those spines.)

The McIlhenney family put Alpine, California, and New Zealand hops on American beer lovers’ maps with their innovative forays into IPA and reverent takes on classic styles. Now, they’re back and brewing in the original brewhouse and taproom, and Shawn McIlhenney is focused on what he loves the most—designing and brewing groundbreaking beers.

“This refreshingly crisp cold IPA takes inspiration from our friend and former Firestone Walker brewer Kevin Davey,” Sam Tierney says. “It can be brewed two ways: one with rice adjunct to lighten the body, or another with a lower-FAN, extra-pale German pilsner malt for similar effect.”

It’s been five years since Wayfinder brewed its first cold IPA and more than two since it went mainstream. Despite predictions of a passing fad, breweries continue to embrace that lean, “wester than West Coast” frame. Here, Firestone Walker brewmaster Matt Brynildson muses on what defines it—and what really makes it work.

From our Love Handles files on beer bars we love: In Florence, Italy, Diorama offers a cozy spot to get acquainted with Italian and European craft.

This big and complex yet dangerously easy-to-drink ale is relatively easy to brew well—just watch that attenuation and focus on healthy fermentation for a drying finish.

This crowd-pleaser pizza get a lift from some spicy, garlicky shrimp deglazed with juicy IPA.

From our Illustrated Guide to Homebrewing, here’s a rundown of what to expect as you plan your first brew, including all the gear you’ll want to have ready.

First brewed for Notch’s 10th anniversary in 2020, this is a 10°P pale lager in the Czech tradition—low in strength yet full of flavor. The beer is triple-decocted, open-fermented, naturally carbonated, and “lagered forever.”

Oakland, California’s Ghost Town made a splash in 2021 and 2022, winning back-to-back GABF gold medals for their Nose Goblin Imperial IPA, along with notable 2022 medals in the strong pale ale and India pale lager categories. One of their secrets, of course, is hop quality—but the qualities that head brewer Justin Burdt seeks out aren’t exactly the ones you might think.

Want to dive deeper into Kölsch? Here are some observations on the culture of the köbes, plus tips on building your own traditional-style serving tray.

Kölsch-style ale is an American craft mainstay, and reverent Kölsch service is now a trend with broad appeal. Before we all get carried away, Ryan Pachmayer goes to Köln to consider the subject more closely, from how it’s served to how it’s brewed—and why its future is uncertain.