The Ipa's Reign: Exploring Craftbeer.Com's Popularity

India Pale Ale (IPA) is a popular style of craft beer, with a strong following among craft beer enthusiasts. Its popularity can be attributed to several factors, including its complex and intense flavours, its association with advanced beer appreciation, and its role as a status symbol in the craft community. IPAs have a long history, dating back to the 1760s, and have evolved over time to cater to changing tastes and preferences. The style is known for its boldness and high bitterness, often described as bracing or aggressive, which some drinkers may acquire a taste for over time. The American version of this European-inspired beer has ruled for over a decade and continues to be a dominant force in the craft beer world, with many breweries offering their own interpretations to capture consumer interest.

IPAs are advanced and have a lot of flavour

IPAs are considered advanced because they are an acquired taste. Unlike sweet tastes that children naturally enjoy, bitter flavours are often unappealing to the untrained palate. However, as people grow up and try new things, their brains can learn to appreciate bitter and sour flavours. This is why IPAs are considered a "badge of honour" to order—they are a signifier of advanced beer appreciation.

The bitterness of an IPA is down to individual perception, and tastes can change over time. A highly-hopped IPA that you didn't enjoy at first may grow on you over time. This is because human taste is pre-wired from birth. Children naturally like sweet things, but may not take to sour or bitter flavours right away. As people grow up and try new things, their brains learn that not all sour and bitter flavours are bad.

IPAs are also considered "advanced" because they showcase a nuanced understanding of hops. Being able to sense not just the bitterness of an IPA, but the more nuanced contributions that hops add to a beer, such as aroma and flavour, comes over time.

IPAs have a lot of flavour. When you drink an IPA, your taste buds can tell you if what you are experiencing is sweet, bitter, sour, salty or umami. However, when the taste of an IPA is paired with its aroma and golden colour, you sense flavours like grapefruit, pine, and roses. Each drinker's personal taste is unique, so what one person likes about the flavour of an IPA may be different from what another likes about the style.

They are bold and mysterious

IPAs are bold and mysterious. They are bold in their flavour, with a bracing bitterness and a strong citrusy taste. They are mysterious in their appeal, with a cult-like following and an ever-expanding reach.

The boldness of IPAs is evident in their flavour profile. They are known for their strong, bracing bitterness, which can be a challenge for some drinkers to acquire a taste for. This bitterness is derived from the increased use of hops, which also contributes to the beer's citrusy flavours, such as grapefruit and pine. The boldness of IPAs is further enhanced by their synthetic flavour, which is created by the combination of multiple stimuli, including taste, aroma, and colour.

The mysterious nature of IPAs lies in their cult-like appeal among craft beer enthusiasts. IPAs have a dedicated following, with some drinkers even considering it a badge of honour to order one. The popularity of IPAs has led to their ever-expanding reach, with more breweries offering them to consumers and more consumers seeking out their unique flavour profile. IPAs have altered the focus of the hop industry and dominated shelves, bar tops, and competitions.

The bold and mysterious nature of IPAs contributes to their enduring popularity and cultural significance within the craft beer community. They represent a range of beers that are obvious in their bitterness and bold citrusy flavours but also offer nuances that can be discovered and appreciated over time.

They are a status symbol

India Pale Ale (IPA) is the ultimate status symbol in the craft beer community. It is an aspirational drink, a badge of honour, and a signifier of advanced beer appreciation.

IPAs are "advanced" because they are an acquired taste. Beer drinkers are not born liking IPAs; it is a taste that is learned and developed over time. This is because IPAs are bitter, and humans are not pre-wired to like bitter flavours. As children, we instinctively like sweet things, but bitter and sour flavours can take some getting used to. So, when someone orders an IPA, it shows that they know about beer and have refined their palate beyond the standard fizzy yellow lager.

The bold, bracing bitterness of an IPA is also what makes it so refreshing. It offers a nice contrast to the sugary sweetness of many other drinks. This bitterness is also what makes IPAs so flavourful. When you drink an IPA, you experience a lot of different components that work together to create a unique flavour. This flavour is considered a synthetic sense, where a mix of stimuli come together and our brain works to recognise, record and recount a certain flavour.

The IPA's status as an "advanced" drink is further enhanced by its association with the craft beer revolution. IPAs are synonymous with craft beer and represent a bold departure from the mass-produced, flavourless lagers that dominated the American beer market for so long. So, when someone orders an IPA, it shows that they are knowledgeable about beer and appreciate bold, unique flavours.

The exclusivity of certain IPAs also adds to their status as a symbol of advanced beer appreciation. Some IPAs are only sold in limited amounts or in specific places, so fans have to travel to breweries and queue for hours to get their hands on the latest release. This has created a tiny subculture of craft beer fans known as "hazebros" or "hazebois", who pay people to wait in line to get the latest buzzy IPA. These beers then become status symbols that the hazebros can flaunt on Instagram, showing that they have money to pay line-sitters, superior taste in beer, and access to exclusive products.

They are Instagrammable

The IPA has become a staple on social media, particularly Instagram, and its popularity is certainly boosted by its photogenic qualities. The craft beer movement has embraced the visual appeal of their brews, and the IPA is a star player. With its vibrant, often golden, hue, and frothy head, it is an attractive beer to look at. The colors are inviting and the beer often has a bright, fresh appearance. Many IPAs also have a cloudy, hazy quality, which is very on-trend and adds to their unique and intriguing look. This cloudy appearance is often a result of the brewing process and can be a sign of a truly craft beer—a selling point that craft breweries have capitalized on. The use of hops can also create a very appealing, bright, and clear beer with a vibrant, golden color.

The IPA is a very 'shareable' beer on social media. Its unique and distinctive look is a great way for craft breweries to gain exposure and create a brand identity. The distinct and often colorful cans and bottles also add to the overall appeal. Many craft breweries have very distinctive and artistic labeling, which is a huge draw for Instagram users. These designs often reflect the unique and experimental nature of the beer and the brewery, and this is a huge part of the appeal for many craft beer enthusiasts. The artwork on the cans or bottles is often a talking point and a way for breweries to express their creativity and individuality.

The IPA's visual appeal is also enhanced by its often unique and experimental ingredients. Many IPAs are now brewed with fruit, spices, and even flowers, which adds a whole new dimension to the beer's appearance. These ingredients can create a colorful, vibrant beer that is a far cry from the standard, traditional beer look. Many craft breweries are also very creative with their naming and branding, which adds to the fun and appeal of these beers. An interesting name and an eye-catching can or bottle are a sure way to gain attention on social media and create a buzz around a particular brew.

The IPA is also a very versatile beer when it comes to food pairings, and this is another way its popularity has grown on social media. Many Instagram accounts and craft beer blogs feature stunning food and beer pairing photography, and the IPA is a very popular choice. Its bold and unique flavors can stand up to many different dishes, and the beer's versatility is a huge draw. The IPA can be paired with spicy foods, BBQ, and even desserts, and this is a great way for breweries and beer enthusiasts to showcase the beer's potential. The right food pairing can also enhance the beer's unique flavors, creating a very appealing and indulgent experience, which is, of course, very Instagrammable.

They are easy to make

IPAs are easy to make because they are more forgiving of off-flavours. Generous amounts of hops can cover up minor mistakes. They are also quicker to make than lagers, which require refrigeration during fermentation. Ales, in general, are therefore the style for home, nano, and microbreweries.

However, one source notes that while IPAs are easy to make, they are not easy to make well. Another source agrees, saying that hops can be used to hide a lot of mistakes, but that brewers should also be focusing on getting the other elements of the beer right.

Frequently asked questions