India Pale Ale

India Pale Ale (IPA) - The hop-rich cult beer

India Pale Ale, or IPA for short, is a popular beer style characterized by its intense hop flavour and high alcohol content. Originally developed in the 19th century for export to India, IPA has become a worldwide favorite among beer lovers.

What is India Pale Ale (IPA)?

Pale ales are generally more strongly hopped beers brewed with pale malts. The malt used can be barley, rye, wheat or other types of malt. There are many different varieties, for example American Pale Ale, Burton Pale Ale, Strong Pale Ale or IPA. India Pale Ale in particular has become quite famous. IPAs are stronger brewed beers. They are very strong, have a strong body and a higher alcohol content than, for example, the pilsner popular in Germany. They are also very heavily hopped. Depending on the hops used, this gives the beer a distinct bitter note. This is achieved by adding so-called bitter hops. However, many India Pale Ales are also brewed with aroma hops. These have more complex aromas and give the beer a special taste. Many IPAs, for example, have a strong fruity note, which is mainly caused by the aroma hops.

Specifically, IPAs often have an alcohol content of 6 to 9 % vol., an original gravity of 15 to 20 °P (original gravity reflects the strength of the beer body; the lower, the leaner) and a hop bitterness from 35 IBU (International Bitter Units). As a rule, "normal" IPAs go up to 60 or 70 IBU. However, there are also India Pale Ales with IBU values of over 100. It should not be forgotten, however, that IPAs often have very fruity notes - often of citrus fruits or passion fruit.

Incidentally, IPA has its origins in 18th century Great Britain. In times of colonization, the British needed a beer that would not go bad even after months and survive the long sea voyages to India. Stronger beers were therefore brewed and India Pale Ale was created. Both the higher alcohol content and the bitter substances in the hops have a preservative effect. Once it arrived at its destination, the IPA was supposedly mixed with water to dilute it and make it a less strong ale.

The history of India Pale Ale

The history of the IPA begins in the British Empire, when brewers produced more strongly hopped beers to make them more durable for the long voyage to India. These beers not only kept longer, but also had a more intense flavor that quickly became popular.

Variants of IPA

American IPA

American IPA is known for its strong citrus and pine aromas, which are created by American hop varieties such as Cascade and Centennial. It is often stronger and more hoppy than the traditional English IPA.

Double IPA (DIPA)

Double IPAs, also known as Imperial IPAs, are a stronger version of the classic IPA. With a higher alcohol content and more intense hop profile, they are a favorite among true hop lovers.

New England IPA (NEIPA)

NEIPA is characterized by its cloudy appearance and soft, fruity aromas. It often uses modern hop varieties that bring out tropical and citrusy notes.

Session IPA

Session IPAs offer the full flavor of an IPA, but with a lower alcohol content. They are perfect for longer evenings where you want to enjoy several beers without getting too alcoholic.

Black IPA

Black IPAs, also known as Cascadian Dark Ales, combine the strong hop notes of an IPA with the dark malt characteristics of a stout or porter. The result is a complex, intensely flavored beer with roasted aromas and hop bitterness.

The production of IPA

The production of an IPA begins with the selection of high-quality malts to create a solid body. Large amounts of hops are added during the brewing process, both during boiling and fermentation, to develop the intense aromas and bitter notes. Fermentation takes place at higher temperatures to produce the typical fruity esters. After primary fermentation, the beer is often further dry-hopped to extract even more flavor.

Dry hopping is an important step in the IPA brewing process. The hops are added to the beer after the main fermentation. This gives the IPA its characteristic intense hop aromas without adding extra bitterness. After dry hopping, the beer is filtered and bottled. The entire process can take several weeks, depending on the specific recipe and the desired end product.

The choice of hop varieties plays a decisive role in the taste of the IPA. Classic varieties such as Cascade, Simcoe and Citra are known for their intense aromas and are often used to give the beer its typical citrus and pine notes.

In the production of specialty IPAs, such as fruit IPAs, additional natural fruit flavors or fruits are added during the brewing process to make the taste even more varied and exciting.