Many people ask us about the difference between an American Pale Ale and an India Pale Ale.

The primary difference between an India Pale Ale (IPA) and an American Pale Ale (APA) is that the IPA has more hops (translates to more bitterness) and alcohol.  The most common theory about the origin of the IPA is that the British were sending Pale Ale’s to their troops in India and the Pale Ale was not able to survive the voyage without spoiling.  The  brewers started adding more hops, since hops are a natural antiseptic.  They also increased the alcohol content.   By doing this, the British were able to develop a type of Pale Ale they could ship to their troops in India without spoling during the long voyage.