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Lagunitas IPA is the West Coast IPA that most resembles what the style looked like before the New England hazy movement shifted expectations, aggressively bitter, piney, with a caramel malt backbone that gives it more body than Stone IPA while remaining firmly hop-forward. Cloning it produces one of the most satisfying results in West Coast IPA homebrewing because the malt-hop balance is more forgiving than leaner West Coast expressions. I’ve brewed this clone many times and it’s a consistent crowd-pleaser.
Lagunitas IPA clone recipe (5 gallon / 19L batch)
Target stats: OG 1.060, FG 1.013, ABV ~6.2%, IBU 45, SRM 8–11, clear deep amber-gold. Grain bill: 10 lbs (4.54 kg) American two-row pale malt. 0.75 lb (340g) Crystal 40L, medium caramel for the notably more malt-forward character that distinguishes Lagunitas IPA from Stone or Pliny. 0.5 lb (340g) Crystal 60L, additional caramel depth and amber color. 0.25 lb (113g) Munich malt, bready malt character that adds to the mid-palate fullness. 0.25 lb (113g) Victory malt, toasty, slightly biscuity note that contributes to the complex malt backbone. Hops, Cascade and Centennial core with supporting varieties: Bittering (60 min): 0.75 oz Centennial, 28 IBU. Flavor (30 min): 0.5 oz Cascade. Flavor (15 min): 0.5 oz Centennial. 0.5 oz Cascade. Aroma (5 min): 0.5 oz Cascade. Whirlpool at 79°C (174°F), 20 min: 0.5 oz Centennial. 0.5 oz Cascade. Dry hop (7 days): 0.75 oz Centennial. 0.75 oz Cascade. Total dry hop: 1.5 oz. The Cascade-Centennial combination produces the distinctive grapefruit-citrus-floral aroma that defines Lagunitas IPA, it’s less piney than a Columbus/Chinook-heavy bill and more citrus-forward. Yeast: White Labs WLP001 California Ale or Fermentis US-05, clean California ale fermentation. Ferment at 18–19°C (64–66°F). Water: Moderate West Coast profile, calcium 110 ppm, sulfate 175 ppm, chloride 90 ppm. Slightly lower sulfate and higher chloride than Stone IPA clone, the higher crystal malt proportion in Lagunitas IPA benefits from more chloride to enhance malt sweetness and round out the caramel character. Process: Single infusion mash at 67°C (153°F) for 60 minutes, higher mash temperature than Stone or Pliny clones reflects the fuller body target; Lagunitas IPA should finish at 1.012–1.014 for its characteristic malt presence. 60-minute boil. Whirlpool at 79°C (174°F) for 20 minutes. Cool to 18°C (64°F), pitch. Ferment 12–14 days. Dry hop at terminal gravity for 7 days. Cold crash 48 hours. Package at 2.4 volumes CO2. Consume within 8 weeks, Lagunitas IPA’s larger crystal malt proportion means it holds its hop character slightly longer than leaner West Coast IPAs, but it’s still best fresh.
Common Questions
How does Lagunitas IPA compare to Stone IPA in the West Coast style?
Lagunitas IPA and Stone IPA are both West Coast IPAs but occupy meaningfully different positions within the style. The key differences: malt presence, Lagunitas IPA has significantly more caramel malt (1.25 lbs crystal malt versus Stone’s 1.25 lbs in similar proportions, but with Victory and Munich additions) and a higher mash temperature (67°C vs 65°C), producing a fuller-bodied, more malt-forward result. IBU, Stone IPA at 77 IBU is substantially more bitter than Lagunitas IPA at 45 IBU; the malt presence in Lagunitas balances the lower bitterness differently than Stone’s higher-bitterness lower-malt approach. Hop varieties, Lagunitas IPA’s Cascade-Centennial base produces a citrus-floral profile; Stone IPA’s Columbus-Centennial-Chinook base leans more piney and resinous. ABV, Lagunitas IPA at 6.2% ABV versus Stone IPA at 7.0% ABV; the lower ABV of Lagunitas makes it more sessionable within the IPA category. For homebrewers choosing between the two clones: if you prefer the traditional, malt-balanced West Coast IPA with citrus hop character, Lagunitas is the recipe. If you prefer an aggressive, lean, maximally bitter West Coast IPA with resinous pine character, Stone is the recipe. Both are excellent starting points for understanding the West Coast IPA style before exploring its modern hazy IPA evolution.
