XPA: the beer that redefined drinkability
Light, dry, refreshing — yet packed with all the aromatic power of an IPA. The Extra Pale Ale is a style engineered for volume, warm weather, and anyone who wants to drink well without stopping at the first glass. Welcome to the world of XPA.
What is an XPA, and why should you know it?
XPA — Extra Pale Ale — is a style born in Australia and now rapidly expanding across Europe and the United States. It is neither a lighter IPA nor an amped-up Pale Ale: it is a category of its own, with a precise philosophy. Credit for its modern definition goes to Scotty Hargrave, the brewmaster who turned a homebrew recipe into a national phenomenon with Balter XPA, launched in 2016.
Hargrave did not want a big 7% ABV beer to drink under the Queensland sun. He wanted something with "all the flavor of the new American hops — Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo — but balanced, refreshing, and manageable". That is how XPA as we know it today was born.
The pillars of the style: what makes an XPA an XPA
According to Hargrave, an authentic XPA is built on five fundamental elements:
- Moderate ABV: between 4.5% and 5% — drinkable and undemanding.
- Extra-pale grist and a dry finish: no caramel, no residual sweetness. The malt is there for fermentability, not body.
- Balanced bitterness: around 30–35 IBU, distributed throughout the brew — from first wort to whirlpool — for a profile without peaks or gaps.
- Generous hop aroma: floral and tropical, with a complexity that evolves in the glass.
- Soft mouthfeel despite the crisp, clean finish.
"It's like a tropical session IPA that finishes like a lager" — that is how Hargrave's customers describe it. It would be difficult to find a better summary.
The malt: the invisible foundation
Talking about XPA means talking about Australian malt. Blake Masoner, co-founder of Craft Coast Beer & Tacos in San Diego, spent 10 iterations trying to replicate Balter XPA — and the breakthrough came when he began using Australian base malt.
The reason is technical but decisive: Australian malts tend to have higher diastatic power than their North American counterparts. This means greater enzymatic activity, more pronounced fermentability, and — consequently — the dry, clean finish that is the style's hallmark. Masoner was so impressed by the results that he adopted these malts for his West Coast IPA as well.
Hargrave adds an important detail: precisely because these malts are so "hot" and fermentable, they need to be balanced with small additions of Munich or Carapils to prevent the beer from becoming too dry and almost bony. Wheat — including Australian wheat — also helps with head retention.
Bitterness: structure, not aggression
Balter XPA settles at around 30–32 IBU. That is not little, but it is never aggressive. The secret lies in the distribution of hop additions throughout the brew: from first wort through the whirlpool, with additions at 60, 15, and 10 minutes before the end of the boil.
"That gives you a full, saturated hop flavor, without gaps, swings, or slaps in the face", Hargrave explains. Masoner learned the same lesson the hard way: when he tried hopping only in the first wort and with a large whirlpool charge, after a month on tap his beers "tasted like absolutely nothing". The structure created during the boil is the backbone that supports everything else.
The aromatic bouquet: a journey in the glass
XPA has no strict rules about which hops to use — they may be Australian, New Zealand, or American. What matters is the profile: floral and tropical, with a complexity that evolves sip after sip.
Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker — who won a bronze medal at the GABF with his XPA in 2023 — believes thiol-rich hops, typical of Southern Hemisphere varieties, are fundamental to the style. Hargrave, on the other hand, uses almost exclusively Pacific Northwest varieties: Amarillo, Centennial, Citra, and Mosaic. His XPA initially smells of flowers, passion fruit, and mango, before shifting toward lime and citrus notes on the finish.
"I want it to smell like my wife when she gets dressed to go out to dinner", says Hargrave. An image that says everything about the care and elegance this style requires.
But beware: more is not always better. Hargrave warns against XPAs that veer toward caramelized, artificial notes — "raspberry jelly" — combined with sharp, unpleasant bitterness. Balance is everything.
Why XPA is the perfect beer to discover right now
XPA is a style that teaches. Masoner puts it plainly: working on this beer changed the way Craft Coast makes all its other beers — from water-to-grist ratios and hop quantities to dry-hop management and attenuation. It is a small beer containing big lessons.
For drinkers, it is the perfect answer for anyone who wants aromatic complexity without the effort. For IPA lovers looking for something more drinkable on summer evenings. For those approaching the world of craft beer and wanting an elegant, unintimidating introduction.
It is a beer that never tires you out. In fact, it always leaves you wanting another sip.
Explore our craft Pale Ale and IPA
If XPA has piqued your interest, the perfect starting point is our selection of craft Pale Ale and IPA: hoppy, balanced beers selected for anyone unwilling to compromise on flavor.
→ Discover the craft IPA, APA, and Pale Ale collection
Whether you are looking for your first XPA or want to explore the finest interpretations of the style from Australia, the USA, and Italy, you will find everything here. Order online, have it delivered to your door, and begin the journey.
