The Strength Of Ipas: A Beer Enthusiast's Guide

India Pale Ale (IPA) is a hoppy beer style within the broader category of pale ale. It is a popular beer style that originated in Britain in the 1780s and became a favourite among British soldiers and administrators serving in India. IPAs are often stronger than regular beers, with alcohol content ranging from 5% to 13% ABV, but there is no inherent strength associated with the style. The perception of IPAs as strong may be due to their growing popularity in the 2000s, which coincided with a greater appreciation for craft ales that tend to be stronger than lagers and bitters commonly found in pubs.

Characteristics of IPA Beer

IPAs are stronger than regular beers due to their higher ABV

IPAs, or India Pale Ales, are stronger than regular beers due to their higher alcohol content, as measured by ABV (alcohol by volume). While there is no inherent difference in strength between IPAs and other beers, the former typically has a higher ABV, resulting in a more potent beverage.

IPAs were originally brewed with a higher alcohol content to withstand long voyages during export, particularly to India, giving them their distinctive name. Early IPAs were only slightly higher in alcohol content compared to other beers of that time, but they had fewer residual sugars due to higher fermentation and were heavily hopped to preserve them during transportation.

Today, IPAs are known for their strong hoppy flavour and typically have an ABV ranging from 5% to 7% or higher. Budweiser, a well-known lager, has an ABV of 5%, while a standard IPA like Lagunitas IPA has an ABV of 6.2%. Double IPAs or Imperial IPAs take it a step further, with alcohol content typically above 7.5% ABV. Triple IPAs often exceed 10% ABV.

The higher ABV in IPAs means that you will feel the effects of alcohol more quickly compared to a beer with a lower ABV. For example, if your body can process 4.5 alcohol units per hour, drinking six pints of a 5% ABV beer will leave 3 alcohol units in your system. In contrast, drinking only two pints of a 6% ABV IPA will result in the same amount of alcohol remaining in your system.

It's worth noting that the term "regular beer" is subjective and can vary depending on regional preferences and drinking culture. Additionally, the craft beer movement has contributed to the popularity of IPAs and their perception as "regular" beers, especially in the UK and the USA.

The style of beer was originally brewed in the UK in the 1780s

India Pale Ale (IPA) is a hoppy beer style within the broader category of pale ales. The style of beer was originally brewed in the UK in the 1780s and was exported to India, which was under the control of the British East India Company until 1858.

The story goes that in the late 18th century, George Hodgson, a brewer at the Bow Brewery in East London, began sending his pale ale to India. Hodgson's beer was packed with extra hops and a higher alcohol content, which helped to preserve it during its long sea journey from England to India. The beer also proved to be more refreshing in the hot Indian climate compared to the dark ales and porters popular in London at the time.

However, this origin story is a simplified version of what really happened. In reality, English breweries had already been exporting beer to India and other colonies for much of the 18th century. By the 1760s, breweries had learned that adding extra hops helped fortify beers for the voyage to warmer climates, and they were doing this with porters and ales, not just pale ales.

While George Hodgson may not have been the first brewer to come up with the idea of adding extra hops, he was the first to achieve significant distribution in India. His brewery was located close to the East India Company's docks, and he offered the company's traders a generous 18-month credit line, making his beer a popular choice.

The first known recorded mention of the phrase "India Pale Ale" was in an edition of the Liverpool Mercury newspaper in 1835. By the 1840s, IPA had become one of England's best-selling beers, and its popularity continued to grow in the following decades.

Today, IPAs come in a wide range of styles, including West Coast IPAs, East Coast IPAs, New England IPAs, Session IPAs, Imperial IPAs, and more. While not all IPAs are bitter, they are typically known for their strong hoppy flavour, which can provide notes of pine and citrus.

IPAs are a type of pale ale but with more hops

IPAs, or India Pale Ales, are a type of pale ale but with more hops. The name comes from the fact that English brewers shipping beer to India in the 1700s added extra hops as a preservative to keep the beer intact during the long journey.

Nowadays, IPAs are known for their strong hoppy flavour, with brewers experimenting with different strains of hops to create a wide range of flavours. While not all IPAs are bitter, they do tend to have a stronger, more bitter taste than pale ales, along with fruity aromas from ingredients such as lemons, oranges and grapefruits.

In terms of alcohol content, IPAs typically have a higher ABV (alcohol by volume) than pale ales, with most IPAs ranging from 6-7% ABV compared to 4-6% for pale ales. However, there are also Session IPAs which are designed to be lower in ABV, typically falling below 5%.

In addition to the standard IPA, there are several substyles such as Hazy IPA, Session IPA, and Imperial or Double IPA, which has a higher ABV of over 7%.

The term double IPA refers to twice the hops used in standard blends

India Pale Ale, or IPA, is a popular craft beer style. The term "double IPA" refers to twice the hops used in standard blends, resulting in a stronger brew with a more robust and varied flavour.

The story of the IPA begins in the late 1700s when the British Empire included India among its territories. The hot Indian climate made it nearly impossible to brew beer locally, so the British had to find a way to prevent their beloved pale ale from spoiling during the long journey from England. They discovered that adding a generous amount of hops not only enhanced the flavour but also acted as a preservative, thus creating the India Pale Ale.

Over time, IPAs evolved, and brewers experimented with different ingredients and techniques. The American craft beer scene, which took off in the mid-1970s, embraced the IPA and gave it their own twist by adding more hops and alcohol. This led to the creation of the West Coast and East Coast IPAs, with the former known for its robust floral and fruity flavours and the latter for its malt sweetness and juicier tropical flavours.

The double IPA, also known as DIPA or Imperial IPA, took the IPA to the next level. A double IPA features extra hops and malt, resulting in increased bitterness and a more distinct toasted or caramel malt flavour. The extra malt provides more sugar for the yeast to convert into alcohol, leading to a higher ABV, typically ranging from 7% to 10%.

While the term "double IPA" may evoke the idea of double the hops, it is more nuanced than a simple doubling of ingredients. Brewers must carefully adjust their recipes to balance the various components, ensuring that the final product is not overly sweet or vegetal. The result is a beer that offers a bolder flavour experience and often takes twice as long to brew.

Double IPAs, with their intense hoppiness and higher alcohol content, have become a popular choice for craft beer enthusiasts, showcasing the art of brewing and the endless possibilities within the IPA style.

The average ABV for a regular lager is 5%

India Pale Ales (IPAs) are known for their strong hoppy flavour. While IPAs are often in the 5-7% ABV range, there is no clear answer to how much stronger they are than regular beers. Budweiser, a "regular beer", has an ABV of 5%, and an "average" IPA has an ABV of 6%.

• Brooklyn Pennant Pale Ale
• Deschutes Mirror Pond Ale
• Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale
• Grolsch Premium Lager
• Guinness Extra Stout
• New Planet Tread Lightly Ale
• Sam Adams Boston Lager
• Sierra Nevada Draft Ale
• Sierra Nevada Summerfest
• Tuborg Export Quality
• Flying Dog Tire Bite Golden Ale
• Peroni Nastro Azzurro
• Tuborg Deluxe Dark Export
• Weinhard's Blonde Lager
• Blue Moon Honey Moon Summer Ale
• Deschutes Black Butte Porter
• Lowenbrau Special Beer
• New Belgium Fat Tire
• Blue Point Toasted Lager
• Sam Adams Coastal Wheat
• Sam Adams Summer Ale
• Blue Moon Belgian White
• Beach Bum Blonde Ale
• Blue Moon Rising Moon Spring Ale
• George Killian's Irish Red
• Sam Adams Boston Ale
• Sam Adams Cherry Wheat
• Sam Adams Hefeweizen
• Sam Adams Octoberfest
• Sam Adams Scotch Ale
• Yuengling Lord Chesterfield Ale
• Yuengling Oktoberfest
• Sam Adams Honey Porter
• Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale
• Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager
• Foster's Premium Ale
• Michelob Dunkelweisse
• Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier
• Blue Moon Full Moon Winter Ale
• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
• Sierra Nevada Porter
• Blue Moon Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale
• Sam Adams Winter Lager
• Milwaukee's Best Ice (Beast Ice)
• Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale
• Sierra Nevada Early Spring Beer

While the ABV of a beer can vary depending on a brewer's preferences, a standard drink in the United States is 12 ounces of 5% ABV beer. This is roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol.

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