What Makes Midwest Beer Different From West Coast Brews?

Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic traditions on earth, and it's now a global phenomenon. But in addition to the many types of beer that exist around the world, there are also regional specialties. While Midwest beer may not ring an immediate bell to you, it's a regional style with distinctions all its own. You can find all types of beer — from wheat beers to lagers — across the Midwestern U.S., but the one variety that distinguishes itself from the rest is the region's IPAs.

The West Coast brewing scene is famous for its IPAs, also known as India Pale Ales. While there are many IPA styles, the West Coast IPA is known to be especially bitter with a high hop taste and aroma. They're also very refreshing, with a clear and transparent light colored hue. Hazy IPAs — a style more associated with New England — are cloudy and opaque, with a juicier mouthfeel and fruity flavor. Much like its geographic origin, Midwest IPAs bridge the gap between the two.

The Midwest IPA gives you the light body and clear, transparent golden hue of the West Coast IPA combined with the low bitterness and bright, fruity, hoppy aromas of the Hazy IPA. It also has a breadier, maltier base without being as sweet as the New England IPA.

The Midwest is home to some very famous breweries, from the cult-followed Pabst Brewery Company out of Wisconsin to Miller High Life and Busch Light. But the Midwest also has as diverse and vibrant a craft beer scene, with many unique styles brought from older traditions. For example the Midwest has a large German influence, with many craft breweries offering Dortmunder Lagers, which are Pilsner-adjacent lagers with more malt and a fuller body. Harsh Midwestern winters also call for robust, heavier beers, and Midwestern breweries oblige with a solid selection of stouts and barrel-aged options.

If you're sticking with the Midwest IPA, their fruity, hoppy, and refreshing profiles are great choices to enjoy during the spring and summer. Midwest-grown hops are fruitier than West Coast hops, giving more tropical fruit and citrus notes. Consequently, the Midwestern IPA would work well to bring brightness and cut through the richness of spicy food, grilled meat, fried foods, and pizza. If you really wanted to enjoy a culinary ode to the Midwest, pair a Midwest IPA with Chicago-style or Detroit-style deep-dish pizza. In fact, there's a whole list of foods that the Midwest does best to wash down with a Midwest IPA.