How to Brew Session IPA

A Session IPA requires a lighter malt base than a standard IPA to reduce the final alcohol content while maintaining a smooth, drinkable body. Less fermentable malt sugar = less potential alcohol.  

• Pilsen Dry Malt Extract (DME) – A clean, highly fermentable base that provides a mild malt backbone while keeping the beer light. We suggest 0.8 - 1 Lb DME per gallon to keep the ABV within “session” range.
• Carapils - Promotes good head retention in your glass. 
• Vienna or Caramel 10L Malt (Used Sparingly) – Adds a subtle touch of body and slight sweetness without overpowering the hops. 
• Flaked Oats or Wheat (Optional for Hazy Session IPAs) – Provides a slight increase in mouthfeel while contributing to haze stability in Hazy Session IPAs.

Since Session IPAs have a lower malt presence, hop character is the star of the show! The best way to achieve bold hop aroma without excessive bitterness is by focusing on late boil additions and dry hopping. 

• Mosaic – Bright tropical fruit flavors with mango, peach, and citrus notes. 
• Citra – Intensely aromatic, with grapefruit, orange, and tropical undertones. 
• Simcoe – Adds piney depth and a touch of earthiness. 
• El Dorado (Optional) – Boosts juicy, stone-fruit character for extra complexity. 
• Pro Tip: Limit bittering hops (added at 60 minutes in the boil) to prevent excessive bitterness from overwhelming the beer’s crisp drinkability. Instead, focus on post-boil hop additions and dry hopping for maximum aroma.

A Session IPA should have a clean, crisp fermentation that highlights hop character without adding excessive sweetness or esters. The right yeast strain will ensure that the final beer is refreshing and well-balanced. 

• US-05 Dry Ale Yeast – A top choice for Session IPAs, fermenting clean and neutral to let the hops shine. 
• Nottingham Ale Yeast – Offers high attenuation, which helps dry out the beer and prevent excessive malt sweetness. 
• BRY-97 West Coast Ale Yeast – Another clean option that allows hop aroma to take center stage.

Want to skip ingredient shopping? The Craft a Brew Funky Buddha Chant IPA Beer Recipe Kit includes all the pre-measured malts you need for a perfectly balanced Session IPA!

A stock pot is essential for boiling your wort. When brewing Session 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.
• Thermometer

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. The Craft a Brew IPA making kit includes a fermenter, airlock, and all necessary brewing accessories, making it easy to brew Session 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.

Temperature control is key to how to brew the best IPA at home. A classic glass lab thermometer is included in every Craft a Brew IPA making kit, but a digital thermometer works just as well. A thermometer helps maintain key brewing temperatures: 

• Mash temperature: 155ºF for steeping grains. 
• Yeast pitching temperature: Below 75ºF for clean fermentation.

A funnel helps you transfer wort into your fermenter efficiently, reducing risk of spills.

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

• Ten 12oz pry-off bottles & crown caps 
• Eight 16oz pry-off bottles & caps, or
• Four 32oz pry-off bottles & caps

When using large hop additions, a nylon hop straining bag helps keep hop matter out of the fermenter and bottles, preventing grassy flavors and excess sediment.

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 
• Set a 20-minute timer. No hops will be added to this boil.

Step 5: Cooling the Wort & Adding Hops

• Quickly cool the wort to below 75°F by placing the pot in an ice bath in your sink. Add hops to the kettle during the ice bath. This is called the “Whirlpool” technique and extracts major hop flavor and aroma, without any bitterness.
• 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. Refer to the temperature recommendation on your yeast packet. Most IPA yeasts ferment best between 65-75ºF.

• 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 Session IPA at home, as it enhances hop aroma without increasing bitterness. This technique is almost always used in any modern IPA or hazy IPA, but can be used in intensely bitter IPAs like West Coast IPAs, too. 

• Add dry hops directly into the fermenter through the lid hole. 
• Seal the fermenter again and let the hops infuse for 5 days.

Now that fermentation is complete, 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! 

✅ How to Avoid It: 

• Use late-boil hop additions (last 15 minutes) to emphasize aroma over bitterness. 
• Focus on post-boil and dry hopping to achieve a big juicy hop presence without overwhelming bitterness. 
• Stick to lower-alpha acid hops like Citra, Mosaic, or El Dorado instead of high-alpha, aggressive bittering hops.

✅ How to Avoid It: Use a siphon or racking cane to transfer beer without excessive splashing. Dry hop quickly and efficiently—keep the fermenter closed as much as possible.  

✅ How to Avoid It: 

• Ferment at 64-68°F (18-20°C) for a clean, crisp profile. 
• Use a temperature-controlled space or a simple water bath to maintain stable fermentation temps. 
• Choose a highly attenuative yeast like US-05 to ensure a dry finish that enhances drinkability.

✅ How to Avoid It: 

• Use a balanced malt base with Pilsen Dry Malt Extract for a light yet flavorful foundation. 
• Consider adding a small amount of wheat or dextrin malt to improve mouthfeel without increasing ABV. 
• If using enzymes (like amylase) to boost attenuation, use them sparingly to prevent the beer from drying out too much.

A Session IPA should be packed with hop flavor and aroma, but with a smooth bitterness that doesn’t overpower the light body. The key to this balance is late hop additions and dry hopping rather than relying too much on bittering hops. 

• Focus on late-boil hop additions (last 15 minutes) for bold hop flavor without excess bitterness. 
• Use Citra, Mosaic, or El Dorado for juicy, tropical hop notes. 
• Dry hop generously after fermentation slows down (around Day 10) to boost aroma without adding extra bitterness. 
• Avoid bittering hops like Columbus or Chinook, which can be too aggressive in a low-ABV beer.

Since Session IPAs have a light malt backbone, you want to avoid fermentation flaws that could make the beer taste off-balance. A clean, neutral fermentation allows the hops to shine without unwanted fruity esters or harsh alcohol notes.

• Ferment at 64-68°F (18-20°C) for a clean, crisp finish. 
• Use US-05 or Nottingham Ale Yeast for high attenuation and a dry, drinkable body. 
• Avoid yeasts that leave behind too much residual sweetness, as this can clash with the intended crispness.

 If you're wondering, "How do I brew Session IPA at home without the guesswork?", starting with a high-quality IPA Making Kit takes the stress out of brewing. The Funky Buddha Chant IPA Beer Recipe Kit by Craft a Brew includes pre-measured malt, hops, and yeast, plus step-by-step instructions, so you can brew Session IPA at home with ease.

While Session IPAs share many similarities with traditional IPAs, they have a lower ABV (usually under 5%), making them more crushable and easy-drinking. To achieve this, brewers must adjust the malt bill, hop additions, and fermentation process. 

Key Differences in the Session IPA Brewing Process: 

• Lower malt content to reduce fermentable sugars and keep ABV low. 
• Late-boil and dry hop additions to maximize hop aroma without excessive bitterness. 
• Clean, highly attenuating yeast to ensure a crisp, dry finish. 

A good Session IPA yeast should ferment cleanly and completely, leaving behind a crisp, dry finish that complements the hops. 

• US-05 (SafAle American Ale Yeast) – A neutral, highly attenuating yeast that enhances hop character. 
• Nottingham Ale Yeast – A slightly fruity yeast that helps round out hop flavors. 
• LalBrew BRY-97 West Coast Ale Yeast – Ferments clean with a dry, slightly bitter finish—ideal for West Coast-style Session IPAs.

Because Session IPAs have a lighter malt base, hops need to be the main attraction—but bitterness needs to stay in check to maintain balance. 

• Use post-boil hop additions (flameout or whirlpool) to boost juicy hop character without increasing bitterness. 
• Dry hop generously after fermentation slows (around Day 10) for maximum aroma. 
• Choose hops known for bright, fruity, and citrusy aromas, such as Citra, Mosaic, and El Dorado.