The Origin of IPAs

India Pale Ales were first developed when English brewers in the early 19th century were looking for a way to export their traditional ales to India. The adventurous journey by sea would take too long, and the beer would spoil by the time it arrived. Extra hops were added, and the IPA was born. Originally, the IPAs were not much stronger in alcohol that other ales, but the hoppy bitterness caught on, and during the mid-1800s, the IPA was being brewed and sold all over England.