Mr I P Freely recommends IPA

Bart Simpson is famous for his crank calls to Moe. And, one of the classics is I P Freely. Of course, Moe, being a bartender, now known as Mr I P Freely recommends IPA to his discerning patrons. Who are we kidding, he pushes duff and ancient pickled eggs. But, for those of us outside the cartoon realm, today is National IPA day. And, it’s time to have a hoppy experience.

If you are unfamiliar with what an IPA is, check out our post from last year, here. To sum up: IPA is a type of beer. The initials stand for India Pale Ale. And, that is a misnomer since it was actually invented by the British. Don’t expect any curry or exotic seasoning. What happened was: British sailors heading to India drank ale. But, the ale would spoil en route. So, the added extra hops into the kegs to preserve the beer. The result was an extra hoppy ale. Although some people find the bitterness of hops a bit off putting, many delight in the variations of hops. They add floral, sweet, citrus, and numerous other notes to the flavor of the beer. While malts create the body of ale, hops give it its character. So, let’s look closer at what makes an IPA different from other ales.

Mr I P Freely recommends IPA for its hoppiness

You may have heard of American Pale ales and wonder what is the difference between an APA and an IPA. There are 2 main differences.

1. American Pale ales have an alcohol content between 5 and 6%. IPA’s have an ABV of 6% or more. So, they are generally stronger.
2. American Pale ales tend to be smoother or sweeter compared to the hop forward, more bitter taste of IPA’s.

Those distinctions being made, there are new categories or sun-genres within the IPA and Pale ale universes. There are now black, white,brown, red, rye, sessions, fruit, and other IPA’s recognized by international beer judging boards. The newer classifications blur the lines of what is and isn’t an IPA as they allow for lower alcohol levels and a variety of characteristics that are not necessarily indigenous to the traditional IPA. Whether or not that is a good thing is up to you. For those of us who remember the Descendents, we don’t care for classifications and stereotypes. So, you can call it whatever you want. Just make sure it’s good. And, if it’s beer it’s good.

It’s in the hopping

For me, I hark back to how IPA was invented. The sailors added hops to an already made ale. This process is known as dry hopping. Hops are boiled in the wort when an ale is being made. Any addition of hops after the initial brewing process is “dry”. So, the added flavor stands out like an added flavor extract. Think of it like adding a fruit syrup to vodka. Let’s say: orange. The orange will be front and center by adding an extract or syrup. But, if you brew orange in the vodka during the fermentation process, it won’t be as pronounced as it will blend in with the other flavors. The same principle applies to dry hopping. It’s a flavor added after the fact. There are hops in the brewing process. But, the ones added during the fermentation process are more prominent and brighter.

Of course it doesn’t have to be an IPA to be dry hopped. You can dry hop all kinds of ales. But, IPA’s tend to be lighter, crisper ales. Unless, of course, you take liberties and do something like a black, double, or triple IPA. These are full bodied ales that are filling and rich, yet they are called IPA. So, isn’t it just the dry hop that makes the difference and gives the name? It’s India PALE ale. I made a brew last year: Ugly American pale ale with a tan because it wasn’t pale. So, how can you call a black, red, or brown ale “pale”? Just remember, it’s not as simple as just calling something an IPA just because you like the sound of. No matter what you call it, you will pee freely. And, we know what that leads to: Mr I P Freely recommends IPA.

So, how do we reconcile what constitutes an IPA?

Short answer: Who cares? Does it taste good. Can you really taste the hops? Good. Then enjoy it. While today is National IPA day, feel free to go a little off menu. Enjoy all manner of ales and beer, if that strikes your fancy. But, try to find a hoppy ale that refreshes. After all, it is summer, and tomorrow is international beer day. So, why split hairs. Start with IPA today today, and then delve into all manner of beer tomorrow. But, don’t forget to stay hydrated. Drink water between ales. Your body will thank you. And the lack of hangover tomorrow will be welcome.

If you do any brewing yourself, hopefully you have an IPA or something similar on hand. If not, support your local brewhouse. And, in the meantime, you can start a batch of ale that you can drink in about a month with our recipe here:

Grasshopper Pale Ale

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Print Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

fermentation period 30 days d

Course beer

Cuisine Ale, American, beer, British, Indian

Servings 5 Gallons

Equipment

• Car boys, bottling equipment, air locks, and basic brewing equipment

Ingredients

  

• 6 Gallons Water
• 1 Lb Pale ale Malt
• 1/4 Lb Marris otter Malt
• 1/2 Lb Dingemans Malt
• 9 Lb Golden Malt extract
• 1 oz Crystal Hops
• 2 oz Cascades Hops
• 2 oz Centennial Hops
• 2 oz Helga Hops
• 2 Oz Columbus Hops
• 1 each whirlflock tablet for clarification
• 11.5 Grams Safe ale s-04 Dry ale yeast
• 3 oz Cascades hops for Dry hopping
• 1 Cup Priming sugar

Instructions

 

• Clean and sterilize all your brewing equipment.
• Bring 3 gallons of water to a boil. Place the whole grains into a brewing bag. Simmer for 30 minutes. Then remove them from the water.
• Whisk in the malt extract and return to a boil. Stir as needed to prevent sticking and scorching.
• Add in the first 3 hops and continue boiling. Stir as needed to keep from bubbling over. Boil for 30 minutes.
• Add the helga and columbus hops, plus the floculation tablet or Irish moss to help with clarification. Boil for another 15 minutes.
• Strain the liquid well to remove all sediment. Use sparging bags and cheesecloth if available. Transfer the liquid to a carboy and add cold water until you get about 5 1/2 to 6 gallons in the carboy. You will lose 1/2 to 1 gallon when particles settle out during fermentation.
• Place a rubber stopper with a bolowout tube on the carboy and put the end of the tube in a container with a little water so the extra krausen can blow off. Leave this on for about 3 days. At this time, the activity level will be quite high. Check it daily to empty the receptacle if it overflows and check the activity level.
• After about 3 days, the activity should be under control. At this point, add in the dry hop pellets. Place an airlock on the carboy and allow to ferment for another 11 days.
• After 2 weeks in the carboy, it is ready to bottle. Sterilize your bottling equipment. Carefully siphon the liquid to a racking tub. Dissolve priming sugar in hot or boiling water and whisk it into the beer. Bottle and cap the beer and place in a dry dark place for another 2 weeks.
• After 2 weeks in the bottle, it is ready to drink. You can age it longer if you want.

Keyword Dry Hopped, Grasshopper, Medium bodied, Pale ale

Remember, when you are fermenting the ale, keep it in a cool dark place, like a closet.

Slainte!