Milwaukee's Favorite Ipa Beer: A Local Favorite

India Pale Ale, or IPA, is a style of beer that has surged in popularity over the last decade. Characterised by its hoppy bitterness, IPAs are known for their high alcohol content. The style was originally crafted for British troops in India during the 19th century, with extra hops and alcohol added to the standard pale ale to prevent the beer from spoiling during the long journey. Today, IPAs can be divided into regional categories, such as West Coast or East Coast, and have a range of flavour profiles, from citrusy to herbaceous and even evergreen. One popular IPA is the MKE IPA by the Milwaukee Brewing Company, which has notes of grapefruit, passionfruit, blueberry, mango and lychee.

MKE IPA's flavour profile

The MKE IPA from the Milwaukee Brewing Company is a soft but vibrant and well-balanced beer that lets the hops shine. It is generously hopped with five different hops, focusing on the hipster's hops, Citra and Mosaic, with a subtle malt backbone. This combination gives the beer a citrus quality with hints of grapefruit, as well as other tropical aromas like mango, passionfruit, blueberry, and lychee. The result is a juicy IPA with a nice flavour profile that appeals to all palates.

Reviews of the beer mention a range of flavours and aromas, including citrus notes of tangerine, grapefruit, orange, and lemon peel, as well as tropical fruit, berries, stone fruit, and melon. Some reviews also mention a slight caramel or caramalt sweetness, as well as a bready biscuit flavour. The beer has a slightly hazy copper or orange colour with a light tan or white head.

The MKE IPA is not quite session-level in terms of alcohol content, clocking in at 5.5% ABV, and has an IBU of 60, giving it a nice balance of bitterness. It has a medium body and good carbonation, with a creamy and smooth mouthfeel that leaves a smooth, creamy feeling on the palate.

Overall, the MKE IPA is a solid, easy-drinking, and refreshing beer that is priced right and appealing to all palates. It is a nice, flavorful beer that can be consumed in multiples without being too wrecking.

Milwaukee Brewing Company

The MKE IPA is described as having a soft yet vibrant body, allowing the hops to shine through. This IPA is likely one of their most popular beers, as it showcases a style that has gained a massive surge in popularity over the last decade. The India Pale Ale, or IPA, is known for its high hops content, often labelled by the hop level such as double or triple, resulting in a signature bitterness.

Milwaukee Brewing Co. also offers a Hazy IPA, celebrating Wisconsin's three recent MVPs, as well as a collaboration with Milwaukee's own Rishi Tea, infusing Asian flavours into a monster wheat beer called O-Gii. Their Outboard Cream Ale is a light-bodied, golden straw-coloured beer, resulting from a blend of malted barley and corn grits.

The company provides a Beer Finder on its website, allowing customers to locate restaurants, bars, and liquor stores that sell its beers. Milwaukee Brewing Co. embodies the spirit of craft beer in Milwaukee, joining other popular breweries like Lakefront Brewery and Miller Brewery.

Other popular IPAs

While the MKE IPA by Milwaukee Brewing Company is a popular choice, there are several other IPAs that are well-loved and widely recommended.

The Alchemist Brewing's Heady Topper Double IPA is a cult favourite with a strong following. It's a hazy, New England-style IPA with a punchy 8% ABV. This beer has a well-balanced flavour profile, combining sharp bitterness with fruity and honey floral notes.

For those who enjoy a crisp and refreshing IPA, the Harpoon Brewery's Harpoon IPA is a great choice. With floral and citrus notes and a piney bitterness, it's a versatile beer that can be enjoyed year-round.

Russian River Brewing Company's Happy Hops IPA is another popular option, favoured for its big, hoppy aroma and juicy citrus, stone fruit, and tropical notes. At 6.5% ABV, it strikes a balance between being strong yet still drinkable.

Burial Beer Co.'s Surf Wax IPA is a top pick for those seeking a tropical, fruity IPA. It's a complex brew with a perfect balance of hop flavour, and its unique and interesting can art adds to its appeal.

Other notable mentions include Bell's Two Hearted Ale, Dogfish Head Brewery's 60 Minute IPA, and Maine Beer Company's Lunch—all widely recommended and acclaimed for their unique characteristics and flavour profiles.

History of IPAs

India Pale Ale (IPA) is a hoppy beer style within the broader category of pale ale. The acronym IPA stands for India Pale Ale.

The history of IPAs dates back to the late 18th century when English breweries began exporting beer to India, which was under the control of the British East India Company. The journey from England to India was long and arduous, often resulting in the beer spoiling or going flat due to warm temperatures and rough handling.

George Hodgson, a brewer at the Bow Brewery in East London, is credited with creating the first IPA by adding extra hops and increasing the alcohol content to preserve the beer during its sea journey. This resulted in a bitter and stronger pale ale that was more refreshing in the hot Indian climate compared to the dark ales and porters popular in London.

By the early 19th century, "pale ale prepared for the India market" gained popularity, and the term "India Pale Ale" was first used in 1835. The beer became widely popular in England, with demand increasing and several breweries developing their own versions.

However, 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.

The revival of IPAs came about in the late 20th century with the craft beer revolution in the United States. Brewers sought out old beer styles and the traditional IPA style proved to be a perfect fit for the intense flavour and aroma of American hops. The style spread across the United States and eventually the world, with various new types of IPAs being created.

Today, IPAs are known for their high hops content, which gives them a signature bitterness, but they also offer nuances ranging from citrusy to herbaceous and even evergreen flavours.

Different types of IPAs

IPAs, or India Pale Ales, are known for their hoppy bitterness. But there's more to IPAs than just their bite—they can also have nuances that range from citrusy to herbaceous and even evergreen. While the term IPA originally referred to a specific type of beer, it has since come to encompass a broader category of beers with varying flavours and ingredients. Here is a list of different types of IPAs:

British IPA

The original style of IPA, British IPAs are hoppy golden ales that use exclusively British hops like fuggles and goldings, giving them a grassy, earthy, and light citrus character. They typically have an ABV of between 6% and 7% and are dry and bitter.

West Coast IPA

Invented in California, West Coast IPAs take inspiration from British IPAs but use American "C" hops like Cascade, Citra, and Chinook. This gives them a huge citrus aroma with piney and slightly dank, weed-like smells. They tend to be less dry and significantly more bitter than British IPAs.

East Coast IPA

A relatively new style, East Coast IPAs differ from West Coast IPAs primarily in the type of yeast used. East Coast IPAs use mutated, complicated British yeasts that produce lots of flavours and aromas as they ferment, such as stone fruit, banana, and tropical notes. This flavour boost allows East Coast IPAs to use fewer hops, resulting in less bitterness and a cloudier, hazier appearance.

Double IPA (or Imperial IPA)

Double IPAs (also known as Imperial IPAs) are a response to drinkers who wanted more hops and higher bitterness. Brewers created stronger, hoppier beers by using more malt, which also increased the alcohol content. These beers have a strong hop flavour with floral, piney, and citrus notes and a minimum ABV of 7.5%.

Triple IPA

Just as drinkers were getting used to the bitterness of Double IPAs, some started to crave even more hops, leading to the creation of Triple IPAs. These beers can have an ABV of 12% or higher and are extremely popular, with people queuing for hours to get their hands on them. However, they are not for casual drinkers due to their high alcohol content and extremely hoppy, bitter flavours.

Session IPA

Session IPAs are designed for casual drinking sessions, offering a big dose of hops at a more modest ABV of 5% or less. They are dry-hopped to maximise the amount of aroma while minimising bitterness, resulting in a drink that is highly drinkable yet full of flavour.

Black IPA (or Cascadian Dark Ale)

Black IPAs, also known as Cascadian Dark Ales, are a unique style that combines the appearance of a stout with the hoppy aroma of an IPA. The darker malts lend roasted flavours that contrast with the floral, citrus, and piney notes of the hops. When done well, Black IPAs offer a totally unique and delicious drinking experience.

Belgian IPA

Belgian IPAs use a Belgian yeast, which imparts clove and spicy notes commonly found in Hefeweizens and Belgian Tripels. They tend to be lighter in colour and have a more complex flavour profile and higher alcohol content than a typical IPA.

Grapefruit IPA

A variation of the fruited IPA, Grapefruit IPAs have gained so much popularity that they now warrant their own category. The aroma and flavour come primarily from grapefruit, which also lends acidity and amplifies the bitterness. The result is a clean, bitter, and hugely fruity beer that can be enjoyed even by those who don't usually drink beer.

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