What is IPA Beer? IPA is a broad family of beers that are technically a style of Pale Ale which also includes English and American pale ales and blonde beers. IPA original stood for India Pale Ale and there is a popular myth that it was first made in the eighteenth century by an enterprising English brewer called George Hodgson of the Bow Brewery in London. The story goes order to be able to withstand the long sea journey to India he concocted a beer with a sufficiently high alcohol content and lots of hops to help prevent the beer going off. Unfortunately, the truth is a little more complicated, brewers had already been successfully exporting other beers and ales amongst them porters that made the journey without the extra hopping. Indeed, to this day dark ales and beers are still popular in countries with hot climates from Sri Lanka to the West Indies.
What is certain is that traditional English IPAs evolved to having a relatively high alcohol content and a strong bitterness from the large amounts of hopping. Since then, a variety of styles of IPA have been developed with much of the flavour depending on what hops are added and when they are added during the brewing process. So, let’s look at English IPA’s first, they are hoppy, but they also rely on malt and the yeast to build their flavour profile. They are generally balanced with plenty of body and biscuity, floral, and fruity aromas and flavours.
In 1970’s America and the start of a craft brewing revolution there was a change to a fresher style, West Coast IPA’s with even more (American) hops add during the boil, this lead to intense aromas with floral notes and even hints of freshly mown grass, a high level of bitterness, and tons and tons of citrus and pine resin flavours. There is some maltiness but not as discernible as it’s English cousin. New England or Hazy IPAs have a lot more hops added post fermentation and are often unfiltered, they are juicy, smooth, and easy to drink with lots of tropical fruit flavours.
Double and Triple IPAs have more hops and malt added so you get more intense hoppy flavours, more caramel notes, and more alcohol. Session IPAs are brewed with less alcohol so are less demanding and are a great summer refreshing summer beer to drink. There are also an increasing number of speciality IPAs, including Belgium IPAs made with Belgium yeasts, Brown and Black IPAs made with darker roasted malts and White IPAs which are cloudy like Belgium whit beers and are often made with the addition of coriander seeds and orange peel as well as plenty of hops. Finally, if you have a sweet tooth Milkshake or Smoothie IPAs are often brewed with lactose and have a sweet, milky base.
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