a ship full of ipa

As most craft beer aficionados probably know by now, India Pale Ale dates back to the days of colonial rule. Back then, rich white men went out into the world with their entire household and family to make money in exotic countries. They exploited the populations of distant places, stole their precious resources and forced them to work on their plantations. And of course they drank beer. Because brewing in hot, humid climates poses its own challenges, and neither hops nor decent barley can be found in India or Malaysia, another solution had to be found. At that time there were no widely used preservatives, so conventional beer spoiled halfway through. Resourceful brewers then developed the India Pale Ale: This reinterpretation of the classic Pale Ale was preserved with added hops and alcohol and survived the long voyage without any problems.

The brewery Brutal Brewing from Sweden is reminiscent of this time with its creation A Ship Full Of IPA and ties in with the IPAs of the first hour with a hop-intensive masterpiece. However, the hop varieties used are all modern: Amarillo, Galaxy and Cascade give the beer its wonderfully tropical aroma and crisp bitterness.

The deeds of the colonial masters are terrible, but fortunately their beer is not.