American India Pale Ale (IPA) is a modern craft beer interpretation of the historical English style. It is characterized by its prominent use of American or New World hops, which impart intense citrus, floral, fruity, piney, or resinous flavours and aromas. American IPAs are typically more bitter and strongly flavoured than their English counterparts, with a higher alcohol content and less malt presence. The style has become incredibly popular in the US, with every craft brewer in the country offering their own take on the style.
What You'll Learn
History of American IPAs
The history of American IPAs can be traced back to the late 18th century, when British brewers first began exporting beer to India, which was under the control of the British East India Company until 1858. The journey to India was long and arduous, and ordinary beer would often spoil and go flat during the voyage. To address this issue, brewers started adding extra hops to their beers, which helped to preserve them during the long sea journey. This practice, known as "fortifying" or "drying" the beer, was first mentioned in print in an edition of the Liverpool Mercury in 1835, which referred to the beer as "India pale ale".
The early IPAs were only slightly higher in alcohol content than other beers of the time, but they had fewer residual sugars and were heavily hopped. One of the first brewers to export beer to India was George Hodgson of the Bow Brewery in East London. His beers became popular with East India Company traders due to their proximity to the East India Docks and his liberal credit line of 18 months.
However, the East India Company eventually grew tired of Hodgson's unscrupulous business practices and began looking for new brewing partners. They found them in Burton upon Trent, where brewers had recently lost their valuable export markets in Russia due to a ban by the Tsar. The Allsopp, Bass, and Salt breweries improved upon Hodgson's recipe for hopped pale ale and took over the Indian market.
By the early 19th century, "pale ale prepared for the India market" was gaining in popularity, and exports and hopping levels increased. By the 1830s, beer drinkers in England were able to taste this new style of pale ale, and by 1840, India pale ale had become one of England's best-selling beers.
The popularity of IPAs in England waned by the start of the 20th century due to new styles entering the market and increased taxes on higher-gravity beers. However, the style was revived in the late 20th century during the craft beer revolution in the United States. American brewers began experimenting with new styles of hops and created the first examples of American IPAs.
The first American IPAs were created on the West Coast with new hop varieties such as Cascade and Chinook, resulting in beers with piney, floral, and citrus notes and strong bitterness. More recently, East Coast IPAs, also known as New England IPAs or Hazy IPAs, have emerged, balancing the strong hoppiness with a strong malt component. These beers range in ABV from 5.5-7.5%.
Today, IPAs continue to evolve, with new styles such as double IPAs, session IPAs, and milkshake IPAs gaining popularity. American IPAs have also spread internationally, with the style gaining a following in Stockholm, Tokyo, and Berlin.
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Characteristics
The American India Pale Ale (IPA) is a modern interpretation of the historical English-style India Pale Ale. It is characterized by its prominent use of American hops, which impart distinct flavours and aromas, and its clean fermentation profile.
Colour
The colour of an American IPA can range from a very pale golden to reddish-amber or orange-tinted copper.
Aroma
The aroma of an American IPA is prominent to intense, showcasing the characteristics of American or New World hops. Expect notes of citrus, floral, fruity (especially tropical fruits), pine, resin, spice, berry, melon, and other qualities unique to specific hop varieties. Some versions may also exhibit a fresh-cut grass aroma from dry hopping or a low grainy-malty aroma in the background.
Flavour and Taste
The flavour of an American IPA is decidedly hoppy and bitter, with a clean fermentation profile and a dryish finish. The hop flavour is medium to very high and reflects the characteristics of American or New World hops, similar to those mentioned in the aroma. The malt flavour is low to medium-low, generally clean and grainy-malty, with some light caramel or toasty flavours acceptable. The bitterness and hop flavour may linger into the aftertaste but should not be harsh or unpleasant.
Body and Mouthfeel
The body of an American IPA is typically medium-light to medium, with a smooth texture and moderate to medium-high carbonation. The mouthfeel is smooth and medium-bodied, with little astringency from hops. Alcohol warming should be noticeable in the higher ABV versions.
Ingredients
American IPAs use pale ale or 2-row brewer's malt as the base, along with American or New World hops, and American or English yeast with a clean or slightly fruity profile. Crystal malts, if used, should be minimal to avoid a sweet finish that clashes with the hop character.
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Comparison to other beers
The American India Pale Ale (IPA) is a modern interpretation of the historical English-style India Pale Ale. The American IPA is characterised by its prominent use of American or New World hops, which impart a range of flavours and aromas, including citrus, floral, fruity, piney, resinous, spicy, tropical fruit, stone fruit, berry, and melon. The bitterness of American IPAs tends to be moderate to high, and they typically have a clean fermentation profile, a dry finish, and a smooth texture.
In comparison, the English IPA tends to have a stronger "English" character, with more caramel, bread, and toast flavours, and a fuller body. Early IPAs, including those exported to India, were only slightly higher in alcohol than other beers brewed at the time, but they were heavily hopped and had fewer residual sugars due to higher fermentation.
American IPAs are also similar to American Pale Ales (APA), but IPAs are stronger and more assertively hopped. IPAs also tend to have a higher alcohol content than APAs, typically ranging from 5.5% to 7.5% ABV, while APAs are generally around 5% ABV.
American IPAs can also be compared to other variations of IPAs, such as Double IPAs (or Imperial IPAs), which are stronger and very hoppy, with alcohol content typically above 7.5% ABV. New England IPAs (or Hazy/Juicy IPAs) emphasise hop aroma and have lower bitterness, a smooth consistency, and a hazy appearance. Black IPAs (or Cascadian Dark Ales/American Black Ales) have the bitter, hoppy flavours of other IPAs but with a darker malty flavour due to the use of roasted malts.
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How to brew
Ingredients
The ingredients for an American IPA are fairly straightforward. You'll need a base of American two-row malt, with a small amount of Munich malt for a bit of malt character. You can also add some crystal malt (20-60 °L) for colour and a touch of sweet biscuit flavour. The amount of crystal malt will depend on how dark you want your IPA to be. Keep in mind that American IPAs tend to be on the paler end of the spectrum.
For hops, you'll need a variety that will give you a citrusy, "American" character. Popular options include Centennial, Chinook, Columbus, and Cascade. You'll also need a bittering hop such as Magnum, Nugget, or Galena. The amount of hops you use will depend on your preference for bitterness, but remember that IPAs are known for their strong hop flavour and aroma.
For yeast, a classic choice is the Chico strain, which is known for its clean and simple character. However, you can also use a more characterful American-ale yeast such as a New England strain.
Water is also a key ingredient. You can use water with a variety of mineral compositions, but avoid water with high levels of bicarbonate as it can dull the hop character.
Process
The brewing process for an American IPA is not too complex. Start by performing a single-temperature infusion mash at around 150°F (66°C). This will help improve attenuation.
The boil doesn't need to be complicated, but keep in mind that the more hop additions you have, the higher the risk of adding the wrong thing at the wrong time. Weigh out your hops in advance and line them up in the order they need to go in.
Post-boil, let the wort cool to around 190°F (88°C) before adding your whirlpool hops. Steep for about 15 minutes, then add the dry hops after active fermentation stops. You can also try dry hopping with different varieties of hops to create unique flavour combinations.
Remember that IPA is best served fresh, so getting the fermentation right is crucial. Pitch a large, well-oxygenated population of healthy yeast cells near the middle of the strain's preferred temperature range. Slowly increasing the temperature after a couple of days will help promote attenuation and reduce diacetyl.
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Popular examples
The American India Pale Ale (IPA) is a modern take on the traditional British IPA. The American version is characterised by its prominent use of American hops, which impart strong citrus, floral, fruity, piney, and herbal flavours. The style has become incredibly popular, with every craft brewer in the US now brewing an IPA.
- Two Hearted Ale, Bell's Brewery (also known as Bell's Two-Hearted Ale): This IPA is characterised by its strong use of American hops, resulting in a prominent citrus and pine aroma and flavour. It has a clean fermentation profile, a dry finish, and a smooth medium body. It typically has an ABV of around 7% and an IBU of 55.
- Stone IPA, Stone Brewing Co.: This IPA is known for its strong hop character, with prominent citrus, pine, and resinous flavours. It has a medium body and a moderately strong ABV of around 6.9%.
- Bodhizafa IPA, Georgetown Brewing Co.: This IPA has a strong hop flavour and aroma, with prominent notes of citrus and pine. It has a smooth, medium-bodied mouthfeel and a moderately strong ABV of around 6.5%.
- Sculpin, Ballast Point Brewing Company: This IPA is known for its strong, citrus-forward character, with notes of grapefruit and tropical fruit. It has a clean, crisp finish and a moderately strong ABV of around 7%.
- 60 Minute IPA, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: This IPA is continuously hopped with a variety of American hops throughout the 60-minute boil, resulting in a strong hop flavour and aroma. It has a medium body and an ABV of around 6%.
- Union Jack IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co.: This IPA is known for its strong hop character, with prominent notes of citrus, pine, and tropical fruit. It has a smooth, medium body and a moderately strong ABV of around 7%.
- Celebration IPA, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.: This IPA is a classic example of the style, with a strong hop character and prominent citrus and pine flavours. It has a medium body and an ABV of around 6.8%.
- A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale, Lagunitas Brewing Company: This IPA has a strong hop character with a unique twist of wheat malt, resulting in a smooth, medium body and a crisp finish. It has an ABV of around 7.5%.
- Jai Alai IPA, Cigar City Brewing: This IPA is known for its strong, citrus-forward character, with notes of orange and grapefruit. It has a smooth, medium body and a moderately strong ABV of around 7.5%.
- Racer 5, Bear Republic Brewing Co.: This IPA is known for its strong hop flavour and aroma, with prominent notes of citrus and pine. It has a medium body and an ABV of around 7%.
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Frequently asked questions
American India Pale Ale (IPA) is a hoppy, bitter, and moderately strong American pale ale. It is characterised by its hop flavour, aroma, and bitterness.
The flavour and aroma of an American IPA are characterised by floral, fruity, citrus, pine, and resin notes. The bitterness of the beer comes from the hops.
The alcohol content of an American IPA typically falls between 5.5% and 7.5% ABV.
The colour of an American IPA ranges from a very pale gold to a reddish amber.
Some examples of American IPAs include:
- Two Hearted Ale by Bell's Brewery
- Sculpin by Ballast Point Brewing Company
- 60 Minute IPA by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery