Hoppy Ever After: A Guide to IPAs
It wasn’t so long ago that everyone was making fruited kettle sours, and almost nothing but. It also felt like most of them were the same base beer with the fruit being the differentiator. The sours still exist but have settled into a more appropriate portion of the menu. IPA has once again taken over the taps, with a heavy lean towards the East Coast style.
If you are new to craft beer, or maybe just to IPAs, life can get a bit confusing, but in a wonderful way. Like, what’s a cold IPA? Is there a warm IPA? That sounds terrible. Hopefully this will clear things a little bit. IPAs are a big, beautiful showcase for the crazy and diverse world of hop aromas. They’ve had their ups and downs, but have been around for a long time, and will continue to live on.
A Quick History of the IPA
Not unlike Porter and Roquefort Cheese, the origins of India Pale Ales are often subject to misinformation. A frequently repeated story is that they were invented by George Hodson of Bow Brewery. While he was involved as we will see, by no means did he invent it.
Beer from England had been exported to various places since the 1500s, and moving into the 1700s, some of that beer was going to India. Despite little to no understanding of microbes, which includes yeast, brewers of the time were yet very aware that hoppier, higher alcohol beer tended to survive longer. “Survive”, of course, is relative. With hygiene and sanitation being what it was, it is likely that precisely zero of these beers weren’t a zoo of unintended critters and strange flavours. In fact, most would have become sour pretty quickly. Either way, these stronger beers seemed to arrive somewhat intact. One clever technique was to ship the beer young so it aged on the ship, instead of shipping them once they reached target maturity. All that sloshing around would still have accelerated oxidation. Wild temperature fluctuations would have contributed even more undesirable characteristics, but at least the beer might have a chance of being consumed before it was half past dead.
The dominant player in Britain’s trade with India was The East India Company. Fortuitously, for a brewer by the name of George Hodgson, they were located just down the river from his Bow Brewery. As a result of this proximity and a solid relationship between the two, Bow became the primary supplier of beer destined for India. This arrangement has fueled the misconception that Hodgson invented IPA. It was simply a paler beer for export, and in reality, the word India didn’t sneak its way into the labeling or marketing of any of these beers until the late 1830s.
About 190km northwest of London, Burton-on-Trent, was becoming a major brewing center, Brewers had discovered that the local water, which is high in sulfates, produced a drier, crisper beer. Consumers noticed too. A lot of Burton beer was being exported to Russia at the time and the river Trent fed into various canals up to the port at Hull, providing access to the North Sea and then the Baltic Sea. The Napoleonic wars, however, proved to be a major hurdle, and alongside various tariffs, trade with Russia ceased. The Burton Brewers, whose production vastly outpaced the local demand, needed a new distribution channel. In a fortunate turn of events, for the Burton Brewers anyways, The East India Company was becoming less enchanted with Bow and Hodgson, whose shift in practices were causing increasing concern. Negotiations began between the East India Company and several of the Burton brewers, and soon attempts were underway to formulate a replica of Bow’s Ale. By the late 1830s Burton’s Allsopp’s Brewery and Bass Brewery were shipping more beer to India than Bow. Dramatic improvements in transportation infrastructure in England came about 1839, allowing for much easier domestic shipping and India Pale Ale became more and more popular at home in England. Note that the word “ India” was starting creeping into marketing around 1835, was used liberally in the 1840s, and by the 1850s India Pale Ale was the official name given to this style of beer. 1840-1870 saw exponential growth in demand for IPA, and as this demand grew, brewers from London to Edinburgh were brewing the beer to meet demand.
The first brewers in the United States of America were concentrated in the North-East. Their beers were based on English styles using English recipes, which stands to reason, and so American IPAs were still really just English IPAs. A lot of beer however was still being imported, so they must not have locked it down quite yet. In Canada, brewing much was the same. The major brewers Labbats and Molsons each eventually brewed an IPA, both of which are long gone. Alexander Keith’s of Nova Scotia’s IPA survives to this day. It has lower alcohol and lower bitterness than modern IPAs.
The effects of prohibition, various temperance movements, and a couple of World Wars catalyzed a series of taxations, limitations, and restrictions on brewing. The result was lower gravity of almost every beer, everywhere, and IPA was not spared the rod. Hopping rates dropped as well, and an IPA was now a low alcohol, low bitterness, lightly hopped ale. Until today, Greene King IPA remains so low that the BJCP lists it as a commercial example for Ordinary Bitter.
IPAs continued to be produced of course, but popularity waned. The export market also suffered.
In America, Ballentines seems to have been the only major IPA that survived prohibition. It was described as strong, bitter, and dry hopped, which could be applied to most India Pale Ales today. The popularity faded however in the 1960s, and finally, in the 1990s, Ballentines IPA was laid to rest.
At the dawn of American craft brewing, in 1975 Anchor Brewing released Anchor Liberty Ale. Then, in 1981 Sierra Nevada released Celebration Ale. Neither of these used the term IPA, that honour went to Grant’s IPA in 1983, but they were, and still are, considered to be the first modern American IPAs. Paramount was the use of American hops, specifically from the Pacific Northwest and particularly a hop called Cascade, which would go on to solidify the American IPA style. This pine, resin, and grapefruit expressing hop was vastly different from the herbal woody earthy aromas of jolly old England, and would forever change the face of American ales.
Craft brewing really took off in the 1990s and the IPA became a staple for most breweries. Hoppiness and bitterness continued to evolve and increase, eventually leading to the advent of styles like the double IPA, and then the triple IPA, along with a plethora of variations we shall discuss shortly.
So that’s how we got here, let’s look at where we are.
The Classics
English IPA
The maltiest of the lot, usually average to above average strength, bitter and hoppy. The hops tend to be decidedly British, meaning minty, woody, spicy, and earthy. There is a malt presence here too, and not just lurking in the shadows. The caramel flavours shine through, sometimes accompanied by toasted bread notes. The balance is bitter, but this is vastly understated and smooth when compared with some of the American versions. Drink this anytime.
West Coast IPA
This is the OG American IPA. A classic West Coast IPA will be piney, resiny, grapefruit, with unmistakable dankness. Dank is hard to describe. Hops are cousins with cannabis so that might help paint the picture a little bit. I sometimes think of it as a damp evergreen forest floor, but even that doesn’t quite capture it. You’ll know it when you encounter it. Variations using some of the newer hops will have different aroma expressions, many being big bouquets of tropical fruits. It’s really quite wide open. This beer is bitter, and can be aggressively so. Malt is going to show up, because it’s beer, but you won’t really notice it, and it’s there to keep your mouth from turning inside out. The finish will be dry and bitter, with lingering hop flavour. Bitterness varies depending on the brewer, but the listed IBUs should be a decent indicator, as there are fewer variables to counteract it. You can drink this anywhere, any time.
The New England IPA (NEIPA), Hazy IPA, Juicy IPA
Same style, many names. Usually showcasing newer hop varieties expressed by a bouquet of tropical fruit, and a hazy appearance from oats and or wheat. It’s less resin and dankness, and more fruit. Typical are tangerine, mango, peaches and apricots. Pineapple and coconut are common, sometimes kiwi, lychee, melon. Grapefruit makes its way in here too but less pithy, more fleshy if that makes sense. The NEIPA style is less aggressively bitter and has a creamier mouthfeel and slightly higher perception of sweetness. A less diligent brewer can lose control of the haze and end up producing what Dr. Charlie Bamforth would refer as a glass of chicken soup. The real issue though is if the suspended hop polyphenols are high enough to trigger what is known as hop burn. You’ll know it when it happens, it hurts and your throat feels like it’s closing. Most examples are refreshing, tasty and accessible though. Exceptional versions will be complex, with such a variety of fruit aromas that it will take some time and patience to pick apart.
The “Colour” IPAs
White IPA
Essentially a Belgian witbier crossed with an IPA. It can be an IPA with witbier yeast, or a highly hopped witbier, with or without coriander and orange peel. Either way, it’s refreshing, fruity, bitter, hoppy and dry. This is a summer beer.
Red IPA
This is a good idea and is usually executed well. It’s really just a hoppier, more bitter amber/red ale. If you are interested in some caramel, toasted bread type malt, but more aggressive bitterness and more hop, this is the beer.
Brown IPA
You might want to call this a more bitter and more hoppy brown ale. And that might be a good description. Another way to look at it is as an IPA with more malt presence, expressed in chocolate, toffee and some dark fruits like dried prunes. It won’t be too sweet, but you need to be in the mood for something maltier and less dry than a classic IPA. This is a good beer for fall, or a summer barbecue where some big bold dishes need a strong liquid counterpart.
Black IPA, (Cascadian Ale)
This is a funny beer. It’s roastier than a brown IPA, and significantly more so than a “ normal” IPA, but push it a snick too far and you move into porter and stout territory. If you are familiar with Schwarzbier, or a black lager, imagine that but more bitter and hop forward. This is a good winter beer, but they are becoming harder to find, so it might be a good idea to ignore the calendar and just get into it. If and when you come across one.
The Creative
Belgian IPA
Instead of an IPA that has been Belgianized, it’s more like a Belgian Tripel, or a Belgian Golden Strong that has been IPAized. So what does that mean? Belgian ale yeasts tend to throw off a lot of esters and phenols during fermentation, giving us aromas and flavours of fruits and spices. With Tripels and Golden Strong this means pear, lemon and apple, and clove or black pepper are most common. Tripels tend to lean towards the clove and pepper, and Golden Strongs tend to lean towards the fruits, while both often have both and it’s the balance that is different. I know, it’s confusing. So a Belgian IPA is a beer with a clean low malt flavour, a highly present pepper, clove, lemon, apple, pear yeast character, but with a complementing hoppy bouquet and a pretty high bitterness. This can be an amazing beer if done right. If not, it can be quite terrible. The flavour complexity requires time and thought to fully appreciate. Don’t rush through this.
Brut IPA.
When one hears Brut, thoughts of dry, bubbly, champagne immediately come to mind. Or offensively bad aftershave. Hopefully champagne. Effervescent, very pale and crazy dry, a Brut IPA is essentially an IPA that has been superfermented so as to leave very little residual sugar. The constant stream of bubbles from the mega carbonation will continue to throw a clean hoppy bouquet out the top of the glass. Malt flavour is almost completely absent, there are no real fermentation flavours to talk about and, boy, it’s refreshing. When to drink? Any time you want sparkling wine but don’t want sparkling wine.
New Zealand IPA
New Zealand hops have some crazy stuff going on. The descriptors are wild too. Gooseberry, white grape skins, passionfruit, melon, tropical fruits, and for some reason, cat pee. Dried pineapple and fresh passionfruit are probably the most accessible aromas to the freshly initiated. A New Zealand IPA is an American IPA with New Zealand hops. These are great by the way. I suggest having your first couple while relaxed, so you can spend a bit of time decoding the flavours.
Cold IPA
It’s an IPA that has been lagered. That means the fermentation will be cleaner, although to be fair american ale yeast is pretty clean in the first place. It also means the long cold maturation will clean up a lot of metabolic compounds. It’s a cleaner IPA, and maybe a good entry point.
Double IPA
Just more of everything please. Hoppier, more bitter and more alcohol than a standard IPA. Double NEIPA are abundant as well. There will be a bit more malt and it tends to shine through despite the outrageous level of hopping. The alcohol can be sneaky, so pay attention.
Session IPA
A lower alcohol IPA. Excellent if you plan on having many, or just need to stay sharp for Trivial pursuit. Some can be thin, both in body and in spirit.
Rye IPA
“Just throw some rye in there would ya”. That’s pretty much it. It’s a West coast IPA brewed with some rye. It makes the beer more dry, adds a bit of rye spice, which is sort of peppery, and the higher protein levels give the beer a slightly bigger and creamier body. I’m a fan. Best suited as a late summer evening beer, when the sun is down and you ran out of all the fruity stuff.
The Crazy
Triple IPA
This is where I need to raise the red flag because this water might not be safe for swimming. These beers can be a real challenge. There is very little chance you won’t notice the alcohol and there is a high chance you aren’t going to like the beer. High gravity brewing can be difficult to execute and I will say there are some awful triple IPAs out there. There are certainly a few rare good ones, but scales do not tip in their favour. A good one will be a bigger and more complex version of a double IPA. A bad one can be a lot of things. A lot of bad things. I sampled one recently, and the bouquet was dominated by garlic and armpits atop a layer of various fusel alcohols that melded into an aroma and flavour highly reminiscent of diesel fuel. I suggest trying with a friend or two so you can spread out the potential suffering. If you find a delicious one, let me know. I’m forever on the quest to redeem this beer’s honour.
Milkshake IPA
These seem to have ridden off into the sunset, probably for a fairly good reason. The basic premise is that it is an IPA, with lactose, which yeast cannot digest, so it gives it a creamy sweetness, and fruit puree. It’s a desert in a can, with hops. Try one if you can find it. Just don’t blame me.
Sour IPA
This is how it sounds, bitter and sour. The sourness tends to be one dimensional unfortunately. They can be fun, I doubt you’d want to drink more than one.
Brett IPA
Brettanomyces is a species of wild yeast. It lives on the skin of grapes and is endemic to oak. Unintentional Brett inoculation can have devastating consequences for a beer. Improper intentional use can be equally as dire for that matter. Brett produces a number of by-products, the most common being a horsey, barnyard, funk. It’s a complex and amazing thing, but it takes a touch of acclimatization.
Barrel Aged IPA
Oh what a delicate art. Aging hoppy beers comes with a host of potential flavour issues. Done well, barrel aging imparts the character of the wood into the beer, along with whatever may have previously resided within. Done poorly and the beer oxidizes and becomes unpleasant. The type of barrel used, if it’s new or used, what its prior contents were, and how much char if any was employed will all contribute to the unique character of the beer. Barrel aging is so complex it deserves its own discussion.
Fruited IPA
A fruited IPA has fruit added, usually post ferment. This makes taking labeling at face value a little tricky because a pineapple IPA might just be dry hopped with a variety that expresses a lot of pineapple aroma, or it may actually have pineapple puree, or juice added. The ingredients will tell you, but you have to read them. These will be sweeter, fruitier and often of a much lower perceived bitterness than its cousins.
A note on bitterness.
IBUs are almost always listed on the packaging. International Bitterness Units is a laboratory measure of bittering compounds in the beer, but fails to tell the entire story. Malt, alcohol, residual sugars, carbonation, can all affect perceived bitterness. Nonetheless you can use the listed IBUs as a guideline when choosing a beverage. Cetere Paribus, 40 will be bitter but balanced, 80 will be very bitter, 100+ will be nuts.
A note on freshness.
The above beers, and any highly hopped beer for that matter, will degrade quickly. Buy these from the refrigerated section of the store ( if possible) , check the date stamp on the can, store them in the fridge, and drink within 3 months of the packaging date. The earlier the better.