Born from reason than intention, the history of India Pale Ale (IPA) started when it became the beer solution for the British Empire. Brewing was becoming impossible owing to the hot climate of India. That’s when Hodgson, a London brewer, sent a strong and heavily hopped beer intended to age like wine.
This beer not only survived the six-month-long journey but was found to have an improved taste. Gradually, considering the changing climate of India, this IPA prototype was alerted, making it refreshing with each change.
However, IPAs are often misunderstood in the beer world for either being too bitter or too alcoholic. Interestingly, neither of the statements is entirely true. Therefore, it would be unfair to throw blanket statements over an extremely wide arena of the beer industry.
Having been born at sea, this beer has been explored, experimented and evolved with the addition of tropical fruits and pine along with malts, offering an assertive balance of a bitter-sweet end. IPAs now come in a wide range of styles with a modern approach for inculcating hops.