11 Beers to Drink and Enjoy for the Brewski Newbie
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WALTHAM, MA – MAY 11: Aaron Mateychuk, master brewer at Watch City Brewery in Waltham, proudly displays Indian Pale Ales, left to right, Red, American and Dunkel Weizen. (Photo by Essdras M Suarez/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
4.) India pale ales
If an American Pale Ale went down well, then your next step should be to reach for an India Pale Ale. Despite the name, this beer style was first mentioned in an Australian newspaper in 1829. The high hop content was supposed to preserve the beer for long overseas voyages to locales such as India, hence the name.
Like APAs, IPAs are brewed with lightly toasted pale malt. Unlike APAs, however, an IPA is a really hop-heavy kind of beer. Many beer newbies fairly freak out at the mention of “hoppy” beers, but you should really give this style a chance.
IBUs for IPAs are anywhere from 40-120 units. English IPAs are the mildest, while Imperial IPAs can really pack a punch. Imperial IPAs can also be pretty boozy, with as much as 10% ABV. Most other IPAs will be somewhere between 5-7% ABV, however.
A well-brewed IPA shouldn’t punch you in the face with a single, overpowering bitterness. Depending on the kinds of hops flowers used and how they’re incorporated into the brew, you might encounter a wide variety of flavors. Hop-heavy beers can be grassy, citrusy, floral, piney, lemony, and earthy, among other flavors.
Don’t be scared of this style! Once you start in on IPAs, you’ll start to crave more complex, bitter flavors in your beers.
IPAs to try:
- Comrade Brewing Company, Superpower IPA
- Other Half Brewing Company, Galaxy
- Stone Brewing Company, Stone IPA