India Pale Ale

When it comes to beer styles within the craft beer movement, it is probably fair to say that India Pale Ales shine through as the beer style that people talk about most.  We have done some sub-styles of India Pale Ale previously in the show (a Session IPA from Thwaites called Indus Pale Ale, and a Black IPA – or ‘Cascadian Dark Ale’), but to-day, for the first time, we are going to dedicate the show to the India Pale Ale style.

Our two beers for to-day are Innovation IPA from Adnams and Widmer Bros. Rotator Hopside Down.

Understanding Beer Styles –

One beer blogger once commented that whenever you have two people who are fanatical about beer having a conversation, it is only a matter of time before the conversation turns to one of two topics – ‘What’s the story with Porter and Stout’ and ‘What’s the “true” story behind IPA’.  This is a symptom of something a little bigger when it comes to beer, so before people more learned than I am come back and tell me that I have missed out on some aspect of India Pale Ale’s illustrious history, probably better to get it on record as to where I am coming from on beer styles.

Beer styles are similar to wine varietals.  When New World Wines started to gain popularity, the basis for understanding what the liquid in the bottle shifted from the region that the wine is from (which is the basis for Old World Wines) to the varietal of grape (or grapes) that were used to make the wine.  One could argue that understanding wine by region (as in Old World) is a way of understanding wine by ‘wine style’, but it has to be said that it is much easier to know what to expect in a bottle of wine if one knows the grape varietal that was used to make the wine.

This is the way it should be (in theory) with beer styles.  However, while, with wine, one can scientifically verify the varietal of grape by conducting genetic analysis on the grapes used, when it comes to beer styles it is a little different.  There is broad agreement on what a beer that belongs to a beer style should be like, but when one gets pernickety and looks into the details of different organisations’ definitions of beer styles, it is quite regular that there are differences of opinion as to what the exact parameters are for a particular style.  Likewise, brewers will often proclaim that their beer belongs to a particular style, but consensus among many familiar with that style might be that that beer does not even fit within broad style parameters.    Add to this that beer styles vary over time.  And, when it comes to understanding the origins of beer styles, historic documents cannot have the level of detail and rigour applied to the beers being brewed two hundred years ago – we simply know more about beer now.  All in all, while there is broad consensus on what constitutes a beer style, there can be significant disagreements on the details of the parameters and origins of a particular beer style.  All of this fuels discussions late into the night (often discussions which, by necessity, have to be fuelled by the drinking of beer! J )

We have an amount of confusion – time for a beer, and a moment of pause to work out how to make this a bit easier.

First of all, why do we have beer styles?  My opinion is that the main point of beer styles is to help people find good beer – i.e. beer that suits their particular taste.  If a beer belongs to a particular style, and one knows that they like that style of beer, there is a better chance that the person will enjoy a beer brewed according to this style.  On one side, this puts an onus on brewers to be reasonably accurate when classifying their beer by style – in so doing, they are telling people what to expect in the bottle or glass.  On the other side, when styles have very broad definitions one has to wonder how helpful this is.  This is where sub-styles come in.

Sub-styles of beer are more precise classifications of a beer.  So, while ‘stout’ is a broad family or range of styles of beer, sub-styles within this family include milk stouts, oatmeal stouts, dry stouts, sweet stouts, imperial stouts, chocolate stouts, fruit stouts – the list goes on and on.  When it comes down to the more specific sub-style, one can be more precise as to what to expect from a beer – this should (in theory) help people enjoy beer better.

And what about when it comes to the history of a beer style.  Suffice it to say that I come from a place where I would argue that it is hard enough to define clearly what a style of beer is at one point in time without coming up with a definition that encompasses all of the evolution that that beer has undergone over a number of hundred years.  I would argue that the origin of a beer style is part historical evidence, and part opinion.  These opinions can vary – sometimes significantly.  Before delving onto a summary of the origins of IPA’s, I’d like to make it clear that what I am going to outline is my opinion as to the origins of IPA’s based on the readings I have done.  I have no doubt that some people will disagree with me – and I welcome the discussion – gives me an excuse to have another bottle while discussing it.

However, at the risk of horrifying many people passionate about their favourite social beverage – at the end of the day, it is only beer! J

India Pale Ale – The Story –

The story most often put forward about India Pale Ales is that they were brewed to be shipped to the English colonies in India.  The argument put forward is that the above average strength of IPA’s and the increased hop content both protected the beer on the journey across the Equator to India.  This is fundamentally true, but with some qualifications.  Perhaps it is easier to start with an understanding of what an India Pale Ale is.

India Pale Ales are above average strength (typically 6% to 8.5% a.b.v.) pale ales that are brewed to incorporate a pronounced hop character.  When starting with this definition, one has to mention that there are IPA’s that are well below this alcohol strength (Session IPA’s, such as Thwaites Indus Pale Ale), there are India ‘Pale’ ales that are brewed to be black as opposed to pale/golden (called ‘Black IPA’s or Cascadian Dark Ales) and there are IPA’s above this strength bracket (Imperial IPA’s).  In the case of our second ‘IPA’ that we are tasting to-day, it is brewed with lager yeast – technically not an India Pale Ale at all!  This to say that the style has come to encompass a range of sub-styles over time, and is now relatively broad in its definition.

Now to go through some of the ‘myths’ of IPA – which aren’t really myths, just ‘facts’ that perhaps have been interpreted in different ways by different people with different opinions.

The first of these is that the first ‘IPA’ was brewed by the Bow Brewery in London.  A review of history would suggest that this is both true and false, depending on your opinion.  The Bow Brewery brewed a pale, above average strength beer with significant hop character.  This beer was shipped to the English colonies in India, and gained quite an amount of popularity.  However, when reviewing ads and publicity put out by the Bow Brewery, it would appear that the brewery never actually called this beer an ‘India Pale Ale’.

Over time, many other breweries witnessed the popularity of Bow Brewery’s beer, and brewed beers to a similar style – to be sold both in England, and sometimes to be shipped to the colonies.  Little by little, these beers were described in various ways by the breweries as ‘similar to Bow Brewery’s pale ale that has been brewed and received by great acclaim by the Indian Colonies’, or, more simply, over time they became referred to as India Pale Ales.

Is this to say that the Bow Brewery’s beer was the first India Pale Ale.  Those who say it was not argue that it was never called an IPA.  However, I would be of the opinion that the style was very much born out of these roots, and so it would appear that the Bow Brewery’s IPA was definitely a key fore-runner of the style.

A second ‘myth’ of IPA’s is that they were the only beer drunk in India by the British at the time, and that they were brewed exclusively for the Indian colonies.  This is indeed a myth, but one that has grown out of a grain of truth.

There is no doubt that there were many other styles of beer shipped from England to India and enjoyed in the Indian colonies.  Records would indicate that these beers included dark ales, malty beers, and often beers that were as far removed from India Pale Ales as one could possibly achieve – some very rich, sweet and not at all hoppy.  Such beers, it would appear, survived the trip to India (where they had been brewed in England), and given their acceptance in India, must have been quite palatable.  However, if one was giving odds on a beer tasting good in the climate of India, a pale ale with significant hop character would definitely be more likely to appeal in the hot climate, and the extra protection afforded by the higher hop additions and the above average a.b.v. would have also given the beer that extra chance to arrive in good condition.

What is in no doubt is that IPA’s have been received very well by craft beer enthusiasts in the States.  Not surprisingly in many ways.

Firstly, IPA’s were more expensive to brew when first they emerged in the 1800’s, and as a result became popular among the aristocracy and more wealthy members of society.  As a result of this, more money was probably put into perfecting them at that time, and they would have been reported in texts considering beer as the better quality beers of the time.  This is similar to wheat beers in Germany – which were brewed for the aristocracy as an exception to the Rheinheitsgebot.  When craft brewers in the States were researching what styles they might like to revive and re-popularise, it is not surprising that they went for the styles that gained most popularity when first they were brewed.

Secondly, particularly in the U.S., craft brewing emerged as a revolt against bland mainstream beers.  The high hop content of IPA’s was no doubt a lighthouse for enthusiasts seeking more flavourful beers.  While originally, this took the form of beers with massive amounts of bittering hops added to truly distinguish them from mainstream beers, over time the use of hops in brewing has become more refined.  Nowadays, the flavours that are being achieve from the judicious use in different ways of different hop varieties in IPA’s is simply amazing!

Adnam’s Innovation –

Beer Style                           -  India Pale Ale

Alcohol by Volume          -  6.7% a.b.v.

Brewed by                          -  Adnam’s

Brewed in                           -  Southwold, England

Adnam’s has the proud distinction of having as its Head Brewer an Irishman – the great brewer, Fergus Fitzgerald (@solebear).  Over the last number of years, Fergus has done an excellent job working with Adnam’s and bringing out a range of excellent new beers to add to their range.  Adnam’s Innovation is a perfect example.

India Pale Ales are sometimes put into sub-styles according to the origin of the hops used in them – English IPA’s use hops usually grown in the U.K., American IPA’s use hops from the States.  Using this logic, one would have to classify Innovation as a ‘Modern’ IPA – it uses a blend of English, American and Eastern European hops.

On the aroma, Innovation blends toasty malt and honey sweetness with a delicious floral and spice hop aroma.  This from a beer that presents with a burnished gold colour, and a full, tight white head.  On the palate, velvety texture in the mouthfeel delivers the promise of malt and soft honey sweetness, perfectly balanced against a restrained, but distinctively present spicy hop character and delicious soft fruit flavours.

Innovation is an excellent example of what can be achieved with the IPA style.  Foregoing the approach of the ‘80’s and ‘90’s in the U.S., where craft brewers often simply increased hop bitterness to distinguish their IPA’s from mainstream beers, Adnam’s Innovation reflects the more contemporary approach, where the depth of flavour, character and aroma from hops is exploited to its fullest potentials – in a beer that ensures that balance is paramount.

If you like IPA’s, then this is one definitely not to miss.  If you have never tried IPA’s, this is a perfect introduction to the style.

Widmer Brothers Rotator Hopside Down –

Beer Style                           -  India Pale Ale

Alcohol by Volume          -  6.7% a.b.v.

Brewed by                          -  Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

Brewed in                           -  Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.

Rob and Kurt Widmer of Widmer Brothers in Portland, Oregon were among the original pioneers of craft brewing in the States.  Originally starting in the early to mid 1980’s with a desire to bring to the U.S. beer drinker a Hefe-weiss brewed in the U.S. (Widmer Hefeweiss has been hailed as a benchmark for the American hefe-weiss style), Widmer Brothers have continued to innovate and develop new interpretations of traditional beer styles, and even new beer styles.  The Widmer Brothers Rotator Series is a reflection of this commitment to innovation, and the beers under the Rotator label are each distinctive and delicious interpretations of the IPA style.

The idea behind the Rotator Series of IPA’s is to have a range of different IPA’s – all sold under the ‘Rotator’ name, but periodically changing the recipe to the beer to give a new, unique and totally different interpretation of what is possible with IPA’s.  The Rotator Series has included Falconer IPA (delicious, with toasty malt on top of full hop character), O’Rye-lly IPA (or Patrick’s Day – an IPA brewed with rye) and many others.  The latest version of Rotator is ‘Hopside Down’ – an interpretation that turns the IP’A’ style upside down.

Rotator Hopside Down has been brewed with lager yeast – and as such is not really in the truest sense an ‘IPA’ (India Pale Ale).  However, coming from a State in the U.S. where Black IPA’s (black PALE Ales) originated, a certain amount of artistic license is not only permitted – it is expected.

Hopside Down presents with a deep gold colour and a full white head.  The initial aroma comes through as both fruity and floral – mandarin sweet origin combined with rose and geraniol (rose petals) on top of honey sweetness.  On the palate, Hopside Down is most interesting.  All of the depth of character and complexity that one expects in an IPA is present in abundance – honey sweetness on the palate, fruit and bitterness in both the initial taste and in the finish.  However, the use of lager yeast delivers this in an incredibly clean tasting beer, that is just a touch quicker to finish for its depth of flavour.

Widmer Brothers never fail to deliver when it comes to quality and flavour in beer.  Not only this, but one has to hand it to them for expressing the artistic side of brewing in a way that demonstrates how to make use of the full palate available to brewers to present true works of art!

Availability of beers –