IPA

IPA = India Pale Ale. I'm in India. Where's the pale ale? A friend was kind enough to point this out to me, so I did a little research.

India Pale Ale comes from English India Pale Ale. During the 1700s, it was brewed in England and sent to the British troops in India. To survive the voyage, they took normal pales ales and made them hoppier (a natural preservative). This also made them stronger. Once it got to India, it is believed they watered it down for the troops, while the officers got the original strength version.

Overtime the brew has weakened from it's original strength. From what I've read, I'd say todays American Double and Imperial IPAs are more like the original.

With the British troops gone, so is the beer. I'll just have to settle for Kingfisher Lager.

- b