West Coast IPA is the original American IPA blueprint: a clear, gold-to-amber pour with a firm, lingering bitterness built on hops like Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe, and Citra. Expect pine, resin, and grapefruit pith rather than juice, a drier finish than most modern IPAs, and typically 6.5-7.5% ABV. Where Hazy IPA softens bitterness and clouds the beer for a juicier, rounder drink, West Coast IPA keeps the malt bill lean and the hops sharp, letting the bitterness show through clearly. It's the style most brewers mean when they say "IPA" without a qualifier, before the hazy wave took over that default.