National IPA Day honors the beer known as India Pale Ale on the first Thursday in August. This year, it falls on August 7. National IPA Day is observed to raise awareness about one of the most popular types of craft beer in the world; the India Pale Ale, or I.P.A.
The IPA is a full-bodied, bold, and bitter beer made with hops and pale malts. It contains more alcohol than the average beer and is brewed with a variety of hop strains. Through several IPA tasting events, festivals, and other activities, I.P.A. Day brings together large and small breweries, as well as beer lovers and connoisseurs.
History of National IPA Day (India Pale Ale Beer)
Ashley Rousten, beer enthusiast and the author of “The Beer Wench’s Guide to Beer: An Unpretentious Guide to Craft Beer” established this holiday in 2011. Although some evidence suggests that I.P.As were brewed in England before being shipped to India, the name came from British sailors who traveled to India as part of the East India Company in the late 1700s.
One of the reasons sailors brought them on their journey was that brewing beer in India was difficult due to the hot climate. Because hops are a natural preservative, the pale ales had a higher hop content, which helped them keep their flavor as they traveled from England to India. Porters were also shipped to India and California at the time, so it wasn’t the only beer that could be shipped. One of the first I.P.As to be brewed and exported to India was by George Hodgson’s Bow Brewery. The brewery was two miles from the East India Docks, which made it convenient for traders. After losing their Russian markets, brewers in Burton, England, quickly began brewing beer for export to India.
By 1840, I.P.As were in high demand in England, and the beer was widely brewed by 1860. The fad soon spread across the British Empire. Although their recipes had not changed, some brewers in England began calling them pale ales instead of India pale ales. Before 1900, breweries in the United States, Canada, and Australia brewed similar IPAs to those in England. IPAs, on the other hand, began to lose popularity around the 1900s.
National IPA Day (India Pale Ale Beer) timeline
British sailors traveling to India give I.P.A. its name.
Demand for I.P.As increases in England.
The beer is widely brewed in England.
The resurgence of I.P.As starts in California’s microbreweries.
The first American version of I.P.A. emerges in San Francisco.
National I.P.A. Day is created by Ashley Rousten.
National IPA Day (India Pale Ale Beer) FAQs
Which is stronger: I.P.A. or pale ale?
Although I.P.A.s are typically stronger than Pale Ales, the accuracy of that statement depends on the Pale Ale’s intensity. This means one brewery could have Pale Ale that is more bitter and stronger than an I.P.A. or vice versa.
Do I.P.As get you drunker?
It’s simply because I.P.As have a higher alcohol-by-volume percentage than many other types of beers.
Why do I.P.As make me fart?
Beer’s carbonation causes gas bubbles to form inside your stomach, making you feel bloated and gassy.
National IPA Day (India Pale Ale Beer) Activities
Drink I.P.A. with friends
Drinking an India Pale Ale is of course the best way to commemorate India Pale Ale Day! Raise a glass to National I.P.A Day and celebrate with your friends.
Host a tasting party
Host a tasting party for India Pale Ale with your family and friends. You can even find a variety of India Pale Ales and sample them to choose your favorites.
Make I.P.A.
Try your hand at making your own India Pale Ale to celebrate I.P.A. Day. You can purchase starter kits that include everything you'll need to make your version.
5 Important Facts About National I.P.A. Day
Misleading
It wasn’t conceived in India.
Four types
English-Style I.P.A., Session I.P.A., Imperial (Double) I.P.A., and American-Style I.P.A. are the four main styles today.
Special drinking glass
Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione and Sierra Nevada's Ken Grossman collaborated on the creation of an I.P.A-specific glass.
Soft
Early I.P.As weren’t extremely strong.
Double I.P.As
Double I.P.As don't always mean twice as much alcohol.
Why We Love National IPA Day (India Pale Ale Beer)
Full-bodied flavor
They're unique and intriguing, with a flavor profile that differs from most craft beers. An I.P.A. has a fuller, earthier flavor than a lager or an ale, giving it a unique appeal.
Distinct taste
An I.P.A. is often referred to as the rebel of the beer world; it has a distinct personality. Other beers don't have the bitterness that I.P.As do. Bitterness is an acquired taste, but it adds a level of sophistication to the drink that sets it apart.
Good times in a bottle
An I.P.A. is a hoppy beer with more alcohol than other craft beers. Brewers needed a way to keep their beer fresher for longer on their journeys from England to India, so they created an I.P.A. To improve the beer's preservation, they added hops.
National IPA Day (India Pale Ale Beer) dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | August 4 | Thursday |
| 2023 | August 3 | Thursday |
| 2024 | August 1 | Thursday |
| 2025 | August 7 | Thursday |
| 2026 | August 6 | Thursday |
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