IPA is now one of the most recognisable styles of craft beer: intense hop aroma, distinctive bitterness, and often notes of citrus or tropical fruit. Its story, however, began about two centuries ago with a journey of thousands of miles from Britain to India.
First, one correction: the name is India Pale Ale, not Indian Pale Ale.
The myth of the “beer invented for India”
The most popular version says that the British created a new, very strong and very bitter beer so it could survive the months-long sea journey to colonial India.
The real story is more interesting.
The British were already sending various beers to India in the 18th century. There are records of pale ale in the region long before the name Hodgson became known; George Hodgson is often presented as the “inventor” of IPA.
Brewers also knew that alcohol and, above all, hops helped beer keep for longer.
Also read: Can, bottle or draught beer — which keeps its flavour better? (in Greek)
George Hodgson and the great success in India
At the end of the 18th century, George Hodgson’s brewery stood in Bow, east London, close to the departure points for East India Company ships.
Hodgson developed excellent relationships with captains travelling to India and began supplying them with pale ale.
His beer was based on the already existing strong, heavily hopped October ales, which had originally been intended for long maturation. The voyage to India, which could last around six months, effectively became another period of maturation.
By the early 19th century, Hodgson’s pale ale had become exceptionally popular in India.
Yet Hodgson did not invent IPA. This is now considered one of the biggest misconceptions in beer history.
From London to Burton-on-Trent
Hodgson’s success attracted competitors. In the 1820s, brewers from Burton-on-Trent, including Allsopp and later Bass, entered the market decisively.
The area’s water contained many mineral salts and proved especially suitable for pale, heavily hopped beers. Allsopp brewed pale ale for India in 1822 and sent it there the following year.
Curiously, for decades the beer was not called IPA.
The term East India Pale Ale began appearing in British advertisements during the 1830s. Hodgson’s brewery used the name in an advertisement in 1833.
Decline and the American return
During the 20th century, IPA lost much of its popularity. Lager dominated the international market and the older British IPAs gradually became milder.
The major change came from the United States.
In 1975, San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing introduced Liberty Ale, using the American Cascade hop. It is considered one of the key forerunners of the modern American IPA.
In 1989, the Great American Beer Festival formally established India Pale Ale as a competition category.
From there, a new era began. West Coast IPA, Double IPA, Session IPA, and hazy, fruit-forward New England or Hazy IPA transformed a beer of the British colonial era into one of the most important symbols of modern craft brewing.
They mean India Pale Ale.
This pale ale style became associated in the 18th and 19th centuries with exports of British beer to India.
Not exactly. Strong, heavily hopped pale ales already existed. Brewers adapted to the Indian market, and the style later called IPA evolved gradually.
Hops contain compounds that add bitterness. Modern IPAs often use large quantities of hops for both bitterness and intense aroma.
No. West Coast IPAs are usually more bitter, while many New England or Hazy IPAs place more emphasis on fruit-forward aromas and a softer feel.
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