Just what is an IPA, anyway?

“Yeah, the IPA story has been surrounded by a lot of myth-making, half-story and some complete inventions.” That’s how Brisbane-based beer writer and educator Matt Kirkegaard describes the story of how India pale ale beers came about.

The story goes that the IPA style came about when British brewers, concerned that their beers would spoil on the long boat trip to India back in colonial times, added extra hops to their brew as a preservative, thus birthing the IPA.

Whilst it might be a great yarn, said Kirkegaard, the story isn’t quite that simple.

“The first thing really is that when IPA originated, beers weren’t just ‘invented’, they evolved over time based on local ingredients and conditions, and through trial and error. There wasn’t a time that there wasn’t IPA and then suddenly they appeared fully formed and distinct,” he said.

The use of hops — and the IPA style — is something that’s been developing for the last 1200 years.

“As best we can tell, hops have been used in beer since the 800s,” said Kirkegaard. “In the 1100s  their preservative effect on beer was recorded. We also know that by the 1760s brewers were being advised that it was “absolutely necessary” to add extra hops to beer if it was being sent to warmer climes. That wasn’t just India. The oldest reference to India Ales was actually in Australian papers in the 1830s as the beers were also sent to Australia.”

The hops aren’t the only thing preserving the beers either, according to Wayward Brewing’s head brewer and founder, Peter Philip. He said that although there’s no clear definition of what constitutes a double IPA (in which there are double the hops), the higher ABV can give an indication.

“IPA’s have traditionally been pretty strong beers — to survive the long sea journey — so it’s debatable where the boundary ends between a traditional IPA and starts with a Double IPA,” he said.

“But I’d say a double would have to be greater than 7.5% ABV and a triple greater than 8.5% ABV.  A stronger beer generally means more malt, which contributes to a better mouthfeel and balances the massive hop loads – particularly with American IPAs.”

While IPAs have long been associated with the Poms, it’s the American craft beer revolution that has flung IPAs — in an array of guises — into the hands of drinkers both Stateside and in Australia.

“IPA’s can roughly be broken into two camps – English and American,” said Philip. “The English varieties are less hop-forward and generally slightly maltier. American varieties are typified by clean fermentations (drier) and massive hop flavour and aroma.”

But that’s just the beginning, with the term IPA being applied to a range of brews these days.

“Recently the trend has been towards not only stronger IPAs but different expressions of the IPA style,” said Philip. “ Wayward was one of the first breweries to do an India Red Ale — also called a Red India Pale Ale but to me that’s an oxymoron — which balances a big hoppy American IPA with the maltiness of a red ale.  Or we also recently did a 1/2 IPA – the flavour and bitterness of an IPA with half of the alcohol. “

But this kind of experimentation is a welcome, said Kirkegaard.

“The best thing is that with the current craft brewing resurgence, IPAs continue to develop and evolve,” he said.

Peter Philip’s Top IPAs

Russian River Brewing Pliny the Elder Widely lauded as the “best IPA on the planet”, this double IPA weighs in at 8% and is dangerously drinkable. Bursting with Amercian aroma hops Centennial, Simcoe and Columbus.

Riverside Brewing 77 and 777  Riverside’s 77 IPA might just be the best DIPA in Australia with a delicious balance of malt and American hops. It’s big brother, the 777 triple IPA is an incredible achievement – delivering a massive 9.5% ABV while remaining extremely drinkable.

Feral Brewing Hop Hog Hop Hog is an extremely drinkable IPA that has won many awards and is the top rated IPA in Australian Untappd listings.

Wayward Charmer India Red Ale Of the “variants” of course I would say Charmer India Red Ale!