Introduction
History
Style Definition
Brewing Practices
Recipes

---

For an excellent, complete discussion of Pale and India Pale Ales, see the Classic Beer Styles Series: Pale Ales book produced by Brewers Publications. For a list of this series and other references, check out our Brewing Books section.

---

INTRODUCTION

"...like bringing hops to Yakima"

Brewer's in any geographical area tend to add materials characteristic of their locale rather liberally. Wild yeast and airborne bacteria tend to define the beers from many areas of Belgium. Full, rich sweetness from barley locally grown and malted tends to define many German lagers. The flavor profile of the beer brewed around Milwaukee, St Louis, and Golden, Colorado tends to closely resemble the flavor profile of the local water supply. And brewers in the Northwest--home of the Yakima Valley--are said to be heavy-handed with their hops. It's natural.

Although the hop harvest festival held each fall in Yakima attracts hop farmers, hop brokers, and hopheads from around the country and across the globe, this event is not the largest or best known celebration of the hop. The true celebration of the hop is called India Pale Ale, and you don't need to be anywhere near the fields of Washington to attend. Microbreweries are serving up little bits of beery bitterness everywhere.

The quality of the average IPA currently made available by the U.S. craft brewing scene is very high. However, IPA's are famous for their bitterness, an attribute which probably turns away twice as many tasters as it intrigues. Any microbrewery will attest to the fact that the blandest beer in their arsenal is the one they can't make fast enough. True, a brewery's IPA may never be the flagship beer, bringing in the cash to keep the business afloat. Looking at the most succesfull breweries in America (the big boys), it is plain to see that distinctions of flavor pale in comparison to distinctions of packaging and marketing image. Focusing on the name of the beer is often placed in a higher priority than focusing on the flavor. And let's face it: India Pale Ale is a great name. As we'll see below, it's also a great story. It may be inevitable, but we hope not to see gradual decrease in IPA gravities and hopping rates as larger breweries dress up standard (if not downright watery) pale ales with the mystique of IPA.

In a country where entire advertising campaigns (see: Keystone) are centered around the near-absence of one of the main ingredients of beer, there may be no hope for us. Then again, as craft brewing sweeps across the nation, beer appreciation and education are gaining footholds that they've never had. Despite the many imposters sure to come, it's safe to say there will always be good, full-flavored IPA's.

Return to Top

---

HISTORY

"The pale ale, prepared for the India Market...forms a most valuable restorative beverage for invalids and convalescents." - J. Pereira, 1934

The end of the 18th century was a hotbed of momentous history. In America, a revolutionary war was fought, and the framework of a new country was built. Across the sea, Mozart created some of the great masterpieces in music history. Kant published his philosophical treatises, while Blake wrote and painted many of his enduring works. Most importantly, George Hodgson conceived the recipe for the first India Pale Ale.

By this time, the British Empire had expanded to every corner of the globe, including India. The soldiers and British expatriates living there, long accustomed to the fare of their local English pubs, found themselves without a brewery in sight. Meanwhile, back in merry old England, breweries were growing to immense capacities, fueled by the fires of the industrial revolution. Beer had become big business. All that was needed was a link between the expanding market for beer in India and the producers of beer in England.

There were huge profits to be had in other trades. One of them was the importation of highly valued silk and spices from India, and many a shipping company involved itself in the Indian trade. Occupied India, however, had survived on its own for centuries, and there was little demand for British goods there. Trading ships loaded with Indian bounty on their return trip were heading to India virtually empty. This meant shipping to India was cheap, even for a brewery. However, the Indian market presented one unique problem to the brewer: India was one of the more distant corners the Empire had spread to. Not only did it take months to get there, but the tropical seas needing to be navigated made for very poor storage conditions. How could the beer survive?

The beer survived by packing extra hops and an alcoholic punch. It so happens that both hops and alcohol are preservatives, perfect for counteracting a beer's malt sugars, which would otherwise feed wild yeast and bacteria. Although humans can ingest alcohol in moderation with little damage suffered save a hangover, single-celled organisms often cannot survive in the presence of any alcohol. By definition, alcohol is a preservative. Hops also have preservative qualities. The acids naturally present on the hop flower not only deter predatory animals in the fields and lite beer drinkers in the bars: they also deter many microbes that would otherwise spoil beer within days. That's one of the reasons they were chosen as a main ingredient in beer, and the main reason why they were central in the recipe for IPA.

If there is one name most associated with the beginnings of IPA, it is George Hodgson. He is known as the originator of the style, seizing the economic moment by capitalizing on the market in exporting microbiologically stable beer to the India market. He dedicated his London brewery to brewing beer that would weather the voyage, and created something of an Empire of his own. The beer market in India belonged to Mr. Hodgson for years. Of course, others eventually caught on, most notably major Burton breweries like Bass. Although Hodgson pulled out all the stops to control the market entirely, his competition eventually gained a foothold. By the 1820's, more and more breweries had edged in, and more and more "India Ales" had come to be. Thus, India Pale Ale, one businessman's solution to a problem of distribution, went from being a recipe to being an entire style.

Return to Top

---

STYLE DEFINITION

"Hairspray, Imported Hairspray, and Historically Correct Hairspray"

Yes, to hop-phobic beer drinkers, there may be little or no distinction among the varieties of IPA. However, it has been argued that the IPA category should be divided to better encompass the variety of beer that falls under this name. Usually sited is the character difference between most American IPA's and those made in England. On the other hand, many (including the AHA) see IPA as just a subcategory of the English Pale Ale. Suffice to say, there's lots of room to move in this style, provided mostly by the wide variety of hop strains available today.

American Homebrewer's Association Style Guidelines
INDIA PALE ALE

	India Pale Ale
Color	Pale to Deep Amber/Copper
Body	Medium
Flavor Profile	Medium Maltiness Fruity/Estery Alcoholic Strength Evident
Hop Bitterness	High
Hop Flavor/Aroma	Medium to High
Original Gravity	1.050 - 1.065

Return to Top

---

BREWING PRACTICES

"Brewers, Don't Lose Your Marbles"

Hopping rates in this beer are commonly 40-60 IBU's, or about 10-15 HBU's. In addition to the increase in bittering hops, there should be a very present hop flavor and aroma in the profile. This is where the English and American versions really diverge. English IPA's are brewed almost exclusively with Kent Golding and Fuggle hops, while American brewers have their "4 C's"--Chinook, Centennial, Columbus, and the everpresent Cascade. The American-bred varieties are known for the citrusy and floral qualities of their aroma, which marks quite a departure from the classic, spicy English hops.

The character of the hop can be brought out using flavor and finishing hops to some extent, but the real personality of the hop plant comes through most purely and strongly by dry-hopping--the addition of fresh hops to the secondary fermentor.

DRY HOPPING

Pellets are the easiest hop form to use for dry-hopping. Although many argue that pelletization alters or destroys the essential oils responsible for fresh hop aroma, pellet hops actually do impart a nice flavor (though it may differ from that of leaf hops). Pellets can be added directly to the secondary fermentor and left behind with the rest of the sediment when bottling or kegging.

There are some hurdles to jump when dry-hopping with whole leaf hops. For one, a few ounces of dry hops packed into a hop bag is a pretty bulky package to shove through a carboy neck in either direction. Once you've worked them in, they need to be weighed down in some way--otherwise, they tend to float on the top of the beer, making little contact with the beer. Marbles, which are easy to come by and easy to sterilize, are the anchor of choice for dry-hop bags.

Another possibility for dry-hopping available to brewers who keg their beers is to put whole leaf hops or hop plugs into the dispensing container. This is the traditional advantage of the hop plug, a compressed puck of whole leaf hops which fits perfectly through the bung hole in a conditioning keg for real ale. Of course, it'll also make it through the top of your Cornelius keg. Keg-hopping beer can be considered the height of fresh hop flavor. And, although our Corny kegs are worlds removed from the shipbound barrels of yesteryear, keg-hopping provides yet another link to the history of this beer style.

USE OF OAK

Some degree of controversy exists over the use of oak in brewing traditional IPAs. The notion of IPA journeying for many moons around the Cape of Good Hope to India, all the while sealed up in oak barrels, suggest to many that oak flavor and tannins must play a part in historical interpretations of the style.

Opponents argue from several sides, but generally propose that oak flavor, if any, would have been at an absolute minimum. The reasons are that the barrels, re-used over and over again just like modern day kegs, could not possibly have had many of their flavor compounds left to impart. Secondly, as any winemaker or cask-conditioning expert might tell you, European oak has a much more subdued, subtle flavor than American Oak. The harsh tannins and vanilla notes of American oak have no place alongside the sweetly aromatic spiciness of the classic English hops.

How about European oak, then? Well, you will find that oak chips in U.S. wine supply shops are generally either American or French oak, not English. But there's no harm in trying out French oak. However, like in winemaking, the addition of Oak chips to your fermentor will require regular sampling until the desired flavor is achieved. Our recommendation is to find or develop an IPA recipe that you are happy with, and then begin experimenting with oak. You may find that it adds another level of complexity to perfectly complement the flavor, or you may find that it's best to leave well enough alone.

Brewing from Malt Extract:

Almost any quality pale extract will work for an IPA, although traditional IPA's should include only British-made products. Since a higher alcohol content is normal for the style, larger quantities of extract are required. A gravity of 1.060 can be achieved with 6 2/3 pounds of dry malt or 8 1/3 pounds of extract syrup (use an extra pound if the syrup is Alexander's brand).

Specialty grains like light crystal malts and dextrin may work well with this style, although they should be avoided in an historical interpretation.

Brewing from Grains:

Traditional IPA's usually include only English pale, with no specialty grains added. Modern interpretations may gain by addition of dextrin malt, very light crystal malts, etc.

Because an IPA is made with fully modified pale malt and little or no specialty grains, a single-step infusion mash at 150-158 F for one hour is all that is required for English Pale. If American 2-Row is substituted for English Pale, a step-mash is recommended for clarity (Hazes are particularly noticable in a pale beer like an IPA).

Return to Top

---

RECIPES

---

Rainy Day IPA

Our Rainy Day IPA recipe represents a good mix of American and English qualities.

RAINY DAY IPA

India Pale Ale (Extract)

O.G. 1.060 - 1.065

6 lbs.	British Bulk Malt Syrup
1 lb.	Munton & Fison Light Dry Malt
1/2 lb.	English Crystal, 50-60L
1/2 lb.	Munich Malt
2 oz.	Chinook or Columbus Hops (Boiling)
1 oz.	Kent Golding Hops (Finishing)
1/2 oz.	Kent Golding Hops (Dry Hops)
3/4 cup	Priming Sugar
1 pkg.	Whitbread Dry Ale Yeast or British Ale Wyeast

RAINY DAY IPA

India Pale Ale (All-Grain)

O.G. 1.060 - 1.065

9 lbs.	English Pale Malt
1/2 lb.	English Crystal, 50-60L
1/2 lb.	Munich Malt
2 oz.	Chinook or Columbus Hops (Boiling)
1 oz.	Kent Golding Hops (Finishing)
1/2 oz.	Kent Golding Hops (Dry Hops)
3/4 cup	Priming Sugar
1 pkg.	British Ale Wyeast

---

Round the Horn IPA

This recipe was designed by staffmember Kevin Norman to approximate the highly regarded local beer, Diamond Knot IPA. As "micro" as "micro" gets, this brewery (which began as two guys in their basement moonlighting from their jobs at Boeing) pumps out a few barrels a week to select local pubs. When it was released, their IPA became an instant favorite among Seattle hopheads. Naturally, we had to pin down the recipe.

This recipe is definitely an example of the American approach to the style, but very heavy handed with regard to both malt and hops. The aggressive flavor mellows with a few weeks' aging.

ROUND THE HORN IPA

American IPA (Extract)

O.G. 1.060 - 1.065

6 lbs.	British Malt Syrup
2 lbs.	Munton & Fison Light Dry Malt
1/4 lb.	German Light Crystal
1/4 lb.	Dextrin (Carapils) Malt
1 3/4 oz.	Galena Hops (Boiling)
1 oz.	Willamette Hops (Finishing)
1 3/4 oz.	Columbus Hops (Dry Hops)
3/4 cup	Priming Sugar
1 pkg.	Edme Dry Ale Yeast or London Ale Wyeast

ROUND THE HORN IPA

American IPA (All-Grain)

O.G. 1.060 - 1.065

9 lbs.	English Pale Malt
1 lb.	Munich Malt
1/4 lb.	German Light Crystal
1/4 lb.	Dextrin (Carapils) Malt
1 3/4 oz.	Galena Hops (Boiling)
1 oz.	Willamette Hops (Finishing)
1 3/4 oz.	Columbus Hops (Dry Hops)
3/4 cup	Priming Sugar
1 pkg.	London Ale Wyeast

---

Hodge-Dodger India Ale

This is an attempt at an historically accurate IPA, which limits the diversity of ingredients to some extent. However, the simplicity does not diminish the flavor--hops are the focus anyway. The exclusive use of traditional English hop varieties lends a flavor which more than departs from the American IPA's you may be familiar with. The use of hop plugs during keg conditioning (as mentioned above) is recommended. However, if you do not keg your beer, you may substitute standard dry-hopping techniques using the same quantities specified below.

HODGE-DODGER INDIA ALE

Classic India Pale Ale (Extract)

O.G. 1.065 - 1.070

6 lbs.	British Light Malt Syrup
3 lbs.	Munton & Fison Light Dry Malt
2 oz.	Kent Golding Plug Hops (60 Minute Boil)
2 oz.	Fuggle Leaf Hops (60 Minute Boil)
1/2 oz.	Kent Golding Plug Hops (30 Minute Boil)
1/2 oz.	English Fuggle Plug Hops (30 Minute Boil)
1 oz.	English Fuggle Plug Hops (15 Minute Boil)
1/2 oz.	English Fuggle Plug Hops (Dry or Keg Hopping)
1/2 oz.	Keng Golding Plug Hops (Dry or Keg Hopping)
3/4 cup	Priming Sugar
1 pkg.	Edme Dry Ale Yeast or London Ale Wyeast

HODGE-DODGER INDIA ALE

Classic India Pale Ale (All-Grain)

O.G. 1.065 - 1.070

11 lbs.	English Pale Malt
2 oz.	Kent Golding Plug Hops (60 Minute Boil)
2 oz.	Fuggle Leaf Hops (60 Minute Boil)
1/2 oz.	Kent Golding Plug Hops (30 Minute Boil)
1/2 oz.	English Fuggle Plug Hops (30 Minute Boil)
1 oz.	English Fuggle Plug Hops (15 Minute Boil)
1/2 oz.	English Fuggle Plug Hops (Dry or Keg Hopping)
1/2 oz.	Keng Golding Plug Hops (Dry or Keg Hopping)
3/4 cup	Priming Sugar
1 pkg.	London Ale Wyeast

Return to Top