Origin: London, England: 1780ish
History: IPA’s evolved from English October/Pale Ales that were shipped to India for the British Troops. These soldiers were given a ration of a gallon of ale per day! Sadly, these pale ales struggled on the long overseas journey from London, souring in the heat on their weeks long trip as they rounded the southern tip of Africa and up to India. Back home, brewer George Hodson began to produce a more bitter and stronger beer and aged it for many months, allowing for the yeast to consumer most of the fermentable sugars that could spoil. The end result was a hoppy, high-alcohol beer that could survive the long journey to the British Troops.
Appearance: Pale/medium amber with slight orange hue. Clear, unless dry-hopped.
Aroma: Spicy English Hop bitterness in front of a malty/nutty backdrop.
Flavor Profile: Crisp and Dry. Hop dominant over a slight/steady malt profile. Prime examples exhibit a pleasant balance of English hops and nutty malt.
Bitterness: High: 40-60
Commercial Examples:Youngs Special London Ale, Brooklyn East India Pale Ale, Goose Island IPA
Recommended Food Pairings: Spicy food such as Mexican dishes or chicken wings and sweet desserts, like carrot cake, are MAGIC!