How to Brew Red IPA

TL;DR: Want to brew a hop-forward, malt-balanced Red IPA? This guide covers how to brew Red IPA at home, from selecting the right malts, hops, and yeast to step-by-step brewing instructions. Red IPA is a bold, flavorful style that combines the bitter punch of an IPA with toasty caramel and biscuit malt depth, resulting in a smooth yet hop-forward beer. 

You'll learn how to brew your own Red IPA with the right balance of specialty malts for a deep red hue and classic American hops like Centennial, Amarillo, and Chinook for citrus and pine notes. The guide also includes tips for successful homebrewing, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to customize your Red IPA, such as adding flaked oats for mouthfeel or cold-crashing for clarity. 

If you’re new to homebrewing or looking for a foolproof way to make Red IPA, Craft a Brew’s IPA Making Kit provides pre-measured malts, hops, and yeast—so you can focus on the fun part: brewing your own Red IPA. 🍻

  • Overview
  • Download The Guide
  • What You’ll Need to Make IPA
  • Step-by-Step IPA Recipe
  • Watch the Video
  • Troubleshooting & Tips
  • Customize Your IPA

Getting Started with Brewing a Red IPA

If you love the bold, hop-forward flavors of an IPA but crave a richer, maltier backbone, Red IPA is the perfect brew for you. This style bridges the gap between traditional IPAs and malt-centric amber ales, offering a vibrant red hue, toasty caramel notes, and a balanced hop bitterness that makes every sip complex and satisfying. But how can I make IPA that delivers both bold hops and smooth malt character in perfect harmony? 

Learning how to brew Red IPA at home gives you full control over your ingredients and brewing process, ensuring you get the ideal blend of deep malt flavor and citrusy hop aroma. Unlike a standard West Coast IPA, a Red IPA incorporates specialty malts like Caramel, Munich, or Vienna to create a warm, toasty sweetness that complements the bitterness of classic American hops like Centennial, Amarillo, or Cascade. The result? A smooth, medium-bodied beer with a striking red color and a finish that balances malt depth with hop intensity. 

But how do you make IPA with such a rich, layered character? The secret lies in choosing the right grain bill, timing your hop additions, and fine-tuning fermentation to enhance both malt complexity and fresh hop aroma. Whether you prefer a resinous, piney bitterness or a juicy, tropical finish, brewing Red IPA at home allows you to customize your beer to match your taste. Plus, homebrewing is an affordable, rewarding way to enjoy fresh, handcrafted beer without relying on the local taproom. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to brew Red IPA, covering essential ingredients, brewing techniques, and step-by-step instructions for creating a perfectly balanced, hop-forward red ale. Get ready to make IPA that’s bold, beautiful, and bursting with flavor—right in your own kitchen! 🍻

Download Our Guide to Making IPA

For complete step by step instructions on how to brew Red IPA, download our instruction guide to making IPA & other ales at home.  This beginner friendly manual accompanies will walk you through brew day, fermentation and bottling!

What You’ll Need To Make Red IPA

Brewing a Red IPA at home requires the right combination of IPA ingredients, brewing equipment, and precise fermentation techniques to achieve that perfect balance of rich malt depth and bold hop aroma. Unlike traditional IPAs, Red IPAs feature a deeper color, a slightly sweeter malt backbone, and a smooth but assertive hop presence. Whether you're learning how to brew Red IPA at home for the first time or refining your recipe, selecting the right ingredients and tools will set you up for success. If you’re looking for a foolproof way to brew your own Red IPA, Craft a Brew’s IPA making kit provides everything you need—including pre-measured malt, hops, and yeast—so you can focus on perfecting your brew.

Ingredients

 A Red IPA combines a robust malt base with aromatic hop additions to deliver a bold yet balanced beer. The right mix of malts and hops is essential to achieving the signature deep red hue, caramel sweetness, and hop-forward character. Want to skip ingredient shopping? Choose a Craft a Brew IPA Making Kit that includes all the pre-measured malts, hops, and yeast you need to craft the perfect IPA—so you can focus on brewing, not sourcing ingredients!

A Red IPA relies on a slightly more complex malt bill than a standard IPA. While still hop-forward, it incorporates specialty malts to enhance body, color, and malt complexity.

  • Pilsen Dry Malt Extract (DME) – Provides a clean and slightly sweet malt backbone while keeping the beer fermentable. 
  • Munich Malt – Adds a deep malt richness and a touch of biscuity character. 
  • Caramel 40L or Caramel 60L – Enhances color and mouthfeel while contributing a subtle caramel sweetness. 
  • Vienna or Victory Malt (Optional) – Adds a toasty, nutty depth to balance the hop bitterness.
  • Roasted Barley – Adds sharpness of a Red Ale for unique malt profile. 
  • Optional: Flaked Oats – Adds some heft, smoothness and body.

Red IPAs strike a balance between robust malts and bold hops. It’s essential to select hops that complement both the malt backbone, while still shining in their own right. The best way to achieve a smooth hop character is by focusing on late boil additions and dry hopping. Consider these varieties when building a Red IPA recipe:

  • Centennial – Adds bright citrus, floral, and piney notes with a clean bitterness.
  • Amarillo – Provides orange, grapefruit, and slight tropical fruit undertones.
  • Chinook – Delivers bold pine and subtle spice for added complexity.  

Yeast selection plays a crucial role in Red IPA fermentation, ensuring the final beer is balanced, crisp, and not overly sweet. 

  • US-05 Dry Ale Yeast – A top choice for Red IPAs, providing a neutral fermentation profile that lets the hops and malt shine. 
  • Nottingham Ale Yeast – Offers high attenuation, ensuring a crisp, dry finish that prevents excessive malt sweetness. 
  • BRY-97 West Coast Ale Yeast – Another clean option that enhances hop character while fermenting clean and dry. 

Equipment

To brew Red IPA at home, you’ll need the right brewing equipment. If you’re new to homebrewing, Craft a Brew’s IPA making kit includes everything you need to get started.

A stock pot is essential for boiling your wort. When brewing Red IPA at home, you’ll need: 

  • A 1-2 gallon pot for small batches. 
  • A 5+ gallon pot for a full-sized 5-gallon batch. 
  • A pot that allows room for foam and prevents boil-overs.

Temperature control is crucial in the brewing process. Keeping your temperatures consistent ensures proper enzyme activity, yeast performance, and hop oil extraction. Our IPA making kit includes a traditional glass lab thermometer, but a digital food-safe thermometer works just as well. 

  • Mash temperature: 150-155ºF for steeping grains. 
  • Yeast pitching temperature: Below 75ºF for optimal fermentation.

Fermentation is where the magic happens! A 1-gallon glass carboy or 5-gallon fermenter is ideal for brewing Session IPA at home. A rubber stopper and airlock ensure a sealed environment, keeping unwanted bacteria and oxygen out while allowing CO₂ to escape. Each Craft a Brew 1 gallon IPA making kit includes a fermenter, airlock, and all necessary brewing accessories, making it easy to brew Red IPA at home with confidence.

A racking cane is used to siphon beer from the fermenter into bottles, reducing oxidation and preventing unwanted hop sediment from entering the final product.

After fermentation, you’ll need bottles to carbonate and store your Red IPA. For a 1-gallon batch, you’ll need:

Step-by-Step Brewing Guide

Embarking on the journey of brewing Red IPA at home is both rewarding and enjoyable. This guide will walk you through the Red IPA brewing process, ensuring you craft a beer rich in malt complexity and vibrant hop character. Whether you're a seasoned brewer or just starting, brewing your own Red IPA allows you to tailor flavors to your preference.​

The first step in home IPA brewing is brew day, where you'll extract flavors from grains, add hops, and prepare the wort for fermentation. 

Step 1: Sanitize Everything 

Proper sanitation is crucial to prevent unwanted bacteria or wild yeast from contaminating your beer. 

  • Mix half of the sanitizer packet with approximately 1 gallon of water in a bucket.
  • Sanitize all brewing equipment, including the fermenter, airlock, thermometer, and yeast packet. 
  • Let the sanitized equipment air dry on clean paper towels. 

Step 2: Heat the Water & Steep the Grains 

  • Pour at least 2.5 gallons of water into a large brew pot and heat it to 155°F. 
  • Place your specialty grains into a steeping bag and submerge it in the water for 20 minutes.
  • Remove the grain bag and discard—do not squeeze, as this can extract unwanted bitterness. 

Step 3: Boiling & Adding Malt Extract 

  • Bring the wort to a boil, then turn off the heat. 
  • Stir in half of the malt extract (Pilsen Dry Malt Extract) to prevent clumping. 
  • Bring the wort back to a slow rolling boil.

Step 4: Hop Additions 

Set a 60 minute timer and add your Bittering Hops.

These are some common hop additions you may use your Red IPA:

  • 30 minutes left – Add mid-boil hops for flavor development. 
  • 10-15 minutes left – Add late boil hops for flavor & aroma.
  • 2-5 minutes left – Add aroma hops to enhance the beer’s fresh, bright hop character. 
  • End of the Boil – Turn off the burner and immediately add flameout hops for maximum aroma. This technique is commonly used in NEIPAs and Hazy IPAs, but can also be used in other IPA styles for a layered, pervasive hop profile.

Step 5: Cooling the Wort 

  • Quickly cool the wort to below 75°F by placing the pot in an ice bath in your sink. 
  • Cover the pot with a lid to prevent contamination. 
  • While cooling, sanitize your fermenter and all equipment that will touch the beer post-boil. 

Step 6: Transferring & Pitching Yeast 

  • Once the wort reaches 75°F or lower, transfer it to the fermenter, leaving behind thick sediment. 
  • Add cold water as needed to bring the total volume up to 5 gallons. 
  • Pitch the yeast. 
  • Aerate the wort by sealing the fermenter and gently rocking it back and forth.
  • Fill the airlock with water and insert it into the rubber stopper. 
  • Place the fermenter in a cool, dark area (60-75°F) for fermentation. 

Fermentation is where yeast converts sugars into alcohol and CO₂. 

  • Within 12-72 hours, fermentation will become active. Expect bubbling in the airlock and foam on the surface. 
  • After the first 72 hours, fermentation will slow down, but let the beer sit for two full weeks to ensure complete fermentation. 

Dry hopping is essential for how to brew IPA at home, as it enhances hop aroma without increasing bitterness.  

  • Add dry hops directly into the fermenter through the lid hole. 
  • Seal the fermenter again and let the hops infuse for 4 days.

After 2 weeks of fermentation, it's time to bottle and carbonate your beer. 

Step 1: Sanitize Bottling Equipment 

  • Mix the remaining half of the sanitizer packet with water. 
  • Sanitize bottles, caps, bottling attachment, and flexible tubing. 

Step 2: Prepare the Priming Solution 

  • Mix 2/3 cup of white table sugar with 2 cups of water. 
  • Bring it to a boil, then let it cool to room temperature. 
  • Pour the cooled priming solution into the fermenter and gently stir. 

Step 3: Bottle Your Beer 

  • Fill sanitized bottles, leaving about 1 inch of space at the top. 
  • Cap the bottles and store them in a dark, room-temperature area for conditioning.
  • Let bottles condition at room temperature for two weeks to develop natural carbonation. 
  • After 14 days, refrigerate and enjoy your homemade IPA! 
  • TIP: Dry hopped beers can benefit from a few days of refrigeration before enjoying. This helps draw hop matter and other sediment out of suspension for better clarity, cleaner flavor and crisper mouthfeel.

Watch Our IPA-Making Video

Are you a visual learner? Want to see this IPA recipe in action? Watch our homebrewing video tutorial to get a better understanding of how to brew Red IPA!

Common Brewing Mistakes to Avoid

​Brewing your own Red IPA at home is a rewarding endeavor, but it's essential to be aware of common pitfalls that can impact the quality of your beer. Here are some mistakes to avoid during the Red IPA brewing process:​

✅ How to Avoid It: Limit caramel malt usage to 5-10% of the total grain bill to achieve the desired color without compromising balance.​ Balance sweetness with appropriate hop bitterness to maintain harmony in flavor.​ 

✅ How to Avoid It: Maintain a stable fermentation temperature within the yeast's optimal range, typically between 65-70°F (18-21°C).​ Utilize a temperature-controlled environment or fermentation chamber to ensure consistency.​ 

✅ How to Avoid It: Test your brewing water and adjust mineral content to suit the beer style, enhancing hop bitterness and malt character.​ Consider adding brewing salts like gypsum or calcium chloride to achieve the desired flavor profile.​ 

✅ How to Avoid It: Add hops at various stages: early in the boil for bitterness, mid-boil for flavor, and late or post-boil (dry hopping) for aroma.​ Follow a well-structured hop schedule to achieve a harmonious blend of bitterness, flavor, and aroma.​

To simplify the brewing process and minimize these risks, consider using the Craft a Brew IPA Making Kit. This kit provides pre-measured ingredients and detailed instructions, ensuring a balanced and flavorful Red IPA. By following the guidelines and utilizing quality tools, you can confidently embark on your homebrewing journey.​

Tips for Successful Homebrewing

Mastering how to brew Red IPA at home requires careful attention to detail, ingredient selection, and fermentation control. Whether you're a first-time brewer or refining your technique, following these best practices will help you brew your own Red IPA with confidence. By following these expert tips and using the Craft a Brew Red IPA Making Kit, you can simplify the Red IPA brewing process while ensuring a balanced, flavorful beer.
  • A Red IPA is all about balance—the toasty, caramel malts should complement, not overpower, the hop bitterness and aroma. Too much caramel malt can make the beer overly sweet, while too many bittering hops can overwhelm the malt backbone. 
  • Stick to 5-10% caramel malt in the grain bill to achieve color and subtle sweetness without excessive residual sugar. 
  • Use late-boil and dry hop additions to enhance hop aroma without increasing harsh bitterness. 
  • Consider using American hops like Simcoe, Amarillo, and Centennial for a classic Red IPA flavor. 

Fermentation control is key to preventing off-flavors and achieving a crisp, well-attenuated beer. If the fermentation temperature fluctuates too much, your yeast can produce unwanted esters and phenols, leading to an inconsistent or overly fruity Red IPA. 

  • Keep fermentation between 65-70°F (18-21°C) for a clean and balanced Red IPA. 
  • Use a temperature-controlled fermentation chamber or place your fermenter in a cool, dark space. 

The Red IPA brewing process benefits from proper water chemistry, which helps bring out the crispness of the hops while enhancing the malt backbone. If your water is too soft, the beer can lack structure, and if it’s too hard, bitterness may become harsh. 

  • Adjust water with gypsum (calcium sulfate) to emphasize hop bitterness. 
  • Add calcium chloride for a rounder, maltier mouthfeel. 
  • If using reverse osmosis (RO) water, add brewing salts to ensure the right balance. 

If you’re wondering, “How do I brew Red IPA at home without the guesswork?”, starting with a high-quality IPA making kit ensures foolproof results. The Craft a Brew Red IPA Making Kit includes pre-measured malts, hops, and yeast, plus easy-to-follow instructions, making it simple to brew Red IPA at home with professional-quality ingredients.  

Homebrewing FAQs

Whether you’re just getting started with homebrewing or looking to brew your own Red IPA, you may have questions about ingredients, techniques, and troubleshooting. Below are some of the most common IPA making FAQs to help you brew Red IPA at home with confidence.

A Red IPA brewing process is all about balance—malty sweetness and hop bitterness should complement each other without one overpowering the other. 

  • Use 5-10% caramel or specialty malts to achieve the deep red color and a hint of sweetness without overdoing it. 
  • Opt for American hops like Centennial, Amarillo, or Simcoe to balance malt complexity with citrus and piney bitterness. 
  • Maintain a final gravity of 1.010-1.014 to ensure the beer finishes slightly dry but not too thin. 

For a foolproof Red IPA recipe, check out the Craft a Brew Red IPA Making Kit, which includes pre-measured malt, hops, and yeast to help you achieve the perfect balance effortlessly. 

Yeast selection plays a big role in how a Red IPA is brewed. You want a clean fermenting strain that allows the malt backbone and hop aroma to shine. 

  • US-05 American Ale Yeast – A go-to strain for home Red IPA brewing, providing a clean and dry finish. 
  • Wyeast 1056 (American Ale Yeast) – Similar to US-05 but with slightly more expressive hop character. 
  • Nottingham Ale Yeast – Ferments clean and fast while enhancing malt sweetness and body. 

One of the biggest challenges in brewing Red IPA at home is achieving that deep, ruby-red hue without crossing into brown ale territory. 

  • Use light to medium caramel malts (10L - 40L) sparingly to provide red hues without excessive sweetness. 
  • Avoid dark roasted malts like Chocolate Malt or Black Malt, as they can overpower the red color and make the beer taste too roasty. 
  • Consider adding a small amount of roasted barley (1-2%), which enhances red color while adding subtle dryness. 

A Red IPA brewing process requires hop-forward character but with a balanced bitterness that complements the malt backbone. 

  • Bittering Hops (Early Boil - 60 mins): Columbus, Chinook, or Magnum – Provide clean bitterness without harshness.  
  • Flavor & Aroma Hops (Late Boil - 15 mins to Flameout): Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial – Add citrus, pine, and floral notes. 
  • Dry Hopping (After Fermentation Slows): Simcoe, Citra, Mosaic – Enhance juicy hop aroma without excessive bitterness. 

Oxidation is one of the biggest enemies of home Red IPA brewing, leading to stale flavors, off-colors, and loss of hop aroma. 

  • Minimize splashing when transferring beer from the fermenter to bottles or kegs. 
  • Use an auto-siphon to transfer beer smoothly with minimal oxygen exposure. 
  • Dry hop carefully by quickly resealing the fermenter after adding hops. 
  • Store bottles in a cool, dark place to maintain fresh hop character. 

Customize Your Red IPA

One of the best things about brewing Red IPA at home is the ability to tweak the recipe to match your personal taste. Whether you want a richer mouthfeel, brighter hop aroma, or unique flavor additions, here are a few easy ways to brew your own Red IPA with a custom twist. The Craft a Brew Red IPA Making Kit includes pre-measured malt, hops, and yeast, making it easy to experiment with these customizations while ensuring a solid base recipe. Get yours today and start brewing!

Add Flaked Oats for a Smoother Mouthfeel

If you prefer a fuller-bodied Red IPA, adding flaked oats can enhance the mouthfeel without overpowering the malt and hops. Add 3-5% flaked oats to your grain bill to create a silky texture. 

Cold Crash for Better Clarity

Want a clearer, more vibrant Red IPA? Cold crashing helps sediment drop out, leaving you with a clean, polished beer. After fermentation, lower the temperature to 34°F-40°F for 24-48 hours before bottling or kegging. This helps settle excess yeast and hop debris, improving clarity and reducing chill haze. 

Experiment with Unique Dry Hop Additions

Traditional Red IPAs use piney, citrus-forward hops, but you can customize the hop character with different dry hop choices. Classic: Use Amarillo + Centennial for Citrus, pine, and floral notes. Juicy & Tropical: Use Citra + Mosaic for Bright mango, passionfruit, and orange zest. Dank & Resinous: Use Simcoe + Columbus for Earthy, pine-heavy bitterness. 

Infuse with Citrus Zest or Oak for Extra Flavor

Want to give your home Red IPA brewing a creative twist? Try infusing with citrus zest or oak for an extra layer of flavor. Citrus Zest (Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon): Add at flameout or during secondary fermentation to boost bright citrus notes. Oak Chips or Spirals: Soak in whiskey or bourbon and add to secondary fermentation for a rich, woody depth.

Why Make Your Own Red IPA?

If you love trying the latest IPA at your local brewery, why not brew your own at home? It’s easier than you might think, and you get to play the role of head brewer in your own kitchen! Try one of Craft a Brew’s several IPA making kits, which includes everything you need to jumpstart your first IPA!

  • Brew Exactly What You Love – Whether you prefer a bitter, resinous West Coast IPA, a juicy, hazy New England IPA, or a bold, high-ABV Double IPA, homebrewing lets you fine-tune every detail—from hop selection to bitterness level. 
  • Explore New Ingredients & Techniques – Want to experiment with cryogenic hops, thiol-boosting yeast, or biotransformation? Brewing your own IPA lets you stay ahead of craft beer trends and push the boundaries of hop aroma and flavor. 
  • Always Have Fresh Beer on Hand – There’s nothing better than a pint of IPA at peak freshness. By brewing at home, you can control the process to ensure every glass is as aromatic and hop-forward as possible. 
  • It's Fun & Rewarding – The best part of brewing IPA at home? The hands-on process, creativity, and the satisfaction of cracking open a bottle of beer you made yourself. Share with friends, tweak your recipe, and keep perfecting your ultimate IPA!

Simplify the Process with the Craft a Brew IPA Making Kit

Homebrewing doesn’t have to be complicated! Our IPA starter kit simplifies the Red IPA brewing process, making it perfect for beginners and experienced brewers alike.