IPA Explained: What Is It? Why Is it Awesome?

It's okay to admit it.

We certainly did at one point.

You've likely heard the term "IPA" numerous times when it comes to beer, but you're a bit ashamed to confess the following:

You don't actually know what it means.

That's okay. You aren't alone.

Here's a quick primer:

IPA stands for India Pale Ale.

It's very much beer, of course. It contains the same ingredients as any other beer: water, barley malt, yeast and hops. I

HOWEVER, these types of beverages go easy on the malt, which means the hops are placed on a pedstal.

What is the result? A stronger, more bitter taste, that's for sure.

A glass of IPA is brimming with hop aromas, which can lean towards herbal, fruity, tropical or floral.

As mentioned above, the P in IPA stands for pale, meaning the beer will be on the gold side, sometimes even clear.

Because IPA is perishable type of beer, you should always keep it cold, drinking it sooner rather than later.

Oh, and try to always drink these out of a tap. The smell is, like, 75% of the appeal.

But not a frosty or frozen mug because these can crystalize hop aromatics, making them too cold to taste and too dull to smell. It’s always good to rinse your glass with cold water prior to pouring, however.

Got all that? Okay, good.

Now sit back and enjoy!