Friday Beer Post: I got an IPA jones.

For those of you who don't know, I love IPA's (India Pale Ale for those uninitiated). It's my style of choice. While, as I mentioned previously on this particular inter-tube, I don't like to pigeon-hole my beer love, I will confess that I favor IPA's over all others. (it's no coincidence that I chose to highlight the IPA championship last week) It's the hops! Mmmmm, I love hops! The more the better! At times bitter, fruity, floral, spicy, and earthy, hops bring the awesome to any beer party And no beer style shows off the fantastic character of the hop quite like the IPA.

(Probably my favorite IPA label. Comes from the Clay Pipe Brewing Company in Maryland)

Historically, the IPA was made famous through trade from England to India via the East India Company around the late 18th century. The length of the journey from England to India required the beer to have a certain "survivability" that the higher alcohol and large amount of hops provide. While the first true IPA is widely acknowledged to be the "October Beer" from George Hodgson's Bow Brewery in England, the style quickly gained in popularity. (There's a good write-up on the history of the style here.)

It's no wonder, because of the inherent high hop content, that the style became extremely popular amongst the brewers of the modern-day Pacific Northwest. The Pacific Northwest is known for growing hops (They even have a hop museum! Here.), and the region took to the style like no other. These varieties are ofter referred to as West-Coast IPA's, and tend to lay heavily on the more bitter and citrus-y flavors of the hops (which I like).

Personally, I enjoy the American take on the IPA over the more traditional styles. Varieties like Stone IPA, Avery IPA, Hop Devil from Victory, and Green Flash's West Coast IPA are typically what I gravitate toward if available. When I try out a new brewery, I more often than not judge them on their ability to create an enjoyable IPA. If you can't make the IPA work for you, I almost don't want to try anything else you have to offer.

While I realize that, for some, hops can be overpowering at first, I do encourage that everyone give the hop, and specifically the IPA style, a chance. The flavor really is like no other.