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Original Cold IPA

Wayfinder Beer
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🌍 United States · Cold IPA · One of 9 Cold IPAs in hopIQ

The beer that gave the Cold IPA its name, first brewed in October 2018 as a drier, cleaner answer to the West Coast IPA. An adjunct lager grist with rice or corn is fermented warm with lager yeast to high attenuation, dry-hopped while still fermenting and filtered bright. Pale straw and clear, it opens with pineapple, lime, orange zest and white grapefruit over pine resin and a herbal, honeysuckle-like edge. A thin, cracker-like malt base leads to firm bitterness and a very dry, crisp finish.

ABV
7%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
SRM
golden8
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Substantial body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Firm bitter edge.
mildbitter
Texture
Balanced mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Dry and firmly bitter.

The grain stays in the background so every note the beer offers can come from the hops.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Cold IPA.
No character signal.

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Original Cold IPA

◎ Appearance

Pale straw in color with excellent clarity and a bright, luminous quality. A thin, delicate head forms and recedes quickly, leaving minimal lacing on the glass. The carbonation is crisp and well-defined, contributing to the beer's clean, refreshing presentation.

pale strawcrystal clearfine carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with bright citrus notes—prominent pineapple and lime, followed by orange zest and white grapefruit. A secondary layer of pine resin and herbal character emerges, with a delicate honeysuckle-like floral edge that adds complexity. The overall profile is clean and aromatic, with no yeast-derived esters or adjunct grain character clouding the hop expression.

tropical citruspine resinherbal honeysucklehop-forward

◐ Taste

The palate enters lean and crisp, with a thin, cracker-like malt base that provides structure without sweetness. The citrus and pine from the aroma persist on the mid-palate, leading into a firm, assertive bitterness that builds steadily. The malt-to-hop balance favors the hops, creating a clean, dry sensation throughout.

crisp citrusfirm bitternessdry malt backbone

◑ Finish

The finish is very dry and snappy, with lingering hop bitterness and a slight pine resin aftertaste. No sweetness remains; the beer fades cleanly with a bracing, mineral-like dryness.

dry finishlingering bitterness
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
81
Appearance
80
Finish
81
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Original Cold IPA

Serve at 8–11°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Tulip glass
Recommended for this style

The curved shape concentrates hop aromas and supports a thick head. Essential for aromatic ales and IPAs where the nose is half the experience.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Original Cold IPA

About Cold IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Cold IPA?

IPAs are hop-forward ales with 5.5–7.5% ABV and IBU 40–70+. Bold hop aroma — citrus, tropical, resinous — with firm bitterness and a dry, clean finish.

Finding a similar Cold IPA

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same flavor character as Original Cold IPA will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Cold IPAs in hopIQ

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