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Celebrating diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice within the craft beer community
Celebrating diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice within the craft beer community
Beer Explore

The IPA Adventure

Malu
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October 2, 2020
5 Mins read
Drinking beer and having fun

The IPA Adventure – The History of the IPA Beer

by Emmanuel Bates

Imagine this, you and a few friends decide to go out one night. You get to the bar, and ask the bartender, “Excuse me, what IPAs do you have available?” Now, imagine a perplexed look from the bartender because they never heard of such a thing. IPAs are currently one of the highest trending beer styles in the United States. They are actually the leading style in all craft beer and make up around 6% of the total beer market. The crazy thing about it is: the IPA only started getting traction in the US in the 1990s! Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, IPAs were deemed “undrinkable” by beer consumers, and lagers were typically their beer of choice. How did a style of beer go from being considered undrinkable to the leading craft beer style in the United States? The answer is time and evolution.

 

Photo courtesy of Kegworks.

 

IPA stands for India Pale Ale. However, the name is a misnomer because the style did not originate in India. This is due to India’s scorching hot climate. So, let’s dive into more history on the matter… In 1757, shortly after the Battle of Plassey, Britain looked at ways to have casks of beer shipped to British soldiers in India. However, there was a problem: How to ship them? Shipping beer across the globe would mean that the barrels would have to survive a six-month journey by sea from Britain to India without the beer spoiling. In the beginning of the voyage, the average cellar temperature that the barrels were stored was around 50- to 55-degrees Fahrenheit. The barrels were perfectly fine until the ships got close to the equator and had to go around Africa where the temperature drastically increased.

 

Some of you may know the story of George Hodgson, the owner of Bow Brewery, who became famous for their strong, hop-heavy October ale. Bow Brewery was the first to ship beer to India. Up until that point, Porters and Stouts were the styles of choice in India. So, Hodgson had a significant advantage in distributing the beer to India due to a lack in style choices. The brewery was a short distance to East India Companies ports, which led to Hodgson’s virtual monopoly on the India beer market. When George Hodgson’s son, Mark, took over, they significantly expanded production by sending around 4,000 barrels a year to India. Shortly after, Mark had the idea to cut out the East India Companies and distribute themselves. Now, if you’re still with me, this is where the story gets interesting.

 

Photo courtesy of Quarto Knows.

 

When Mark and his business partner cut out East India Companies, as you can expect, they were furious about losing one of their most profitable investments. In 1806, the Napoleonic blockade had blocked trade from England to Europe and Russia, which caused trade exports to fall by around 50%. This crippled the beer industry.

 

Ben Wilson, the lead brewer in the English town of Burton-on-Trent, struggled to keep afloat during this time and was forced to sell his brewery to a man named, Samuel Allsopp, for around 7000 pounds. Soon after, East India Companies got word of the deal and arranged a meeting with Allsopp, which led to a new partnership between the two entities. The plan was to produce a new robust, heavily-hopped pale ale and distribute the brew to India.

 

Hodgson got word of this deal and didn’t think much of it – thinking that nobody could compete with him in the Indian market. However, there was one significant geographical advantage in which Hodgson could not account for: the well water in Burton-On-Trent was rich in calcium sulfate, which gave the beer a natural bitterness and better flavoring. At the time, London breweries could not replicate this. It wasn’t until the middle of the 19th century in which they successfully reproduced it. Brewers have now coined the term, “Burtonized water.”

 

In 1823, Allsopp’s Burton India Pale Ale arrived in India and was an instant hit among beer drinkers. The calcium sulfate addition didn’t stay a secret for too long, as other breweries like Bass began making their versions of the India Pale Ale. This steadily cut into the market shares of Bow Brewery, and by 1933, Bow Brewery went out of business.

 

Photo courtesy of Thorn Brewing.

 

So, if IPAs were this popular then, how come the style of beer was almost lost? In the late 19th century, Britain exported beer to the United States as immigrants came over from Europe. However, just as in the early 18th and 19th century, lagers were the beer of choice. Even worse, the early 20th century marked the prohibition era, which crippled the beer industry and made the IPA virtually lost in the void. It wasn’t until the late 20th century where the craft beer revolution began! Beer drinkers looked for the next best beer, and brewers sought out how to stand out from each other. It’s debated which brewery was the first to bring the IPA back in style. Due to the combination of prohibition and immigrants’ distaste for the form, the IPA beer style was almost non-existent. Still, it quickly became a staple in the craft beer revolution in the 1990s. The American IPA was born and came with several differences from its English counterpart.

 

Photo courtesy of The Beer Connoisseur.

 

The English IPA is a golden or amber color, with balanced hops, usually a bready- or toffee-like flavor with occasional fruity esters. The English IPA is a more traditional style than the American version and is the closest thing you can get to the original – other than jumping into a time machine and going back to Allsopp’s days. Bass IPA, Goose Island IPA, and Brooklyn Brewery East India IPA are examples.

 

In America, we love our hops! American IPAs have more aggressive, pungent hop aromas with typically a higher alcohol content and more robust flavor. Americans love hops so much; we have different IPA variations, such as New England IPA, West Coast IPA, Milkshake IPA, and many others. Bell’s Two Hearted, Green Flash West Coast IPA, Old Nation M-43 are examples. Currently, the Bell’s Two Hearted Ale is voted the best IPA in America.

 

Photo courtesy of Gear Patrol.

 

Next time you’re at your local bar or in your favorite craft beer store, go purchase an IPA and make sure not to take it for granted; there once was a time that it was almost lost forever!

 

Cheers!

Alcohol ale bar bartender beer beer history bow brewery brewing britain Craft Alcohol craft beer Craft Brewing Emmanuel Bates history hoppy hops india india pale ale indian IPA ipa history
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#Repost from @fermlyknow • WE SPILLED ALL OF THE #Repost from @fermlyknow
•
WE SPILLED ALL OF THE TEA!

Some of you may recall that we sponsored #bigqueerbeerfest last June and made a hard tea with @theteaspot's Hibiscus Petals. "Spill the Tea" was not just a collaboration with our besties over @goldspotbrewing, but a portion of each pour was earmarked for donation to @transtechsocial. Well, the tea has all finally spilled for a total of $1200! 

A huge aspect of Fermly's mission is accessible education, so we were overjoyed when Goldspot suggested TransTech as the benefitting nonprofit of our collab. Their mission is to empower, educate, and employ those facing barriers in education and in the workplace, as well as to reduce instances of discrimination, with a concentration on trans and gender non-conforming individuals. 

Today and everyday, we will continue supporting organizations that empower and encourage growth, education, and joy in the trans community. We see you. 

Check the link in bio for the original blog post!

Thank you to Goldspot for providing space and opportunities to support members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community!

#fermlyknow #knwoyourcraft #knowyourbeer #craftbeer #collabbeer #hardtea #beerscience #craftbeerscience #qaqc #education #beereducation #goldspotbrewing #transtechsocial #transdayofvisibility #transcommunity #brewersassociation
#Repost from @vinepair
•
🤩 VINEPAIR 50 🤩⁠
⁠
With the release of this year's VinePair 50, we're shining a bright light on the difference makers and industry leaders who have been busy shaping our drinks space for the better.⁠
⁠
More than just an accolade, this group of individuals showcases the power in inciting lasting change that will lead to a more innovative and equitable future for all.⁠
⁠
You'll notice that it's not a list bound by age, category, or position, because we believe that being outstanding in your field can happen at any point in a career. Above all else, we aimed to recognize the achievements of people who truly deserve it.⁠
⁠
Visit our link in bio or head to VinePair.com for the names worth keeping an eye on in 2023 and beyond.
#Repost from @alchemicalherbivore • Flashback to #Repost from @alchemicalherbivore
•
Flashback to @capsoulbrewing's We Sip Better release. I'm SO looking forward to RVA's first black-owned brewery.🖤

There are days when it feels like for all the work we put into shifting the landscape toward a more equitable and representative harmony, little actually changes. And then there are those days when you can put your hands on the evidence of irrepressible momentum. 

Feeling gratitude for all those working to shift the balance. #blackexcellence #whereculturemeetscraft #groundup #allshipsrise @uncapeverything @__nb2a
Due to the large size of this release, we are dela Due to the large size of this release, we are delayed by a few days! Stay tuned for more updates. We are excited to reveal this drop, but we need to make sure everything is just perfect. Thanks for your patience and for your continued support! 

Cheers!
Today, on Trans Day of Visibility, we leave this l Today, on Trans Day of Visibility, we leave this letter of love from Sage Grace Dolan-Sandrino (@thhrift), as it was told in the Washington Post. 

Today and all days.
Grateful and honored to be named a @vinepair 50 th Grateful and honored to be named a @vinepair 50 this year! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey. May we continue to learn and change this industry and world for the better 🍻 Cheers to all of you 💞

Also, congrats to @daybracey, @barrelandflow, @crownsandhops, @teo_hunter, and @benyashburn for also being named. Proud to stand with all of these amazing leaders on this list.

https://vinepair.com/the-vinepair-50-2023/
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#Repost from @fermlyknow • WE SPILLED ALL OF THE #Repost from @fermlyknow
•
WE SPILLED ALL OF THE TEA!

Some of you may recall that we sponsored #bigqueerbeerfest last June and made a hard tea with @theteaspot's Hibiscus Petals. "Spill the Tea" was not just a collaboration with our besties over @goldspotbrewing, but a portion of each pour was earmarked for donation to @transtechsocial. Well, the tea has all finally spilled for a total of $1200! 

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Today and everyday, we will continue supporting organizations that empower and encourage growth, education, and joy in the trans community. We see you. 

Check the link in bio for the original blog post!

Thank you to Goldspot for providing space and opportunities to support members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community!

#fermlyknow #knwoyourcraft #knowyourbeer #craftbeer #collabbeer #hardtea #beerscience #craftbeerscience #qaqc #education #beereducation #goldspotbrewing #transtechsocial #transdayofvisibility #transcommunity #brewersassociation
#Repost from @vinepair
•
🤩 VINEPAIR 50 🤩⁠
⁠
With the release of this year's VinePair 50, we're shining a bright light on the difference makers and industry leaders who have been busy shaping our drinks space for the better.⁠
⁠
More than just an accolade, this group of individuals showcases the power in inciting lasting change that will lead to a more innovative and equitable future for all.⁠
⁠
You'll notice that it's not a list bound by age, category, or position, because we believe that being outstanding in your field can happen at any point in a career. Above all else, we aimed to recognize the achievements of people who truly deserve it.⁠
⁠
Visit our link in bio or head to VinePair.com for the names worth keeping an eye on in 2023 and beyond.
#Repost from @alchemicalherbivore • Flashback to #Repost from @alchemicalherbivore
•
Flashback to @capsoulbrewing's We Sip Better release. I'm SO looking forward to RVA's first black-owned brewery.🖤

There are days when it feels like for all the work we put into shifting the landscape toward a more equitable and representative harmony, little actually changes. And then there are those days when you can put your hands on the evidence of irrepressible momentum. 

Feeling gratitude for all those working to shift the balance. #blackexcellence #whereculturemeetscraft #groundup #allshipsrise @uncapeverything @__nb2a
Due to the large size of this release, we are dela Due to the large size of this release, we are delayed by a few days! Stay tuned for more updates. We are excited to reveal this drop, but we need to make sure everything is just perfect. Thanks for your patience and for your continued support! 

Cheers!
Today, on Trans Day of Visibility, we leave this l Today, on Trans Day of Visibility, we leave this letter of love from Sage Grace Dolan-Sandrino (@thhrift), as it was told in the Washington Post. 

Today and all days.
Grateful and honored to be named a @vinepair 50 th Grateful and honored to be named a @vinepair 50 this year! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey. May we continue to learn and change this industry and world for the better 🍻 Cheers to all of you 💞

Also, congrats to @daybracey, @barrelandflow, @crownsandhops, @teo_hunter, and @benyashburn for also being named. Proud to stand with all of these amazing leaders on this list.

https://vinepair.com/the-vinepair-50-2023/
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SMALL NON-PROFIT MEDIA PUBLICATIONS

Beer is for Everyone is a grass roots project that was born from the need for more diverse bodies, spaces, and voices within the craft beer community. We look to encourage the inclusion of all people who love craft beer.

Most Popular

Lone Star Riddles

Yellow plastic crates with beer bottles in a brewery.,Bairds Brewery,Japan

The Beer Boom

Sharing beer

Colonialism and the Legacy of Lager in Mexico

Mexican alcohol cocktail chelada with light beer and lime juice
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