IPA stands for India Pale Ale. Back in the day when Great Britain was running amok laying claim to any land where they parked a ship, rowboat or piece of driftwood, they colonized India and began making frequent shipments to and from the country. Those shipments included beer, which did not do so well on long, boiling hot journeys by sea. Well, unless that beer was loaded with hops. Using more of those magical flowers in beer production amped up the bitterness factor, but they also made the beer far more durable and prevented the inevitable spoiling that occurred in their less hearty counterparts. Today, IPA beer has evolved to a craft beer artform. Its bitter and diverse hop-dominant flavor profile takes drinkers on a taste adventure. Of course, like every other beer, IPAs have nuance. To get the best understanding of the flavor profile, start with the IBUs. The higher the IBUs, the more pungent your bitterness balance may be. A double IPA or imperial IPA will typically have a higher ABV that can sneak up on people who stick to more mild beers.