This Thursday, August 7th, is International IPA Day. Now most beer styles don’t get their own day, but there’s just something about the IPA that grabs hold of beer geeks and won’t let go. For them (us), every day is IPA Day, so this week I will be bringing you entirely IPA-themed content. Look out for ramblings and reviews on the wonderful India Pale Ale, starting with this: five reasons why beer geeks are in love with the IPA (specifically the American version).
1. Big, bold flavours
If you ever go on RateBeer.com, you’ll notice that light lagers and blonde ales tend to not be among the highest scoring beers. This isn’t because there aren’t five-star examples of these delicate styles. It”s just that they dont stick in your memory when you’re telling your friends/the world about the latest beer you tasted. Just as people remember a curry with an extra zing, or a piece of blue cheese so pungent you could smell it with the fridge door shut, people remember the heavily hopped, fruity, fresh bitterness of the IPA.
2. Hops, hops, hops!
You get hopheads, but you don’t hear much about yeast beasts or..malt maniacs (???) Why the humble humulus has its own special fanclub I’m not entirely sure – does it have anything to do with the fact that its first cousin is marijuana? Surely not. But whether its about the heavenly aroma of a heavily-hopped IPA, the fresh flavour or the palate-cleansing bitterness, the American IPA is the beer style that best showcases what a hop can do and for that, we salute it!
3. Just the right amount of booze
The American IPA tends to range from about 5.5-7.5% alcohol. It’s enough of a kick that you can get what you want from a pint (come on now, hops are great, but you don’t go seeking hop-flavoured tea now do you?) but not so much that you can’t manage a second.
4. An acquired taste
I really think that a big part of the cult around the IPA is the fact that not everyone enjoys the hop-heavy flavours and decided bitterness. It’s not a ‘gateway’ beer, it’s not a ‘beginners’ beer’. For many it’s an acquired taste (I often hear comments along the lines of “it’s not a beer you could drink it all night” – a comment I wholeheartedly disagree with and regularly prove wrong) and I suspect that those who have acquired said taste feel a slight sense of superiority over the IBU-wusses* around them.
* – International Bittering Units
5. Beer with a backstory
It doesn’t just taste great – the IPA has history! It’s a beer shrouded in myths and legends and lies. It even has its own quirky and very well-written biography. Does that make it taste any better? Not at all, but then since it tastes so damn awesome to begin with, it doesn’t need to – and it’s nice to have something to chat about while you’re sipping.
What do you think? Why are beer geeks in love with the American IPA? Are you a hophead? Do you rub citra pellets behind your ears before a hot date? Do you prefer the more subtle English version to the big brash American take? Or are you a hop-wuss who doesn’t get the whole IPA cult? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
I would definitely qualify as a fellow hop-head. In fact that guy in the photo looks a lot like me. Good article thought. IPA is pretty much the beer of choice of anyone who has developed a palate for beer as this beer style has so much diversity on offer from the big malt, yeast and of course heavy hop additions in it. The world, in particular SA, needs more great IPA’s.
IPAs, and here I am talking about good ones; just have that x-factor that make you really appreciate the brew and its various components. Sure, there are porters and stouts and Dubbels and Tripels that do the same, but there is something about a good IPA that does it better.
I suppose this is the essence of hopheadism.
For me, it is big roasty malts and bloody great big tropical fruit, pine and resin hop aromas and flavours that do it. I simply cannot get enough of this stuff.
Did someone say IPA?
Well that sure got my attention. I think the only thing that will get me even more excited would be Imperial IPA.
If I ever had to be in the awful position of having to choose a beer style to drink for the rest of my life, it would undoubtedly be the India Pale Ale.
I love IPA because it’s a hugely versatile beer style. The possibilities when it comes to brewing are endless.
Hops are such an integral part of beer, and are showcased perfectly in the style.
I have just brewed side by side a Single Hop Citra IPA and an “Experimental Grapefruit IPA”. Both of beers were brewed using exactly the same grain load, same yeast, same everything. The only difference was the hops used.
It’s incredible to taste how different both beers are all because of a different hopping schedule.
My favourite IPA’s are the Big American guys. The likes of Cisco Island Reserve IIPA, Dogfish Head 90 Minute, Sierra Nevada Hoptimum & Sixpoint Brewery Resin IIPA.
Favourite local examples would be the very first batch of ZAR ever brewed and my firm favourite The Kings Blockhouse from Devils Peak.
You’ve made me thirsty now Lucy.
I’m off to the fridge to get an IPA.
😉
And how can I get my hands on these Citra/Grapefruit IPAs of which you speak?? Now who’s making who thirsty??
These two batches are all booked for a wedding unfortunately.
The Single Hop Citra is a regular in my “brewing stable” though, next batch i’ll send a couple bottles down for you. 😉
I’ll be in Joburg in mid-late September 😀
I’ve been asking him the same thing….
Oh, and another thing.
A good book to read if you can get your hands on it is:
IPA Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of INDIA PALE ALE by Mitch Steele.
Thanks for the tip!
Thanks Dean!
A big and better batch of ZAR on the way in early 2015.
I agree with all your points Lucy…I love everything about an IPA!
It is also a style that is fairly easy to brew an average version, but difficult to brew a spectacular version. The balance between the malt and hops needs to be spot on. If too much hoppage is not balanced by the malt sufficiently it can tire the palate.
Thanks Dave – good to get a brewer’s side, since I am more focused on the “tasting” side of things…
Being from America, I have a serious IPA palate. So I’ll have to agree with Dean, let’s talk Imperial, Double, and Triple IPA’s! But really though, IPA’s are (in my opinion) the most drink able beer. They aren’t heavy, like a stout or porter, so its easier to drink for a extended period of time (all day long) and have the best aromas of any other beer types. I have always said it tastes like marijuana to the point that I’ve told some pot head acquaintances to try IPAs because its the cloestest they’ll get to having it in a beer, with that nice spicy bitter after taste IPAs leave behind.
Recently I tried a beer from Robson’s Brewery, in Shongweni KZN, called Hammer of Thor IPA @ 8.4% and it made me believe in their brewery again. Great beer that I would put up with some of the better Imperial/Double IPAs. Their Durban Pale Ale was the first South African Pale Ale I had, and really let me down on the taste scale with just too much citrus. Kingshouse, Butcher Block, Hammer of Thor, and Skeleton Coast are my favorite SA Pale Ales/IPAs though.
Joshua – you are clearly a man of impeccable taste! (Both in beers and blogs to read/comments on 😉 )
I am also a big fan of the Hammer of Thor.
We obviously all love our IPA’s
We have spoken about flavour,nose,hops,bitterness ect ect,but
The other thing that I love about it is that we love talking about it.
I know a good ipa actually brings a real smile to my face and gets me excited.no other ale or larger does this.
Even now,I’m happy!!!!!
Bring on thursday,in fact people should choose a few other days in the year and dedicate them to lagers,pale ales,stouts and weiss,but make the rest of the year ipa day!