IPA is the beer style everyone has an opinion on, and also one of the most misunderstood. The letters stand for India Pale Ale, but almost nothing about that name describes what is actually in the glass today. Here is what actually makes a beer an IPA, and why the style has splintered into so many different versions.
What Actually Defines an IPA
An IPA is a pale ale style built around a heavier hop presence than a standard pale ale, using more hops both for bittering and for aroma and flavor. That translates into a beer that reads more bitter, more floral or citrusy, or more resinous and piney, depending on which hops the brewery chose. ABV typically runs higher too, commonly 5.5% to 7.5% for a standard American IPA, though session IPAs dip below that and imperial or double IPAs push well past 8%.
Beyond that, “IPA” covers a huge amount of ground. The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) splits the style into multiple subcategories rather than one fixed recipe, because American IPA, English IPA, hazy IPA and imperial IPA all taste meaningfully different from each other while sharing the same core idea: more hops than a regular pale ale.
Where the Name Actually Comes From
The historical story is more myth than fact in the details, but the outline holds up: British brewers in the 18th and 19th centuries shipped pale ale to British troops and colonists in India, and the extra hops (a natural preservative) plus higher alcohol helped the beer survive the long sea voyage in better shape than a lower-hopped beer would. Over time “India Pale Ale” became a recognized style name rather than a literal description of where the beer was headed. For the full breakdown of that history, see our deep dive on what IPA actually stands for.
IPA at a Glance
| Typical ABV | 5.5% to 7.5% for standard IPA; 4% to 5% for session IPA; 8%+ for imperial/double IPA |
| Defining trait | Higher hop rate than a standard pale ale, for bitterness and/or aroma |
| Common flavors | Citrus, pine, resin, tropical fruit or floral notes, depending on hop variety |
| Origin | 18th/19th century England, developed for export to British India |
Why There Are So Many Kinds of IPA Now
American craft brewers took the English IPA template starting in the 1970s and 1980s and pushed it in a very different direction, leaning on bold American hop varieties like Cascade and Citra for big citrus and pine character rather than the earthier English hops. That split is the root of most IPA sub-styles you see on shelves today: hazy/New England IPA (soft, juicy, low bitterness), West Coast IPA (clear, resinous, sharply bitter), session IPA (lower ABV, still hop-forward), and imperial/double IPA (much higher ABV and hop intensity). Our guide to the different types of IPA breaks down each of these in more detail.
If you are curious how IPA fits alongside other pale, hop-forward styles, our Types of Ale guide covers where IPA sits relative to amber ale, porter, wheat beer and Belgian styles.
FAQs
What does IPA stand for?
India Pale Ale. The name traces back to 18th and 19th century British pale ales brewed with extra hops and higher alcohol to survive the long sea voyage to British India.
Is IPA stronger than regular beer?
Usually, yes, though it varies by sub-style. A standard American IPA typically runs 5.5% to 7.5% ABV, above a standard lager’s 4.2% to 5%, while session IPAs are brewed closer to that lower range and imperial IPAs can exceed 8% or even 10%.
Why does IPA taste so bitter?
IPA uses a higher hop rate than a standard pale ale, and hops are the source of a beer’s bitterness. The specific bitterness level and flavor depend heavily on which hop varieties the brewer chose.
What is the difference between a pale ale and an IPA?
IPA is essentially a hoppier, often stronger version of pale ale. Both are pale, top-fermented ales, but IPA uses more hops for greater bitterness and aroma intensity.
Best IPAs to Try
If you want to actually taste the range described above rather than just read about it, here are 6 IPAs worth trying, covering West Coast, English, hazy, session and imperial takes on the style.
More IPA Reviews and Guides
Want to go deeper on specific IPAs and sub-styles? Here is everything else on the site covering the style:
- Reviews: Voodoo Ranger IPA, Pliny the Elder, Stone Delicious IPA, Maine Beer Company Lunch IPA, and Galway Bay Afterglow Hazy IPA.
- Style guides: Different IPAs Explained breaks down West Coast, hazy, session and imperial in more detail, and Types of Ale covers where IPA fits among the broader ale family.
- For homebrewers: if you are brewing your own, our Amarillo hops and Saaz hops buying guides cover two of the varieties most commonly used in IPA recipes.
Curious about the hop behind the classic American IPA flavor? See our Cascade hops guide.
