We're often asked what is the difference between IPA and Pale Ale and to be honest, there is a bit of crossover as you get hoppy pale ales that could be called IPAs and IPA's can come in a range of colours from amber to straw coloured pales depending on the malt that is used.
From our perspective, when we're curating our case of IPA's we tend to stick to the brewers definition. If they've classed it as an IPA, that's good enough for us. IPAs have several styles from a session IPA which is typically around 4% ABV to English IPA's which can be up to 6%. One of our favourite styles is the New England IPA, or neipa as it's abbreviated to, as this tends to be packed full of fruity hoppy flavours. A little more tropical than the traditional English hops which are refreshingly bitter.
Lots of people probably know the history of it by now and there are writers such as Pete Brown who have researched and written extensively and more interestingly than I ever could! Pete actually recreated the trip IPA's used to take from Burton to the Sub Continent and if you haven't come across it and you've an interest in the subject, I'd thoroughly recommend it.
So, what's the difference between an IPA and a Pale Ale?
Well, IPA and pale ale are both types of beer, that's obvious but they have some differences in terms of their origin, brewing process, and flavour profile.
IPA stands for India Pale Ale and was originally brewed in England in the 18th century for export to British colonies in India. The beer was heavily hopped and had a higher alcohol content to help it survive the long sea journey. Today, Classic English IPAs are still known for their strong hoppy flavor, which can range from floral to citrusy and piney, and their higher alcohol content compared to other beers. Whilst, originally it was quite an golden amber colour and not neccesarily what we would call pale today, it was paler than the very malty ales or porters that dominated the beer market back then.
Pale ale, on the other hand, is a type of beer that originated in England in the 1700s. It is made with pale malted barley and has a lighter color than other types of ale. Pale ales typically have a more balanced flavor profile than IPAs, with a moderate to high hop character and a noticeable malt backbone. They also have a lower alcohol content than IPAs.
In summary, IPA is a more hoppy and higher alcohol version of pale ale that was originally brewed for export to India, while pale ale is a lighter-colored ale with a more balanced flavor profile and lower alcohol content. Why not get a case of each and do some taste comparisons?
