If you like your beers bitter, hoppy, and crisp, the family of pale ales is the place to go. Curious what makes a pale ale pale? Or an India pale ale distinct? You have questions, and we have answers.
You can think of these beers as a spectrum with more mild pale ales on one end and aggressively-hopped double IPAs on the other. There is a lot of variation within the spectrum and an exception to every rule, of course, but you can follow this as a general rule of thumb.
• Pale Ales - So called because they are brewed with more lightly roasted "pale" malts, pale ales typically have a more equal malt-to-hop balance. The hops are definitely present, but fairly moderate. Beers to Try: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Fresh Hop Pale Ale from Great Divide Brewing Company, and Anchor Liberty Pale Ale
• English India Pale Ales (IPAs) - IPAs were originally brewed as an extra-hopped beer for the long sea voyages from England to India, taking advantage of the special preservative properties of hops to keep the beer fresh. These IPAs were - and still are - brewed with English hops and tended toward earthy, woodsy, and spicy flavors. Beers to Try: 400 Pound Monkey from Left Hand Brewing Company and Brooklyn East India Pale Ale from Brooklyn Brewery
• American India Pale Ales (IPAs) - While the English style of IPAs is still brewed today, American brewers have also put their own spin on it. Our IPAs tend to be even more aggressively hopped, with the balance of hops-and-malts definitely tipping in favor of the hops. American IPAs typically feature resinous pine and bitter grapefruit flavors. Beers to Try: 60 Minute IPA from Dogfish Head Brewery, Centennial IPA from Founders Brewing Company, and Ranger IPA from New Belgium Brewing Company
• Double IPAs Also called "Imperial" IPAs, this uniquely American style takes the craving for hops and runs with it. These usually use double or even triple the typical amount of hops, but also add more malts to balance. The resulting beer has huge hoppy highs and deep malty depths with an high ABV to match. Beers to Try: Stone Ruination IPA from Stone Brewing Co., White Knuckle Double IPA from Marin Brewing, and Hopslam Ale from Bell's Brewing Company.
Had a good pale ale or IPA recently? Do share!
Related: For the Freshest Beer: Buy a Growler
(Images: Emma Christensen)
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I just drank a Ranger last night and really enjoyed it but yet didn't really care for New Belgium's other pale ale, Mighty Arrow. After reading the above description, I guess I prefer my beers more on the hoppy side. Thanks for the explanations.
Oh lordy, I will drink any hoppy beer you put in front of me. They are the most delicious beers.
I think the new crop of Black IPAs are awesome and are definitely missing from this list.
Hop Stoopid from Lagunitas is an amazing, outrageously hoppy American Double IPA. Apparently, it's name came about when one of the brewers was ranting about the West coast's obsession with incredibly hoppy beers. I, for one, am not compaining...
Stone Ruination, Racer 5 and anything from Deschutes also rank high on my list.
The Jagged Edge IPA from Black Diamond has been a recent favorite. And Racer 5 IPA from Bear Republic is a hardy perennial. And of course Stone's regular IPA shouldn't be forgotten.
The best Imperial I.P.A I have had this past year is Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing.
port brewing company's high tide is the best IPA ever
Had both of Ninkasi's IPAs this weekend. Total Domination and Tricerahops. Still my faves
hoppy without the bitterness
Sculpin IPA - Ballast Point
Pliny The Elder - Russian River Brewing Company
Session Ale - Ballast Point/Kelsey McNair/Stone Collaboration
Ninkasi Total Dom, Racer 5, and Double Mountain Hop Lava are all favorites of mine.
My favorite is Lagunitas IPA. Also, I once had a rye IPA that was fantastic!
Lagunitas IPA - so grassy and hoppy, yet crisp and refreshing. Definitely my favorite IPA. I also love Victory HopDevil and Commodore Perry IPA from Great Lakes Brewing. Man I love hops.
Love anything Lagunitas, and the Commodore Perry (Great Lakes), so sad we can't get it out here in CA. Also just tried Lost Coast's Indica Pale Ale and it's got a great depth of flavor in addition to the hops. Yum!
Schlafly's Dry Hopped APA is great!
Michigan beer, hear hear!
Dogfish 60 Minute is the most perfect beer I have ever tasted!
These are my favorite beers! The hoppier the better. When I'm back home in the states I always go for a Hop Devil (Victory Brewing) or Hop-to-the-third-power (I don't know how to do Nth degrees on my keyboard). I've also enjoyed Southern Tier Unearthly Ale, but be warned - eat something before you down that baby. Made the mistake of having one before dinner and ended up loopy in front of my mom. I'm not very big and a whole dinner, dessert, and coffee couldn't save me from its unearthly powers.
My dilemma (and it's certainly not a dilemma) is that I recently moved to Europe. I live in The Netherlands, close to the Belgian border, and we of course have a TON of great beers here. But...I never see IPAs or pale ales on menus. I don't know much about beers or what I'm looking at on menus, but I've been to some "beer bars" and never seen them.
Maybe they're called something else over here? Any ideas? I had a La Chouffe Triple that got sort of close, but not the bite that I love from the IPAs I get in America.
I LOVE IPAs. Absolutely always my favorite beer. Hopeslam is such a rowdy, delicious beer.
Another favorite of mine is Flying Dog's Raging Bitch Belgian IPA. Yuuuummmm.
The North Peak Diabolical IPA is really, really good.
Dale's Pale Ale! In red, white, and blue cans. It's probably my favorite beer that exists. So much richer and more flavorful than the stereotypical canned beer -- and in fact, they say they still use cans because the recycling practices in place for aluminum are usually much more efficient and better developed than those for bottles!
Gah!
If Sierra Nevada is balanced, what do you consider English Pale Ales like Bass, Smithwicks or Sam Smith?
Sierra Nevada is very hoppy. I wouldn't say it has equal hop-to-malt at all.
Bell's Two Hearted Ale
Great balance of powerful hops but caramel-y malts.