So, trying to flush out the technical difference between a Pale Ale and an IPA. I always thought an IPA was a Pale Ale but dry-hopped during the fermentation process. But I am pretty I am wrong about this now.
Me - “What is the difference between a Pale Ale and an IPA?”
Hipster - “IPAs are more hoppy and have a higher alcohol content. So they are better. I drink IPAs.”
Any knowledge appreciated.
Both are usually dry hopped, Your hipster friend is right bigger and more hops makes it an IPA. Then a “session” IPA is a PA with IPA amounts of hops, you could also just call it a competition Pale Ale.
So an IPA is just a Pale Ale with the hop level turned up to 11?
[quote]IPAs are more hoppy and have a higher alcohol content[/quote]This would have been the answer I would have given a few years ago, the lines have kind of blurred in recent years. You see a lot of IPAs with IBUs off the chart yet the ABV is more in line with a pale ale. I also see beers that are called IPAs but are nothing more than a standard pale ale, maybe at the upper end of bitterness and ABV for the style.
When I brew IPA they are more hoppy and have a higher alcohol content.
So an IPA is just a Pale Ale with the hop level turned up to 11?[/quote]
A " Session" IPA is that way (which is a commercial distinction, sorry for the confusion).
Generally homebrewed IPA’s have more alcohol and more hops. This PDF might help you understand the differences, http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2014%20BJCP%20 … s%20(DRAFT).pdf
[quote=“Boulderbrewer”]
A " Session" IPA is that way (which is a commercial distinction, sorry for the confusion).
Generally homebrewed IPA’s have more alcohol and more hops. This PDF might help you understand the differences, http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2014%20BJCP%20 … s%20(DRAFT).pdf[/quote]
Thanks, this helps. The article more or less says as a guideline, “an IPA really is a pale ale, just with more bitterness and alcohol”. Weird, I really thought there would be more of a technical difference like, an IPA is dry-hopped, but apparently one can dry hop a Pale Ale too.
Probably a comparable debate to the difference between Irish Whisky, American Whiskey, American Bourbon, Canadian Whiskey and Scotch; which are really just whiskeys with a different geographical orientation.
The mythology and legend surrounding IPA is certainly interesting, but some serious research by well respected historians appears to indicate that much of the information we’ve been fed about IPA is probably incorrect. And the modern iterations and attempts to define the style (and especially it’s modern ‘American’ variants and “guidelines”) confuses things even more, probably ignoring the real story.
It seems that historically speaking, IPA was not something that was “invented” at all and that in reality it was very likely merely the bogstandard Pale Ale of the day (which was fairly strong to begin with) and it may or may not have been dosed with more hops. In other words, it very likely was not a product intentionally brewed to higher strength. The funny thing is that there was probably more porter exported to India than pale ale. :mrgreen:
Some of the best writing on this subject is by Martyn Cornell at his excellent ZYTHOPHILE blog.
The following may have been posted in this forum before, but here’s a link to one of his several IPA articles…definitely worth reading.
[size=80]Four IPA myths that need to be stamped out for #IPAday – Zythophile[/size]
I like to keep it very simple, 5.99 and below is an APA, 6 and up IPA. Yes, very hoppy, can be gold to orange to almost red. Not sure about black IPA…… :roll:
Thinking purely about the modern American variants of an IPA, the real distinguishing factor is an increased use of hops and lack of a meaningful amount of roasted grains. Otherwise, it seems anything is fair game.
Absolutely right.
Rule #1: “there are no rules”
Rule #2: “see rule #1”
Seems to me that we Americans have always made up our own rules anyway…sometimes, almost to the point of obsession.
Absolutely right.
Rule #1: “there are no rules”
Rule #2: “see rule #1”
Seems to me that we Americans have always made up our own rules anyway…sometimes, almost to the point of obsession.
[/quote]
Rules? We don’t need no stinkin’ rules.
According to the rules people however, BJCP guidelines have APA and AIPA overlap by about by only about .004 on OG and 5 IBU. So generally speaking an AIPA is a bigger hoppier beer. If you care about rules… :roll:
Jobu,
Honestly, there is no difference between a pale ale and an IPA anymore. My humble opinion.
There was a brew pub I used to go to years ago that had a pale ale, when IPA became “the thing” they just changed the name to IPA. I think sales picked up. :lol:
[quote=“The Professor”]The mythology and legend surrounding IPA is certainly interesting, but some serious research by well respected historians appears to indicate that much of the information we’ve been fed about IPA is probably incorrect. And the modern iterations and attempts to define the style (and especially it’s modern ‘American’ variants and “guidelines”) confuses things even more, probably ignoring the real story.
It seems that historically speaking, IPA was not something that was “invented” at all and that in reality it was very likely merely the bogstandard Pale Ale of the day (which was fairly strong to begin with) and it may or may not have been dosed with more hops. In other words, it very likely was not a product intentionally brewed to higher strength. The funny thing is that there was probably more porter exported to India than pale ale. :mrgreen:
Some of the best writing on this subject is by Martyn Cornell at his excellent ZYTHOPHILE blog.
The following may have been posted in this forum before, but here’s a link to one of his several IPA articles…definitely worth reading.
[size=80]Four IPA myths that need to be stamped out for #IPAday – Zythophile[/size][/quote]
Thanks for the link.
[quote=“Boulderbrewer”][quote=“The Professor”]…The following may have been posted in this forum before, but here’s a link to one of his several IPA articles…definitely worth reading.
[size=80]Four IPA myths that need to be stamped out for #IPAday – Zythophile[/size][/quote]
Thanks for the link.[/quote]
You’re welcome…and if you poke around Martyn’s site a bit, he offers a number of really in-depth articles covering the same subject.
What makes his research more meaningful than any of the mythology we’ve become accustomed to is his relentless search for primary sources from the 18th & 19th centuries. The results turn most of what we’ve read and have come to accept about IPA right on it’s head.
The Zythophile should be required reading for anyone interested in the history of beer, especially beers of the British Isles.
