A Brief History of Indian Pale Ale, That IPA You're Drinking

A Brief History of Indian Pale Ale, That IPA You’re Drinking

You either love it or you don’t.

But if you love it, you really love it.

The IPA is a style first brewed by the English, but after a short hiatus, was rejuvenated by the Americans. But what qualities does IPA have to keep the craft beer nerd returning to the bar for another glass? In order to understand this unique beer style, one must first understand the origins of the brew.

The name IPA (pronounced ‘eye-pee-ay’, not ‘ee-pa’) stands for India Pale Ale. However, this beer was never actually brewed in India. During 1800s, the British occupied India and were constantly sending supplies to the sultry region, including beer.

This was due to the sweltering climate; the British were unable to brew any sort of beer, and were forced to import their ales from their homeland, a mere four-to-six-month voyage away. This extended time on the heated road could sour the beer and render it undrinkable. Instead of risking large batches of beer going to waste, brewers discovered a new brewing method to increase the durability of the beer.[…]

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