A Brief History of IPA on IPA Day in Cincinnati

India Pale Ale (IPA) is what it stands for and it is one of the most polarizing and popular beers we know today.

In the late 1700’s George Hodgson, a London Brewer, used his connections to the East India Company to develop a beer that would last the grueling six month journey from Britain to India.

The British had colonized much of the continent including India and the beer that was sent was spoiling during the trip. What they found out was if you made the alcohol high enough and used enough hops it would actually preserve the beer for the journey. In fact it would age quite nicely during the voyage and the troops loved it. Born was the beer we know today as India Pale Ale, or IPA.

Over time the style of beer faded out becoming less hop forward and more malty. Not until the 1970’s when breweries like New Albion in California and then in the early 1980’s with Sierra Nevada, Anchor Steam and other craft brewers made IPA once again regain its prominence on palates throughout the United States and beyond.

Common descriptors for the many variety of IPA’s are Floral, Dank, Piney, Resinous, Grapefruit, Citrus, Mango, Tropical, and Fruity.

In 2016 IPA accounted for 20% of the total Craft Beer market according to BeerConnoisseur.com that is the highest percentage of consumption and sales of any craft beer styles today.

Cincinnati has some amazing IPA’s being brewed by some of our biggest and smallest craft breweries. Rhinegeist Truth, MadTree Psychopothy, Braxton Revamp, Taft Gavel Banger, Listermann New England Style Variants, Brink Fashionably Late, Woodburn Hammer, Streetside Suh Brah, Fifty West Punch You in the Eye PA, are just a small fraction of the delicious India’s being made across town in Cincy and Northern Kentucky

Here is to delicious locally made IPA’s. Happy IPA DAY!

Check out these beers and more on our local craft brewery tours!

#IPADAY2017