India Pale Ales

PHOTO by RUSS ROCA

Humulus Lupulus, or hops, are vine-grown flowers that give beer its bitter and often pungent aromatic qualities. Used for hundreds of years to balance beer’s malty sweetness, hops also have the benefit of acting as a natural preservative, as realized by the English in the 18th century: To prevent their traditional pale ales from spoiling during the long ocean voyage to soldiers in India, brewers began nearly doubling the amount of malt and hops. The resulting moderately alcoholic, hoppy brew was eventually categorized as a new style, India pale ale (IPA). Today, IPAs are still very popular in England, but are arguably most popular in the United States, where brewers have over the years defined a decidedly American sub-style that’s more alcoholic and über-hoppy, with piquant aromas. Additionally, the maltiness of most American IPAs tends to be light and crisp, creating a very drinkable beer that lets the hops shine front and center. In San Diego, where IPAs are practically an essential food group, the beer culture and brewers embrace heavy use of domestically grown hops to infuse intense citrusy, earthy, floral and dank resin flavors and aromas into their bold IPAs. Jeff Bagby, one of the premier IPA brewers in the U.S. and the head brewer for Carlsbad’s popular brewpub Pizza Port, demonstrates his mastery of hops in every beer he makes. Although his award-winning, world-class IPAs are largely available only at Pizza Port’s Carlsbad location, Seal Beach’s Beachwood BBQ currently pours Bagby’s Wipeout IPA, a staple beer in his portfolio. It’s time to pull up a chair and grab a pint of explosively flavorful IPA. Cheers!

WIPEOUT IPA CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT BEACHWOOD BBQ 131 ½ MAIN ST | SEAL BEACH 90740 | 562.493.4500

Tags: beachwood bbq, beer of the month, drinks