Potent, aromatic, good-looking and an acquired taste, the American IPA has become the martini of beer. It’s a sure sign of true beerhood and sophistication to be drinking one – and can be a little daring.
A freshly bottled or brewed American IPA can buzz you with rich aromas, bracing hop bitterness and flavors anchored by malt goodness, plus a strong alcohol kick. Like the craze of habanero peppers and even hotter ghost peppers working their way into the mainstreams of American food, bitterness in an IPA can be an experience whose pleasure lies in the intensity it brings. If it’s a Double IPA, another stateside invention, there’s even more hops, malt and alcohol.
As the American IPA has evolved since the first Liberty Ale from Anchor Brewing Company in 1972, it has turned the classic English version on its frothy head. Instead of rich malt and alcohol tempered by extra hop bitterness, the American version celebrates the Pacific Northwest’s citrusy, piney, floral hops while the malt plays a more secondary role. In some IPAs the malt is there to allow as much hopping as possible. In addition to Amarillo and Mosaic, the names of the ground-breaking “C hops” have become buzz words: Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Citra and Columbus.
The city of Riberão Preto was a hub of Brazilian beer production in the early 20th Century because it hosted large scale brewing facilities, which in turn spawned numerous smaller beer operations, including one renowned house called the Pinguim. Locals would liken going to Riberao Preto and not having a pint at the Pinguim to going to Rome and not visiting the Pope.
