IPA stands for India Pale Ale, this style of beer was referred to as “pale ale as prepared for India”, “India Ale”, “pale India ale” or “pale export India ale”.
IPA descends from the earliest pale ales of the 17th century. The term pale ale originally denoted an ale which had been brewed from pale malt. The pale ales of the early 18th century were lightly hopped and quite different from later pale ales.
Double India Pale Ales (abbreviated Double IPAs or DIPAs) are a strong, very hoppy style of pale beer. Also known as Imperial IPAs (or IIPAs), these beers have high amounts of malt and hops. Double IPAs typically have alcohol content above 7% by volume. IBUs are in the very high range (60+).
IPAs came about due to lack of refrigeration. Beer was going bad in hot storage conditions – whether simply being stored or during long shipping trips – so George Hodgson from the Bow Brewery in East London came to the solution by taking his Pale Ale recipe and considerably increasing the hop and alcohol content. The result was a bitter, very alcoholic Ale that survived the trip to India and was actually drinkable at the end of the trip.
Now IPAs are very popular and come in a variety of different styles. IPA fans often refer to themselves as Hopheads and can be very picky about the IPA styles they like best.
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