Pale Ale vs. IPA: Differences in Taste and Alcohol Content

In the early 1700s, English brewers began experimenting with recipes using lighter malts. These lighter malts produced a more bitter beer style with a hoppier flavor profile than dark and malty beer styles of that era—earning them the nickname “bitters.” Compared to an India pale ale, or IPA, a pale ale generally has a lower alcohol content (also known as alcohol by volume, or ABV).

Historians believe British breweries altered the pale ale brewing process to meet export needs, developing the India pale ale in the early eighteenth century as a result. By adding additional hops, the IPA variety acquired a stronger hop flavor, while also increasing the alcohol content. This increase of ABV acted as a preservative that extended the lifetime of the beer—allowing shipping companies like the East India Company to meet the demands of distant colonies controlled by Great Britain. Nowadays, most IPA recipes use a variety of American hops, like Citra, Cascade, and Centennial, to complement the bitter hoppiness with a juicy citrus kick.

Both pale ales and IPAs are similar in color and fermenting process, but IPAs have hoppier taste profiles with higher alcohol content. As craft beers have grown in popularity, craft brewers have pushed the boundaries of nearly every style of beer. Innovative brewing processes and experimentation with recipes have blurred the distinctions between the two types of beer.

There have been many variations from the original pale ale recipe. Learn about some of the popular styles you can find at your local grocery store:

1. 1. American amber ale: The American amber ale is a darker, fuller-bodied variant of the traditional pale ale. Caramel and crystal malts give this ale a slight toffee flavor that balances the citrus and pine flavors of the American hops.
2. 2. American pale ale: They share the light color of the English pale ales, but American pale ales replace the earthy notes of the English with floral and fruity notes.
3. 3. Blonde ale: Sometimes known as a “golden ale,” the blonde ale is light-bodied and smooth. Due to its round and balanced flavor profile, the blonde is an easy-drinking type of beer.
   
4. 4. English-style pale ale (ESB): Also known as the English pale ale or simply ESB, the English-style pale ale is a hoppy beer and as close as you can get to the original pale ale recipe.

The IPA style has been a favorite of modern craft brewers for its possibilities of experimentation. These popular styles of beer are examples of this hoppy brew:

1. 1. American IPA: The top-selling craft beer in the United States, American IPAs have a strong hop flavor with notes of pine and citrus.
2. 2. Brut IPA: Invented in San Francisco in 2017, the Brut IPA is a newer addition to the India pale ale family. Unlike most IPAs that carry sweeter juicy notes, the Brut IPA uses an enzyme normally used in pilsners, stouts, and porters. The compound amyloglucosidase (AMG) in a Brut-style IPA gives the beverage a dry, Champagne-like mouthfeel rather than a sweetness.
   
3. 3. New England IPA: This hazy spin on the American IPA uses dry-hopping techniques to create a tropical taste with grapefruit aromas. While New England IPAs are typically heavy on the hops, the fruity profile subdues some of the bitterness.
4. 4. West Coast IPA: The West Coast IPA is similar to a New England IPA except for the higher levels of bitterness. West Coast IPAs score higher than most beers on the International Bitterness Unit (IBU) scale.

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