What’s an India Pale Ale?

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India Pale Ale (IPA) is a strong, hoppy beer that was developed in the 1700s by British brewers to withstand the journey to India. It has a distinct taste and aroma, and is especially popular in the United States. Some IPAs are labeled as “double” or “imperial,” indicating they are particularly strong.

India Pale Ale is a lager with a distinctly high alcohol content and a remarkably high amount of hops, creating a very aggressive, sharp and bitter beer. India Pale Ale is also widely known as an IPA, referring to its initial letters, and this beer is especially popular in the United States, where a number of breweries brew their own versions of IPA. India’s pale ale isn’t to everyone’s taste, thanks to its strong flavor, but aficionados of hoppy, intense beers often enjoy the IPA very much, especially when it’s done well.

Like other clear ales, IPA is made from grain maltings, which means that the grains are steeped, allowed to germinate and then kiln-dried before being cooked into a mash that is fermented with so-called “brewer’s yeasts”. top-fermented which create the characteristic taste of beer. After fermentation, the beer is poured into barrels for conditioning and then sold. Like other ales, Pale Pale India doesn’t require a long aging time, and this is a distinct advantage for breweries, as it means massive amounts of storage space aren’t required to produce IPAs.

IPA was developed in the 1700s by British brewers who wanted to enter the beer market in India. Most traditional British beers turned sour and unpalatable when they reached India, thanks to the long journey, leading to immense frustration in the brewing community. A skilled brewer realized that by increasing the alcohol and hop content in beer, he could make a beer that would withstand the trip to India and stay crisp and refreshing, and India Pale Ale would be born.

The color of Indian lager is generally that of pale gold or straw, and the beer has a very strong hoppy aroma with alcohol and fruit overtones, with a fizzy mouthfeel. Sometimes the fruit smells can be overwhelmed by the intensity of the beer, and some IPAs have additional floral notes. When served at cellar temperature, which should be around 54 degrees Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius), the IPA tastes refreshing and very fresh.

In some regions, you can find beers labeled as “double” or “imperial” double pales in India, meaning they are particularly strong. Some brewers don’t like this nomenclature, because IPA is, by its nature, stronger than other beers, so the label seems a bit excessive. Whether or not you agree with the terminology, Double IPA is not for the faint of heart; beer brings a fierce kick.




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