From new craft beer fans to veteran hop heads, there’s one beer style that crosses more groups than any other: the IPA. IPAs (or India Pale Ales) are the single most popular beer style in the United States — and for good reason. They’re tasty, packed full of flavor and exist in a dizzying array of varieties. They also have deep roots in history.
To celebrate #IPADay, read the post below to add to your beer knowledge and then check out our BEER FINDER to find an IPA near you!
India Pale Ale: An Origin Story
Back in the late 1700’s, the style was the answer to the problem of providing beer for the British Empire in the east. Conditions weren’t ideal for brewing beer in India, so British brewers needed a way for the beverage to survive the epic six-month overseas journey. Since hops are a natural preservative, they kicked up the hop input and more or less invented what we now know as the India Pale Ale.
Centuries later, American brewers would take the style and push it to new extremes, stretching and innovating in exciting ways. They packed them full of hops, doubled their alcohol content, brewed low ABV, “sessionable” versions and experimented with new hop varieties and methods along the way. Because of this, IPA’s are now mostly considered to be an American style. The beer has been on a peculiar journey — originally created by the British to drink in India and then ressurected by the Americans and now, IPAs are enjoying widespread popularity around the world.
A Brief Treatise on Hops
Hops (Humulus lupulus) is a climbing vine of to the genus Humulus in the family Cannabaceae… it’s also one of the main ingredients in beer. Think about them as the spice in your beer soup. While IPAs are known for their high bitterness as measured by Internal Bittering Units (IBUs), hops do more than just add this famous acerbic flavor. They add aroma, they fight off bacteria and infection and bring balance to the beer’s malts. They’re also incredibly varied, with different varieties and “hopping methods” contributing vastly different characteristics. From Cascade to Centennial, Chinook to Columbus, to new hop varieties being experimented with all the time, hops range the flavor spectrum widely.
A Few Examples
As a beer distributor, Lakeshore Beverage has a wide variety of IPAs in our portfolio. Here are a few great examples:
Goose Island IPA
Goose Island’s IPA is a hop lover’s dream with a fruity aroma, set off by a dry malt middle, and long hop finish. It’s also multi-award winning, taking a medal at the Great American Beer Festival six times.
Ale Syndicate Municipal IPA
Ale Syndicate’s Municipal IPA is an all-Crystal ale, giving it a floral aroma and slightly spicy flavor. Well-balanced and refreshing, it’s everything we think a good IPA should be.
Founder’s All Day IPA
Founder’s All Day IPA is a flavor-packed hop-forward beer that allows you to keep your senses sharp. It’s naturally brewed with a complex array of malts, grains and hops and balanced for optimal aromatics and a clean finish. And, with its low alcohol percentage, it’s the perfect reward for an honest day’s work and the ultimate companion to the rest of the summer.
