Key Highlights
This guide explains what is IPA beer for craft beer enthusiasts, brought to you by Beer and Wine Guide, a trusted source for beer knowledge.
- IPA stands for India Pale Ale, a hop-forward beer style with origins in 18th-century England designed to survive long sea voyages to India.
- The guide covers popular IPA styles including West Coast IPA, Hazy IPA, Double IPA, and Session IPA, highlighting their unique flavour profiles and characteristics.
- Learn about the brewing process, hop varieties, and how IPA’s higher alcohol content and hop aroma distinguish it from other beer styles.
- Discover IPA’s history, its global resurgence through the American craft beer movement, and tips for enjoying and pairing IPA beers.
What is India Pale Ale (IPA)?
India Pale Ale (IPA) has an almost cult-like following among its fans and although popular around the world, IPA is especially appreciated in the United States where sales have doubled every couple of years during the present decade. Since 2001, India Pale Ale has been the most-entered category at the world’s biggest beer competition, the Great American Beer Festival, culminating in 252 IPA entries in 2013. In the world of craft beer, India Pale Ale is at the forefront, and it might come as a surprise to find out that IPA didn’t originate in the USA or India.
IPA stands for India Pale Ale, a style of beer with various substyles rather than a single, fixed flavour profile. The style originated in the 18th century to ensure beer survived long sea voyages from Britain to India, using extra hops and higher alcohol as preservatives. The higher hop content acted as a natural preservative, preventing the beer from spoiling during the long journey. The long journey from England to India actually helped to alter and enhance the flavour of the beer.
British beers, including traditional ales and lagers, have a long-standing brewing heritage and distinct flavour profiles that set them apart from other international styles like IPAs. George Hodgson’s Bow Brewery played a key role in crafting beer that could withstand the long journey to India, with Hodgson’s ‘October beer’ specifically designed to age well during transit.
The first known written reference to ‘India Pale Ale’ was in an Australian advertisement in 1829. IPAs differ from other beers due to variations in ingredients, brewing techniques, and flavour profiles, offering a wide range of tastes compared to other beers such as lagers and darker ales.
India Pale Ale history
In 1774, Britain began increased trade with India, supported by the expansive and powerful East India Company. Among the many products exported, beer rated highly, especially amongst the seafaring traders. By the early 1800’s coke replaced wood as a kiln fuel at breweries. The higher burning temperature enabled maltsters to produce a light malt that was high in enzymes and fermentable sugars. Pale Ale was born, but it was soon noticed that these beers weren’t very stable during the long sea journey to hot and humid India.
Ever the inventive types, British brewers were able to produce a more stable beer by adding additional acidic hops to act as a natural preservative. A second method involved using yeast in beer to reduce soluble sugars and deter micro-organisms from spoiling the brew. The result was a pale, bitter, dry and slightly higher alcoholic beverage – India Pale Ale. Actually, it was referred to by many names at the time, including ‘pale export India ale’ and ‘pale ale as prepared for India’, with the earliest known use of the title ‘India Pale Ale’ in 1829 as advertised in the Sydney Gazette**and New South Wales Advertiser. The term ‘India Pale Ale’ wasn’t officially coined until 1830, during trade disputes with the East India Company.
By the 1860s, India pale ales were widely brewed in England, and they were much more attenuated and hopped than porters and ales. Demand for the export style of pale ale, which had become known as ‘India pale ale’, developed in England around 1840. American, Australian, and Canadian brewers manufactured beer with the label IPA before 1900, and records suggest that these beers were similar to English IPA of the era. However, IPA declined in popularity in the late 19th and mid 20th centuries.
The revival of IPA in modern times dates to a seminar on Burton pale ales organised by publican Mark Dorber at his pub, the White Horse, Parson’s Green, in 1990. In the late 20th century craft beer revolution in the United States, brewers began seeking out old beer styles that had fallen out of vogue, including IPA. The American craft beer scene has played a crucial role in evolving the IPA style, leading to the creation of various substyles such as West Coast IPA and New England IPA. Breweries around the world are now creating new IPA styles, often inspired by the American take on the style, but adding their own regional twists. Style guidelines help define the expected characteristics of different IPA substyles, such as bitterness and strength levels.
India Pale Ales are today found all around the world and produced with greatly varying degrees of hops, malt and alcohol levels. Some of them hardly resemble the original IPA style, with the brand suffering from beer labels jumping onto the IPA bandwagon with scant regard for the contents of the bottle. American brewers particularly have pushed the boundaries of acceptable IPA standards, but it must be said that American-style IPA has led the IPA revolution resulting in legions of devout followers, affectionately known as ‘hop-heads’.
Characteristics of IPA
IPA beer stands out in the world of craft beer for its bold, hop-forward flavour profile and distinctive aroma. What truly sets India Pale Ale apart is the generous use of extra hops during the brewing process, which imparts a vibrant hop character and a pronounced bitterness that appeals to many beer enthusiasts. The hop aroma in IPA is unmistakable, often bursting with notes of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine, making each sip a sensory experience.
The balance between malt and hops is another hallmark of this beer style. While the hops take centre stage, a well-crafted IPA will also showcase a subtle malt backbone that supports the intense flavours without overpowering them. This interplay creates a complex flavour profile that ranges from crisp and dry to slightly sweet, depending on the specific style.
IPA stands for India Pale Ale, a name that reflects its origins as a beer brewed for export to India during the British Empire. Over time, the style has evolved, and today’s IPA beers can vary widely. Popular variations include West Coast IPA, known for its assertive bitterness and clean finish; Hazy IPA, which offers a softer mouthfeel and juicy, fruit-forward flavours; and Double IPA, which amps up both the hops and the alcohol content for an even more intense experience. Across all these styles, IPA is recognised for its higher ABV compared to regular beer, making it a favourite among those who appreciate a robust, hoppy drink.
English-style India Pale Ale
The English invented the style, and have remained relatively true to tradition in typical British fashion. These beers are designed to hit the perfect sweet-spot of pale-ale manufacture. They are usually characterised by a medium-high degree of hops and bitterness along with an alcohol content that also captures the middle ground.
English-style IPA is subtle, dry and crisp with an earthy hint. Flowery hop aromas shine through in the taste, accompanied by a medium body and maltiness. Some English-style IPA’s are characterised by fruity aromas and flavours. Compared to darker ales, which tend to have a richer color, more complex roasted or malty notes, and a different brewing process, English-style IPAs are lighter in color and focus more on hop character. The bitterness in English-style IPAs is often balanced by a touch of sweetness, which enhances their drinkability and creates a harmonious flavour profile.
American-style India Pale Ale
The use of American hop varieties creates a distinctive flavour in comparison to English-style IPA’s. American IPAs are hop-forward in character and are often very bitter, typically between 40 and 70 IBUs. Within the United States itself, there are further factors that determine flavour. Breweries on the East Coast are more likely to include a stronger malt presence in the beer, balancing the hops and providing a less intense experience. East Coast breweries often use spicy European hops and malts.
IPA’s brewed on the West Coast showcase the hops in the foreground of the drinking experience. This is mostly due to the Pacific Northwest hop harvests providing an abundance for the West Coast IPA manufacturers. In fact, it is the citrus-like American hops that creates the most obvious distinction between the English and American IPA categories. American craft brewers revived IPAs in the 1970s, utilizing locally grown, citrus-heavy Cascade hops. IPAs are currently the most popular craft beer style, accounting for roughly 40-48% of craft beer sales in the US.
West Coast IPA’s often have a higher alcohol content than those from the east, and the overall inroads IPA has made in the American beer market long saturated by multi-national lager brands has been staggering. Compared to lagers, which are known for their crispness, lighter flavour, and traditional cold fermentation methods, IPAs stand out for their bold hop character, pronounced bitterness, and complex aroma profiles.
The standard IPA serves as the baseline for bitterness and strength, with substyles like Double IPA and Triple IPA pushing these boundaries further. Not all Double IPAs are more bitter than the standard IPA, but they typically have higher alcohol content and hop intensity. Many breweries treat Triple IPAs as limited or seasonal releases due to the challenge of balancing high alcohol content and hop aroma while maintaining drinkability.
Session IPAs are a popular subcategory, offering lower alcohol content and easy drinkability while retaining hop character, making them ideal for long gatherings or warm weather. Cold IPA is a newer style that combines the hop-forward flavour of traditional IPAs with the crisp, clean finish of lagers, resulting in a refreshing and balanced beer.
Carbonation plays a crucial role in IPAs, influencing bitterness perception, mouthfeel, and aroma delivery. Choosing the right glass and using proper pouring techniques help preserve and enhance a beer’s carbonation, improving the overall drinking experience and flavour expression.
Imperial and Double India Pale Ale
This is a style that has become an American favourite. Imperial or Double IPA refers to stronger variants of IPA, with alcohol content above 7.5% by volume and increased hop character. Double IPA usually contains two or three times the typical hop content plus additional malts for balance.
Triple IPAs take things further, featuring even higher hop flavours and alcohol content usually over 10% ABV, with brewers aiming to achieve balance despite their strength.
There are also other IPA styles worth exploring. Black IPA shares the bitter hoppy flavours of other IPAs but has a strong malt backbone and uses dehusked roasted malts for a darker color. White IPA combines the flavours of an American IPA and a Belgian-style witbier, often featuring citrus-forward notes and a refreshing quality. Brut IPA is intended to be reminiscent of brut sparkling wines, with a dry, thin body achieved by breaking down malt sugars more than typical ales. Cold IPA is a newer style made partially in the style of American macrolagers and partially like an American IPA, using lager yeast and fermented at warmer temperatures for a crisp, clean finish.
As expected, the result is far removed from regular American beer tastes. These IPA’s present a hoppy bounce and deep malty undertones coupled with a high ABV to match. It’s no wonder America is the home of the brave and land of the free.
There are a huge range of India Pale Ales worth trying, each with their own stylistic twist. It can be a whole new beer experience and some people, once they try India Pale Ale, become fans (hop heads) for life.
Beer Styles and IPA
As a member of the pale ales family, IPA owes much of its character to the specific brewing process and carefully selected ingredients. The grain bill for IPA typically features pale malt as the foundation, sometimes complemented by wheat or other grains to create a light, crisp base that allows the hop character to shine. This base is essential for highlighting the vibrant flavours and aromas that define the style.
The real magic of IPA comes from the hops. Brewers use a variety of hop strains, such as Cascade and Simcoe, to achieve the signature hop aroma and flavour. These hops can impart everything from citrus and pine to floral and tropical fruit notes, depending on the combination and timing of their addition. Dry hopping, a technique where hops are added late in the brewing process, is commonly used to intensify the hop aroma and create a more pronounced, hop-forward experience.
IPA styles are incredibly diverse, offering something for every palate. West Coast IPA is famous for its clear appearance, assertive bitterness, and crisp finish, while Hazy IPA (or New England IPA) is known for its cloudy look and juicy, fruit-driven flavours. Double IPA, sometimes called Imperial IPA, takes everything up a notch with more hops, more malt, and a higher ABV. English IPA tends to be more balanced and malt-forward, whereas American IPA is often bolder and more bitter, reflecting the hop-loving spirit of many U.S. brewers.
Whether you prefer the piney punch of a West Coast IPA, the smooth, juicy notes of a Hazy IPA, or the intense flavours of a Double IPA, there’s an IPA style to suit every taste. The versatility and creativity found in IPA brewing make it one of the most popular beer styles among craft beer fans worldwide.
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