IPA Style

Let’s talk about styles baby…

India Pale Ales (IPAs) are those bitter beers that are arguably the most popular style at most craft breweries. There’s a wide variety of IPAs out there and you sound like Bubba talking about shrimp as you rattle them off. There’s IPAs, there’s double IPAs, there’s triple IPAs, there’s quadruple IPAs, there’s West Coast IPAs, there’s New England IPAs, there’s British IPAs, there’s a session IPA, etc. etc…

You’ll hear people say they hate IPAs because they’re bitter or they love them with their high amount of alcohol, and both are correct and wrong. IPAs can have high amounts of bitterness and low amounts of bitterness as well as high alcohol or low alcohol, it all depends on the style.

IPAs, depending on the style, can range from under 4% alcohol for a session IPA, to over 16% alcohol for a quadruple IPA. The bitterness will typically range from 50 to 70 on the IBU scale, with the lower number meaning less bitter. The International Bitterness Units (IBU) scale is used to provide a scale on how bitter a beer is.

IPAs have a wide and varied flavor profile and can be a great stepping off point for people trying beers at craft breweries. With the variety out there, you’re sure to find one you’ll like. Unless you hate or love bitterness or high or low alcohol amounts.