Red Ipa Beer: Why The Unique Red Hue?

Red IPA, or India Red Ale, is a type of beer that is reddish-amber to dark reddish-copper in colour. It is hoppy, bitter, and moderately strong like an American IPA, but with some caramel, toffee, and/or dark fruit malt character. Retaining the dryish finish and lean body that makes IPAs so drinkable, a Red IPA is a little more flavourful and malty than an American IPA without being sweet or heavy. Red IPA is one of the newer defined styles, first found in the BJCP Guidelines of 2015.

Red IPA's colour

Red IPA, or India Red Ale, is a reddish-amber to dark reddish-copper coloured beer. It is hoppy, bitter, and moderately strong like an American IPA, but with some caramel, toffee, and/or dark fruit malt character. Retaining the dryish finish and lean body that makes IPAs so drinkable, a Red IPA is a little more flavourful and malty than an American IPA without being sweet or heavy.

Red IPA is one of the newer "defined" styles, first found in the BJCP Guidelines of 2015, but it has certainly been around for longer than that. Previously, Red IPAs might have been referred to as California/West Coast Red ales, Northwest IPAs, or simply as IPAs, but the distinctions of this style are useful to differentiate it from similar styles (such as American Amber).

The colour of a Red IPA can vary from a light reddish-amber to a darker ruby or reddish-copper. Unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be hazy, but otherwise, examples should be clear. The head will be a moderate size and range in colour from off-white to cream.

The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) classifies the Red IPA beer style under category number 21, "IPA", and it can be found in the guidelines as sub-category (21B), "Specialty IPA".

Red IPAs are characterised by their reddish hue, which comes from the use of darker malts such as crystal malts and character malts with a light toasty aspect. These malts give the beer a slightly sweeter, more caramelly, and dark fruit-based balance compared to an American IPA. The malt profile of a Red IPA is also less intense than an American Strong Ale, and it does not have as much body.

Overall, the colour of a Red IPA can range from a light reddish-amber to a darker reddish-copper, with a moderate-sized, off-white to cream-coloured head. The reddish hue comes from the use of darker malts, which also contribute to the slightly sweeter and more caramelly flavour of the beer.

Red IPA's malt character

Red IPAs are characterised by a relatively high BU:GU ratio and more malt character than a traditional American IPA. The malt flavours can be moderately low to medium, with the front palate experiencing some good sweetness and the beer leaving your mouth with toast, toffee, dark fruit or medium-dark caramel characteristics.

Red IPAs have a malt backbone that provides a touch of caramel-like sweetness. The malt character often presents as some mix of sweet caramel, toast, toffee, and/or dark fruit. The malts combine to produce rich notes of caramel, date, toffee, subtle chocolate, and fig. There is also some low presence of roasted malt.

The BU:OG balance of a red IPA should be 1:1, and the overall hop profile should be 50% of your hop bitterness at 60 minutes, 25% at 30 minutes, and 25% in the last 15 minutes of the boil, followed by a 4 grams per litre level of dry-hopping.

Red IPAs are all about old-school techniques – a big bitterness charge, a bit of late hopping during the boil for some flavour, followed by dry hopping. The typical old-school dry hopping rate was one pound per barrel, which is about 4 grams per litre.

A well-crafted red IPA has good clarity with very little haze. It should be a deep amber with red highlights (not orange). The foam should be ivory or creamy in colour and thick and long-lasting. The beer’s aroma should be hoppy and clean with citrus and piney notes, interlaced with a strong caramel and bread crust malt character. The flavour of a red IPA should be balanced – generally, the hop bitterness will dominate the upfront flavour, but the malt flavour supports the middle and finish, tapering off to a dry finish. The bitterness should not linger on the palate.

Red IPA's hop character

Red IPAs are characterised by their hoppy, bitter, and moderately strong flavour profiles, akin to American IPAs. However, they exhibit a more nuanced malt character, with notes of caramel, toffee, and dark fruit. This additional malt character provides a foundation for intense hopping without the ethanol presence that is typical of high-alcohol beers.

The hop character of Red IPAs is a defining feature, with moderate to strong fresh hop aromas and flavours. These hops showcase characteristics of American or New World hops, such as tropical fruit, stone fruit, citrus, floral, spicy, berry, melon, pine, and resinous notes. The interplay between the hops and malt is crucial, with the malt profile enhancing and complementing the hop bitterness and flavour without clashing or constraining it.

The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) classifies Red IPAs under the "Specialty IPA" sub-category. The hop aromas in Red IPAs can range from moderate to strong, showcasing the unique characteristics of the hops used. While dry-hopping is not required, it can enhance the fresh hop aromas in the beer. The malt aromas, on the other hand, can range from moderately low to medium, complementing the hop aromas with notes of caramel, toffee, toast, and dark fruit.

The hop flavour in Red IPAs is typically medium to very high, reflecting the chosen hops' character. Bitterness levels can also be medium-high to very high. The malt flavour, on the other hand, should be moderately low to medium, providing a clean but malty-sweet taste with notes of medium-dark caramel, toffee, toast, and dark fruit. The combination of hop and malt flavours should create a pleasant harmony without overwhelming bitterness.

Overall, the hop character of Red IPAs is a defining feature that sets them apart from other styles. The interplay between the hops and malt creates a unique flavour profile that showcases the characteristics of American or New World hops while maintaining the drinkability and bitterness associated with IPAs.

Red IPA's relation to American Amber Ale

Red IPAs are a relatively new sub-style of American IPAs, with little differentiating them from their parent style. They are characterised by a slightly lower caramel maltiness and a shade or two lighter colour. Most Red IPAs would still fit into the American IPA guidelines, and to a drinker, they would appear to be a slightly maltier version of the standard American IPA.

American Amber Ales, on the other hand, are a style of beer named after their golden to amber colour, which is derived from the use of caramel and crystal malts. They typically have a higher malt profile than the average pale ale, with flavours of toast, caramel, and toffee, and a moderate to high level of hoppy bitterness. American Amber Ales are also usually medium-bodied and amber to red in colour.

When comparing Red IPAs and American Amber Ales, the main difference lies in their relationship to the broader IPA style. Red IPAs are a variation of the standard American IPA, with a slightly different colour and malt profile. On the other hand, American Amber Ales are a distinct style of beer that falls under the broader ale category. They are not IPAs, but they can be brewed as Imperial/Double IPAs or even as Amber IPAs, blurring the lines between styles.

In terms of flavour profile, Red IPAs will typically have a higher hop profile and a slightly lower malt profile compared to American Amber Ales. Both styles will have a noticeable presence of malt, but the hops will be more forward in the Red IPA, reflecting the characteristics of the standard American IPA. The American Amber Ale will have a more balanced profile, with the malt and hop flavours working together in harmony.

While Red IPAs and American Amber Ales have some similarities and overlaps, they are distinct styles within the broader world of beer. The Red IPA is a variation on the standard American IPA, while the American Amber Ale is a style in its own right, offering a unique take on the ale category.

Red IPA's relation to American IPA

Red IPA is a relatively new sub-style of the American IPA. It was added to the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) Style Guidelines in 2015.

Red IPAs are characterised by their reddish-amber to dark reddish-copper colour, which comes from the addition of some darker malts. They are hoppy, bitter, and moderately strong like an American IPA, but with some caramel, toffee, and/or dark fruit malt character. They retain the dryish finish and lean body that makes IPAs so drinkable, but are a little more flavourful and malty than an American IPA without being sweet or heavy.

Red IPAs have a moderate to strong fresh hop aroma featuring characteristics of American or New World hops, such as tropical fruit, stone fruit, citrus, floral, spicy, berry, melon, pine, and resinous flavours. The malt flavours of a Red IPA often include sweet caramel, toast, toffee, and/or dark fruit.

The BJCP classifies the Red IPA beer style under category number 21, "IPA", and it can be found in the guidelines as sub-category (21B), "Specialty IPA".

Some of the earliest commercially offered Red IPAs include Sockeye Red from Midnight Sun Brewery in Anchorage, Alaska, and Green Flash Hop Head Red Double Red IPA.

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