India Pale Ales are the quintessential American craft-beer style. Every brewery worth its hops makes an IPA, and it's a measure by which craft breweries can be compared.

Characterized by higher levels of alcohol and hop bitterness, there's wide latitude as to what constitutes an American-style IPA. Brewers utilize a variety of American hops such as Chinook, Cascade and Centennial, which lend a more intense flavor and aroma to the beer than European or noble hops. By adding hop additions at various stages of the brewing process, brewers are able to build a beer that's distinctly unique yet united in its hop-forward flavor profile.

And it seems that there are no limits to how far brewers are willing to push the style in terms of intensity -- or to how far hopheads will go in their appreciation of the style. Founded last year, IPA Day on Aug. 2 is an effort to bring together fans online and in person to celebrate one of craft brewing's most iconic styles with events, tastings, dinners and other IPA Day celebrations. Visit or to learn more.

According to beer lore, the style was developed for transport to British colonies in India, as the higher alcohol levels and hop concentrations helped preserve the beer during the journey. Other beer styles, including porters, also survived the journey, but India Pale Ales had the added benefit of being well suited to the hot, sultry climate, as the earliest examples were light and refreshing.


The style fell out of favor for a long time, until American craft brewers, most notably on the West coast, reinterpreted it and made it their own. They also upped the hop bitterness in an apparent quest to see who could pack the most hops into a beer.

Today American-style India Pale Ales are by far the most entered category during the Great American Beer Festival competition. Last year there were 176 entries in the category and entries continue to grow each year. (Tickets for this year's festival, Oct. 11--13 in Denver, go on sale Aug. 2.)

The official GABF style description defines an American-style India Pale Ale as having "medium-high to intense hop bitterness, flavor and aroma with medium-high alcohol content" with "fruity, floral and citrus-like American variety hop character."

Imperial India Pale Ales, a hopped-up version that's gaining in popularity as craft brewers continue to expand the boundaries of the style, are characterized as having "intense hop bitterness, flavor and aroma" along with "notably evident" alcohol content that helps balance the "fresh and lively" hop character.

Locally, there are many fine examples to try -- from the more moderate and well-balanced IPAs to ones that pack a resinous hop wallop like Ska Brewing Company's Modus Hoperandi and Avery Brewing Company's Maharaja Imperial IPA.

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