India Pale Ale (IPA) is a beer style in the broader beer styles of pale ale and is an origin of hoppy beer style. It is one of the most dominant and accepted forms of beer styles all over the world, especially among various craft beers. IPAs naturally have a bold hoppy flavour and a unique aromatic bitterness which makes them a popular choice among beer lovers. Many craft breweries have a wide range of IPA offerings and have built their identity around it.

In this blog, we dive deeper into the brewing process of IPAs, their history and connection to craft beer movement, and understand if regardless of their production, they can be qualified as craft beer. 

What Defines a Craft Beer?

Brewers Association defines craft beer as the beer that is brewed by “small, independent and traditional” methods of production. Let’s understand the definition better by understanding each of the three aspects of craft beer production, stated according to the Brewers Association.  

• Small Batches: Craft beers are produced annually at approximately 6 million barrels of beer or less, which is around 3% of U.S. annual sales. Rules of alternating proprietorships allows brewers to produce small batches of beer, in turn allowing more attention to detail and a quality batch of beers.
• Independent Ownership: To maintain creative control over craft beers, not more than 25 percent of the brewery must be owned by a beverage alcohol industry member that is not a craft brewer itself. This not only allows creative innovation and integrity but also allows independent ownership of their brewed produce. 
• Focus on Quality and Innovation: Mass produced beers are typically designed for encouraging consistency in commercialization and their mass appeal. But, craft brewers use creative innovation, unique methods and a variety of flavors and ingredients to form craft beers. Apart from innovation, craft brewers focus on high quality as their beers are produced in small batches.

Brewers Association states that the difference between craft beer and mass produced beer lies in the method and innovation involved in their production. Not only that, craft brewers focus on quality and creativity while mass producers focus on large scale production that helps reach a larger range of consumers.  

The History and Evolution of IPAs

India Pale Ale’s origin dates back to the 1700s, during the British Colonial Era, when Britishers had to carry and preserve their beer packs throughout their journey from England to India. A British brewer named George Hodgson from Bow Brewery, East London, began sending his pale ale to India packed with extra levels of hops and increased alcohol content to help preserve the beer during long sea journeys. Eventually, this style of beer was widely accepted for its string hops flavour and high alcohol content. 

Much later, around the 1980s and 1990s, the American Craft Beer movement began where brewers started experimenting with beer flavours by moderating hops levels, bitterness, and overall innovation, therefore revolutionizing craft beer and making it the most popular types of beer in today’s time. IPA is also one of the most accepted and widely brewed styles of craft beer.

IPA is further divided into several sub-styles, each offering a unique experience. They include:

• West Coast IPA which is made of citrusy hops and has an assertive bitterness and piney flavour.
• New England IPA (NEIPA): It gives a smooth mouth feel as it is packed with fruity hops and is juicy and hazy in texture.
• Session IPA: It has a lesser amount of alcohol when compared to IPA and is much lighter hence making for a perfect extended drinking option.
• Imperial IPA: It has a bold hops flavour and has a higher alcohol content. 

On a sidenote, want to discover what is on tap at Little Miami Brewing Company, check out our blog about seasonal brews!

Are All IPAs Craft Beer?

IPAs are produced by both large-scale and small-scale breweries. Small-scale breweries focus on the Brewers Association’s definition of craft beer which states that craft beers are produced by small, independent and quality-focused breweries. Brewers use different varieties and intensities of hops, a variety of ingredients and unique methods making them distinct, creative, packed with flavour and are of high-quality. Whereas, large-scale breweries produce IPAs that may not generally meet the criteria for craft beer for many reasons. 

Although labelled as IPAs, large-scale beers are mass produced by following standardized recipes and protocols which helps large-scale breweries focus on consistency and control over the process, cost-efficiency and reach to a larger audience, which leads to lack in creativity and lags behind in focus on quality. 

IPA is made a stand-out by craft brewers by focusing on details and creating innovative flavours which is possible by selecting the right hops,  experimenting with hops intensities in small batch brewings. Small-scale breweries create unique flavours by pushing the boundaries of what IPA can be, which is what makes IPA “craft”.  

The Role of IPAs in the Craft Beer Movement

IPAs became the flagship style for craft breweries as they symbolise creativity, innovation and quality that defines movement. In the 1980s, during the American Craft Beer Revolution, brewers leveraged experimenting with assertive hop varieties, creating redefined craft beer tastes, making IPAs the true representation and symbol of craft beer’s focus on flavour and uniqueness.

Brewers push the boundaries of traditional beer-making by experimenting with a variety of hops, flavours and other ingredients making IPAs the canvas for creative and innovative craft beer recipes. Craft brewers’ continuous innovation is shown by their way of:

• Introducing new substyles, examples including barrel-aged IPAs which add complex flavours from wooden casks, or fruited IPAs, which have fruits incorporated in them to add a vibrant, refreshing flavour to the beer; or 
• Innovative techniques like Double-dry Hopping-a technique where hops are added twice during the brewing process creating IPAs with strong, flavourful hops character.

Craft beers are special by way of their constant evolution which introduces new flavours and brewing methods, solidifying their position as a symbol for creativity and innovation among craft brewers.

How to Identify a True Craft IPA

A few key features of true craft beers go beyond the label, and identifying them is the key to choosing the right IPA. Here’s how you can tell you are drinking the right IPA:

• Check for the Brewery’s Independence: Checking for the brewery’s ownership is the easiest way to find out if the beer is craft or commercial. Craft breweries that are independently owned with less than 25% ownership by a non-craft corporation, often fall under the Brewers Association definition. This information can generally be found on the beer’s packaging or on the brewery’s website or blog page, this also clarifies if the brewery is Brewers Association certified.

• Look at Brewing Methods and Ingredients: Craft breweries are known for using high-quality ingredients and innovative techniques used in the production of their beers. High quality hops, and other high quality traditional ingredients like yeast and barley without additional preservatives are found to be used in craft beers. Information related to the ingredients like specialty hops, specific techniques used in brewing, and batch sizes can be found on their labels. 

• Taste and Uniqueness: Craft beers are known for their complex and deep flavours, compared to mass produced beers. They offer a burst of fresh hops aroma, bitterness, extended layers of flavour including citrus, pine, fruits etc. Craft beers are a reflection of creativity and innovation that can be identified by their varied taste and flavours. 

These key factors may be considered to the right craft beer and the brewery that crafted them.

Conclusion

Although not all IPAs are considered craft beer, a lot of craft breweries offer iconic craft IPAs making them a popular craft choice at breweries. Authentic craft IPAs are made with high quality ingredients, new and innovative techniques and are made with attention to detail and independence of ownership. Brewers show their passion and creativity by pushing their boundaries of flavour and brewing process in making iconic craft IPA recipes and it is reflected in the taste and quality of the beverage, making craft IPA the heart of the craft beer movement.

Explore the latest IPA selections at Little Miami Brewing to get the taste of a real craft! We proudly offer a range of high-quality IPAs that showcase the art of brewing, from juicy New England IPAs, to bold and hoppy West Coast styles, visit our website to discover the true essence of craft beer in every pour!