India pale ale

English

Alternative forms

• IPA (initialism)

Etymology

India +‎ pale ale, from being the type of beer, an ale with little colouration, shipped from Britain to India, with a higher hops content to prevent spoilage and further fermentation during transit.

Noun

India pale ale (countable and uncountable, plural India pale ales)

1. (alcoholic beverages) A beer, with a high level of alcohol and hops, traditionally made for export from Britain to India.
   • 1868, Chambers's Encyclopædia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge, page 810:

     This action proceeds most satisfactorily at a temperature of 72° F., and care is taken in the brewing of the finer varieties of beer, such as India pale ale and bitter beer, […]

   • 1998, Pete Slosberg, Beer for Pete's Sake: The Wicked Adventures of a Brewing Maverick, page 128:

     Not bad for an amber or pale ale, but India pale ale, I don't think so. So why does Bass put IPA on the label?

   • 2005, Sam Calagione, Brewing Up a Business: Adventures in Entrepreneurship from the Founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, page 149:

     Hence, the India pale ale style was born.

Derived terms

• double India pale ale
• imperial India pale ale
• New England India pale ale
• West Coast India pale ale