By Unseen Brewing Co. | Beer Guide | Reading Time: ~5 min
The West Coast IPA was born on the American Pacific coast in the 90s — an IPA built around a simple principle: dry, bitter, crystalline. No compromises, no roundness to soften the edges. Clear Cut, 6.9% ABV, Citra, Simcoe, and Nelson Sauvin, is our direct answer to this tradition.
Born in the craft breweries of San Diego and San Francisco, the West Coast IPA established itself as the flagship style of the American craft revolution in the 90s and 2000s. Unlike its cousin the NEIPA, it doesn't seek roundness or juicy density — it seeks definition.
Visually, it stands out for its clarity: a golden to amber hue, clear, with a tight white head. No haze, no opacity. What you see is what you drink.
On the palate, the attack is sharp. Bitterness arrives quickly, clean, resinous or tropical depending on the hops. The body is dry, medium to light. The finish is long and persistent — a bitterness that lingers without weighing down the palate.
West Coast IPA vs NEIPA: Two Philosophies
The confusion between West Coast IPA and NEIPA is understandable — both IPA styles feature modern American hops. But that's where the resemblance ends.
The NEIPA plays the density and fruit card: hazy, heavy on oats and wheat, juicy, with low bitterness. It envelops. The West Coast IPA cuts through. It prefers dryness to roundness, clarity to opacity, defined bitterness to a blurry impression.
These are not two levels of quality — they are two different intentions. The West Coast IPA is for those who want a beer that knows what it is.
The Hops of Clear Cut: Citra, Simcoe, Nelson Sauvin
Citra is the hop of tropical precision: grapefruit, passion fruit, lychee. One of the highest aromatic intensities on the market, with a clean profile that doesn't waver. In Clear Cut, it lays the fruity foundation — crisp, never muddled.
Simcoe brings the resin. Pine, damp earth, dark citrus. It's the hop that grounds the beer, giving it its backbone. Without Simcoe, Citra would become too light. Together, they create a tension between freshness and depth.
Nelson Sauvin is the third element — and the least expected. Hailing from New Zealand, it brings notes of Sauvignon Blanc, white grape, almost vinous. In a West Coast IPA, it's a deliberate decision: adding a dimension that American hops alone don't achieve.
These three hops don't overlap — they complement each other. The result is an aromatic profile that evolves from nose to finish.
Dry Hopping: Why and How
Dry hopping — adding hops cold, after fermentation — is the technique that defines the aromatic intensity of a modern IPA. In a West Coast, its role is precise: to amplify aromas without adding extra bitterness.
Unlike hot hopping, which primarily extracts alpha acids responsible for bitterness, dry hopping extracts volatile essential oils — these are what give fruity, resinous, floral aromas.
In Clear Cut, dry hopping is performed in a closed fermenter, at low temperature, to preserve the delicacy of Citra and Nelson Sauvin oils. What you smell in the glass is the direct result of this control. The clarity of the beer comes from careful post-fermentation filtration — a deliberate technical choice: we could have left it hazy. We didn't.
Clear Cut: West Coast IPA Unseen Style
The name is not a vague metaphor. Clear Cut means a sharp decision — one that leaves no room for interpretation. This is exactly what this beer does in the glass.
6.9% ABV: not too low to lack presence, not too high to mask the hops. A deliberate balance that allows the aromatic profile to express itself without being overwhelmed by alcohol.
On the nose: pink grapefruit, slightly musky white grape, a hint of pine resin. Citra and Nelson Sauvin share the foreground. Simcoe waits in the background.
On the palate: the attack is dry and crisp. Bitterness arrives mid-palate — resinous, long, without aggressiveness. The body is medium, never heavy. The finish is dry, persistent, with a light citrus return.
This is a beer for those who want an IPA that knows what it is — not sweetened, not rounded to please everyone. Precise, dry, direct. That's Unseen.