What’s an IPA

Beer is more than an alcoholic drink. It’s an age-old brew with history, flavors, and aromas that are fun to explore. You will find many types of beers, especially in the craft beer market, to satisfy your curiosity and thirst. Along the way, you will encounter an IPA  beer and wonder what it is.

Indian pale ale origin

Indian pale ales, or IPA, is a beer that uses hop flavors and aromas. The name IPA comes from the origins of the beer, but its taste and style have evolved a great deal since then.

Pale ales came around the early 1700s. It was when English brewers began using malt roasted using fuel with high carbon content and low smoke yield. What came out was a paler bear (lighter in color) than the dark beers that were common at the time. That’s why they were called pale ales. Revelers would also call them bitters because of the extra hop flavor compared to the darker ales.

When brewers used lighter-colored malt (or white malt), it also enabled the hop flavor to shine through. A century later, the IPA came along.

Sometimes it’s hard to differentiate between pale ales and IPAs. That’s because the hoppiness or bitterness of a beer can be subjective. But as a general rule, IPAs have a higher ABV and IBU than pale ales.

Flavors and aromas of IPA

The prominent flavor for IPAs comes from the hops. Still, you can get variants with a citrus note, fruity flavor, or herbal taste.

Some aromas and flavors you can experience with an IPA include lemon, grapefruit, pineapple, guava, strawberry, peach grass, wood, tea, and flowers.

IPAs come in different styles. The term style, concerning IPAs, refers to the beer’s flavor, mouthfeel, or appearance. Each style uses an ingredient in its brewing process, technique, or both that makes it distinct. The most popular styles are West Coast, British, and New England style IPAs.

While you are at Stormhouse Brewing, you can enjoy some of our IPA beers, like the;

• New England-style Pressure Drop
• American style Tempest, or
• Imperial-style Path of Destruction.

The range of beer flavors and aromas is unforgettable. At Stormhouse Brewing, you can enjoy our IPA and other local craft beers. Come in and have a glass with us.