NEIPA, WCIPA, DIPA…
If you’ve ever looked at a beer list and wondered what any of this actually means, you’re not alone. While ‘IPA beer’ once referred to a fairly defined style, today it has become one of the most diverse and fast-evolving family of beers.
As explored in our APA vs IPA guide, modern IPAs are already a reinterpretation of a historical English style. But over time, brewers have continued to experiment with ingredients and techniques, creating a wide range of expressions that can differ dramatically in flavour, texture and appearance.
This is why two beers labelled ‘IPA’ can taste completely different in the glass.
These acronyms refer to different IPA styles, and help explain what the beer will taste like. So what do they actually mean and why are there so many of them?
Why are there so many IPA styles?
The answer lies in how much the style has evolved.
The original India pale ales of the 19th century were highly hopped pale ales exported from England to India. However, most IPAs you encounter today are based on a modern interpretation that emerged in the United States in the 1970s. These beers used new American hop varieties, bringing pronounced citrus, tropical fruit or resinous hop aromas and the potential for high bitterness.
As brewers pushed the style further, they began creating noticeably different versions. Some emphasised clarity and bitterness, while others focused on fruit character, mouthfeel or alcohol strength. These differences became significant enough that brewers needed a way to signal them clearly.
That’s where the acronyms come in. They act as a form of shorthand, helping you understand what to expect.
IPA styles explained
IPAs today are less a single, fixed style and more a broad family of hop-forward beers. While they share a common focus on hop aroma and flavour, they can vary widely in bitterness, appearance, mouthfeel and alcohol level depending on how they are brewed.
The styles below represent some of the most common expressions of IPA you’re likely to encounter.
WCIPA (West Coast IPA)
Clear, dry and firmly bitter, with citrus, pine and resin-led hop character.
The term West Coast IPA is often used to describe the classic American IPA style. These beers are typically clear and range from gold to amber in colour, with high bitterness and a dry finish.
They display prominent hop aromas, commonly from American hop varieties, including citrus, pine and resin. While hop character dominates, there may be subtle malt notes such as bread or biscuit providing balance.
NEIPA (New England IPA / Hazy IPA / Juicy IPA)
Hazy, soft and ‘juicy’, with intense tropical and citrus fruit character and lower bitterness.
Hazy IPA represents a distinct departure from more traditional IPA styles. It is typically straw to gold in colour with a distinctly hazy appearance.
The aroma profile is dominated by hops, showing pronounced notes of tropical fruit, citrus and stone fruit, often described as ‘juicy’. Bitterness is low to medium, and the mouthfeel is smooth and often described as silky.
This texture is often enhanced by the use of wheat or oats. Dry hopping (adding hops later in the brewing process, typically during or after fermentation) is used to intensify hop aroma, and the beer is usually unfiltered, contributing to its hazy appearance.
DIPA (Double IPA / Imperial IPA)
Stronger and more intense, with higher alcohol and amplified hop aroma and bitterness.
Double IPAs are very similar in style to American IPAs but are higher in alcohol, often high to very high. This increased strength can give a slight warming quality.
It also shows even more intense hop aromas and bitterness, typically derived from American hop varieties. These elevated hop levels help to balance the increased alcohol and maintain the overall structure of the beer.
Session IPA
Lower alcohol but still hop-driven, offering a lighter and more approachable take on the style.
The term session IPA is used to describe an IPA-style beer with lower alcohol. These beers retain hop aroma and flavour but are lighter in body and more approachable, making them similar in strength and structure to an American pale ale.
And the rest…
Given the popularity of the IPA, brewers have continued to experiment with the style, resulting in a wide range of variations. These are often defined by a twist in ingredients, colour or brewing technique.
Black IPA is dark in colour due to the use of roasted malts, which give coffee and chocolate notes, but it still retains a strong hop-forward character as well. Red IPA uses darker malts to create a reddish hue and a slightly richer, more caramelised profile alongside the hops. Brown IPA combines hop character with deeper malt notes such as toast, nuts or light chocolate.
Rye IPA includes rye in the grain bill, adding a subtle spice and dryness. Brut IPA is brewed to be extremely dry, with very little residual sugar, giving a light and crisp character. Fruited IPA incorporates fruit additions to enhance or complement hop-derived aromas, while Milkshake IPA uses lactose to create a fuller, sweeter and creamier mouthfeel and is often brewed with the addition of fruit.
Belgian IPA combines hop-forward character with the fruity and spicy notes produced by Belgian yeast strains.
Regardless of the variation, hop aroma remains a key feature of the style.
What these IPA styles actually tell you
These acronyms are essentially shorthand for a few key differences:
- Bitterness – from high in West Coast styles to lower in hazy styles
- Appearance – from clear to intentionally hazy
- Aroma –from resinous and piney to intensely fruity and tropical hop aromas and in some cases additional aromas from a twist on ingredients
- Alcohol – from lighter session-strength beers to high-strength double IPAs
Understanding these elements makes it much easier to navigate a beer list or shop shelf, even if you’ve never encountered a particular style before.
Making sense of IPA styles
What started as a single style has become a broad and evolving family of beers shaped by innovation, ingredients and changing tastes. The growing range of IPA styles reflects just how versatile the style has become.
Rather than adding complexity, these terms are there to guide you. Once you understand what they represent, they become a useful shorthand for discovering new styles and finding the flavours you enjoy most.
Explore beer with WSET
If you’d like to explore how hop varieties, brewing techniques and style choices influence beers like these, WSET’s beer qualifications offer a structured way to build your tasting skills and understanding across a wide range of styles.
Content published on this page does not constitute official WSET course material and should not be used as such. For corporate news and our latest press releases, please visit our news page.
