What is India Pale Ale?

If necessity is the mother of invention, then India Pale Ale is one of its children. In the 1790s India was a colony under British rule. Due to India's warm weather beer couldn't be brewed locally and had to be shipped from England, a 6 month trip around Africa and the Cape of Good Hope. After spending 6 months aboard ship and suffering the heat of equatorial Africa, beer arrived in India flat, sour and spoiled.

Since refrigeration hadn't been invented yet a way had to be found for beer to survive the trip to India. Enter George Hodgson of East London's Bow Brewery. Back then, brewers knew hops acted as a sort of natural preservative and that alcohol also provided preservative qualities. So it occurred to Hodgson to take the pale ale favoured by British troops and make some alterations.

First he increased the hopping rate and the brew's starting gravity. When the beer was fermented, he added more hops to the casks (a process known as dry hopping) and added priming sugar to help keep the yeast alive during the trip. The result upon arrival in India was a more alcoholic, bitter, sparkling beer with no evidence of spoilage. India Pale Ale was born.

A well crafted IPA should be well balanced with hop bitterness playing off against malt and a crisp, almost mineral finish. Pour the beer into a glass and you'll notice a color ranging from light copper to deep amber. The aroma should be pleasantly hoppy, with a floral, woody or even spicy nose. Remember, we're talking about India Pale Ale, not the American model which has a more floral, citrussy, hops profile.

When you taste it, IPA should have an assertive, not overpowering bitterness. As with the aroma, the bitterness should be spicy or woody. The malt sweetness should be present enough to balance the bitterness and might add a bready, biscuity, quality. Perhaps there might be hints of caramel or toffee. The beer should have a clean, almost mineral finish. As for alcohol content, most IPAs clock in between 5.5 and 7 percent alcohol by volume.

I love IPA. The complexity and balance of a well made IPA make it one of my favourite beers. If you have a well stocked liquor store nearby, you should find a good example of the style easily enough. One of my favourites is Young's London Ale. Even though it doesn't advertise itself as one, it does qualify as an IPA. Old Speckled Hen and Well's, also from England, also make great IPAs. From North America, I've always been fond of Brooklyn Brewing's East India Pale Ale, Hop Head from Nelson Brewing and Bridgeport IPA.

If you have a hard time deciding between the choices offered, stop by your local brewpub or microbrewery. Brewers are familiar with beer styles and don't mind offering their opinions. Especially if it helps promote their product. If you can't find a nearby brewpub, ask your local homebrew club or email one from a nearby town. Homebrew enthusiasts are always ready to help other beer enthusiasts find their way.