IPA All The Way

WORDS ° Lukas Raschilla

One of the older styles of beer, India Pale Ale (IPA) is a now a staple across bars. While places with limited taps may not go so far as to put an IPA on tap, having a couple of options in packaged form for the hop lover is a necessity. With origins linking to the British Empire, brewed in a fashion to withstand long voyages from the UK to distant parts of the Empire like India, IPAs have a higher alcohol content, IBU, and hoppy, bitter taste.

The category has come a long way, and now features variations on IPAs including citrus and fruits such as grapefruit, pineapple, and tangerine flavours, along with black and coffee IPAs.

While it’s impossible for venues to stock endless varieties of beers to please every patron, here are a few that our panel chose as standouts. Having some canned and some bottled choices gives the customer choice if they have a preference.

We got together with some of our favourite beer folk to taste some IPAs. These were some of our top choices.

The panel featured some of the most knowledgeable beer industry people and included:

• IAN KINGHAM,

Sales Director - Institute of Beer

• NEAL CAMERON,

Director of Education - Institute of Beer

• DANIELLE ALLEN,

Co-Owner, Two Birds Brewing

• RICHARD ADAMSON,

Co-Owner, Young Henrys

• CLINT ELVIN,

Co-Owner, Bucket Boys Craft Beer Bottle

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BrewCult Thanks Captain Obvious IPA, Melbourne, VIC Format: Bottle ABV – 5.8% IBU - 40

Thanks Captain Obvious is an American style IPA using simcoe, citra and centennial hops with pine, floral and tropical notes.

Neal Cameron said, “You certainly know you’ve drunk an IPA. A real standout, great punchy hops and supportive malt.”

Danielle Allen tasted “Big hop aromas, fruit salad and a fresh hop profile.”

Clint Elvin commented, “Nice big hop aroma and dank, fresh, piney notes. Good fruity hop flavour with good length. Good, solid IPA.”

Oskar Blues IPA, Colorado, USA Format: Can ABV - 6.43% IBU - 70

Hailing from the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado, Oskar Blues IPA uses Australian hops along with malt barley and red wheat to create a clean malt backbone.

Neal Cameron noted a “Well-structured and well-made IPA that is highly drinkable”.

Fixation IPA, Byron Bay, NSW Format: Bottle ABV – 6.4% IBU – 65

Fixation is a true representative of an American style IPA, made with breiss and weyermann malts, simcoe, amarillo, citra and mosaic hops.

Ian Kingham enjoyed the light, good hop notes and hints of spice and clean fruit notes and mild finish.

Danielle Allen noted “Honey and hop aromas. Tastes of melon and honeydew. Well-balanced.”

Neal Cameron said, “A good, full-flavoured IPA. Great example”.

Pirate Life IPA, Adelaide, SA Format: Can ABV – 6.8% IBU – 60

Pirate Life IPA has a round, full-bodied malt character of pale malt, munich and crystal. Made with centennial, riwaka and simcoe hops, it is bright and fruity.

Ian Kingham noted lychee, sublet toasty malt with orange, lime and lemon bitterness, and what he called an “Excellent example.”

Richard Adamson agreed, noting aromas of pine and honeydew, “Full bitterness with an aftertaste of malt sweetness. An easy drinker.”

Batch Brewing Co. West Coast IPA, Sydney, NSW Format: Bottle ABV – 5.8% IBU 80

Batch Brewing Co.’s West Coast IPA is one of the permanent fixtures in its range and is dry on the palate and thirst quenching, made with centennial and chinook hops, which provide a fruit base, while mosaic hops come through with hints of pineapple and tropical stone fruit.

Ian Kingham and Danielle Allen both noted that the West Coast IPA was spritzy, while Kingham called it “easy drinking.”

Clint Elvin found this beer to be slightly citrusy with nice, well-rounded resin, a bit spicy with a light and slightly bitter aftertaste; “A nice, easy, well-done IPA, NZ style.”

Rich Adamson noted that it has a huge NZ hop aroma, fruity and piney, with firm bitterness and balance; “Stands out for using different hops.”