Craft Beer & Brewing

Brian Hutchinson

Cannonball Creek’s Guide to Brewing World-Class IPA and Pale Ale at Any Scale

Brewing Course

The Colorado brewpub that’s won a slew of medals for its hop-forward beers over the past 13 years lays out its approach to high-impact flavor and quality at small scale.

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Despite being a small brewpub with relatively simple kit, Cannonball Creek is among the country’s winningest breweries at the Great American Beer Festival—and it's doing it in some of the most competitive, hop-forward categories. In this course, cofounder and brewer Brian “Hutch” Hutchinson lays out Cannonball Creek’s focused approach to brewing world-class West Coast–style IPAs, session IPAs, and American pale ales at small scale.

Based in Golden, Colorado, the brewpub is beloved among locals but also among brewers from across the country. That tends to happen when you win medals at 13 straight Great American Beer Festivals and counting—that’s every single one since the brewpub opened in 2013. Hutch and team have pulled this off despite being somewhat limited by small, relatively simple equipment. In this course, he lays out exactly how they do it.

Along the way, he discusses:

  • adjusting water profiles for West Coast–style IPA, session IPA, and pale ale
  • going for the palest, leanest possible base malts for IPA—but not necessarily for pale ale or session IPA
  • selecting hops for high-impact fruit flavors while avoiding less desirable characteristics
  • using late additions of CO2 hop extract to get more saturated flavor
  • why they embrace a diacetyl-free Chico strain instead of ALDC enzyme
  • why New Zealand hops and their sulfur content are important to Cannonball Creek’s West Coast–style hoppy beers
  • getting clarity with Biofine and time, even with haze-promoting New Zealand hops
  • the restrained, careful use of advanced hop products on the cold side
  • adjusting hop profiles and quantities for session IPA and pale ale
  • the Cannonball Creek approach to dry hopping
  • taking advantage of hop creep for drier hop-forward beers
  • adjusting carbonation for aroma and the perception of dryness
  • the philosophy of constant evolution—even with medal-winning recipes

And more.

Featuring:

Brian Hutchinson

Brian Hutchinson

Cofounder + Head Brewer, Cannonball Creek Brewing

Lessons

Welcome

1. Welcome

Brian “Hutch” Hutchison offers a brief overview of this course, where he’ll lay out Cannonball Creek’s approach to modern, award-winning West Coast–style IPAs, session IPAs, and American pale ales.

Water

2. Water

While Cannonball Creek is lucky to have great, soft water in Golden, Colorado, they still make some adjustments to dial in the sulfites-to-chloride ratio—and that ratio varies somewhat depending on the style.

Malt Selection

3. Malt Selection

From the leanest, palest possible base for West Coast–style IPAs to slightly bigger body in lighter styles, Hutch explains—among other details—why the lighter styles get German pilsner malt but the IPAs don’t.

Hot-Side Hopping

4. Hot-Side Hopping

Hutch explains Cannonball Creek’s approach to selecting high-impact hops, as well as how they typically go about their kettle and whirlpool additions—and how those differ somewhat, depending on the style.

Yeast and Fermentation

5. Yeast and Fermentation

Cannonball Creek lately favors a diacetyl-free Chico strain; Hutch explains why, while also laying out their typical fermentation temperatures and other key details.

Dry Hopping

6. Dry Hopping

While Cannonball Creek is considering the blending of different hop aromas, they’re especially looking for intensity—and that often means including some New Zealand hops in the blend. Hutch shares some typical and successful blends while also discussing the importance of sulfur content for impactful, long-lasting hop aroma.

Finishing

7. Finishing

Hutch explains their process for adding Biofine, allowing some time, and transferring to brites or serving tanks.

Carbonation

8. Carbonation

Cannonball Creek goes for higher carbonation with its West Coast–style IPAs but prefers to dial that back for session IPA and pale ale.

The Philosophy of Constant Evolution

9. The Philosophy of Constant Evolution

At Cannonball Creek, winning a major medal doesn’t mean a beer has reached its ideal form. On the contrary, Hutch and the team are constantly tweaking and making improvements, and medal-winning beers can change significantly from year to year. An important part of that process is drinking the beers of their friends and always thinking about how they can improve their own.

Wrapping It Up

10. Wrapping It Up

Last words on philosophy—and an invitation.