Commentary: Beers to Celebrate IPA Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow is my favorite day of the year, International IPA Day!  This is when brewers and beer lovers celebrate the unique and historic beer style known as India Pale Ale.

First, a little history on the style.  It originated in England in the 19th century from the booming and wildly popular Pale Ales.  England began shipping pale ales to India on the demand of the British soldiers and citizens.  As they came to learn, the pale ales could not survive the spoilage and infections that came from the long, hot and humid boat trips from England to India.  Brewers then had to find a way to keep their beer fresh for longer periods of time and stave off infection.  In a time without refrigeration, London brewers altered their popular beer in two ways.  The first change was adding more hops to the beer.  Hops naturally have anti-bacterial properties and would help fight off infection.  The second change was increasing the alcohol content.  Alcohol, much like the hops, helps fight off bacteria and micro organisms and helps prolong the freshness of the beer.  As a result, the beers were aggressively bitter with less malt character and higher alcohol content.   The brewers fittingly called the beer India Pale Ale.   Eventually, the people in London got wind of the new beer and it became wildly popular in its own country.

To celebrate the occasion, I put together a list of 10 American IPAs that are affordable and pretty easy to find for those that would like to commemorate the day by drinking an IPA.  I ranked the beers based on availability and ease to find, and in no particular order of quality because they are all great IPAs.  These beers are ones that you will most likely find in gas stations, supermarkets and liquor stores.  You won't go wrong with drinking any of them.  Keep in mind, since I live in Las Vegas, these beers are ranked according to the Las Vegas beer market, though you can find most of them nationwide.  Below are my recommendations, and I hope you enjoy them!

1.  Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

2.  New Belgium Ranger IPA

3.  Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA

4.  Stone IPA

5.  Tenaya Creek Hop Ride IPA (local beer)

6.  Lagunitas IPA

7.  Green Flash West Coast IPA

8.  Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

9.  Ballast Point Sculpin IPA

10.  Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA


(TIP:  FOR THE FRESHEST IPAs, BUY THE ONES IN THE REFRIGERATORS)

*If you would like recommendations for Double IPAs or harder to find IPAs, please email me.