Where does the famous India Pale Ale, one of the world’s most popular beers, actually come from? While IPA is now the pride of North American craft breweries, its story is steeped in myths and legends.

Did India Pale Ale originate in India? Was it a hit back in the day? And does it still resemble its original form in a world where technology, tastes, and markets have shifted so much?

By busting a few myths, we dive into how ocean voyages, economic ties with Russia, questionable water quality, and the lack of railroads all combined to create a beer unlike anything that had come before—right in the heart of the Industrial Revolution.

India Pale Ale: Historical and Economic Context

Where does India Pale Ale come from?
The first mention of IPA by name (in the Liverpool Mercury) appeared in 1835, but the style was already well-known. At the time, « pale ale » was a variation of Burton Pale Ale: a strong, sweet beer. However, Burton Pale Ale stood out with its dry, bitter character, thanks to the local water enriched with calcium sulfate. But how did this beer rise above the old-fashioned, softer, lighter English ale?

India Pale Ale: Historical and Economic Context

Oddly enough, the story of IPA begins in the Netherlands. It was Dutch and Flemish settlers in southern England who, starting in the 15th century, began importing hops on a large scale. Dutch and northern German regions had been cultivating hops for high-quality beer for at least two centuries by then.

The antiseptic properties of hops had been known since the 9th century, even though hops give beer a slightly bitter taste. Back then, the trend was for sweeter beer, and English ales were more like spiced “cervoise,” flavored with local ingredients, much like beers across Europe. For this reason, the English long scorned this foreign plant and the resulting drink—beer.

However, with the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, London embraced steam-powered machines, drastically boosting production and scale. Beer began aging in barrels as large as 28 feet tall. This innovation proved key to creating a stable product that could age well and be easily transported.

This led to the invention of the Porter, the region’s most popular beer. The technical advancements that produced the first “stable” European beer also enabled the creation of sweeter malts, thanks to roasting techniques borrowed from the coffee industry. Additionally, the discovery that indirectly heating grains at lower temperatures saved costs had a significant impact.

At the time, England had just banned the use of ingredients other than hops in beer while imposing heavy taxes on key components like malt. So, brewers did what anyone would do—they diluted their Porter. Within two generations, beer drinkers noticed that Porter no longer tasted like it used to.

Meanwhile, a major geopolitical event in the East was shaking up the global market. In 1823, Russia increased import duties on English beer. At this point, Burton was not yet connected to London by railway, and breweries focused on producing large volumes for export, struggling to sell their stock locally.

The Market for British India

This was all taking place under the British « Raj, » the colonization of India. The occupation had been ongoing for a few decades, and British soldiers were thirsty for their homebrew. But getting beer to India was no small feat. The journey took three months, crossing the Equator twice. Barrels rolled constantly on the ships, not to mention the infamous barrel worms that threatened to pierce the wood and expose the precious liquid to the open air.

The solution, of course, was already in place: a strong, well-hopped beer for the time. Back then, beer was sold under contract by brewers who specialized in export. England was one of the first countries to really specialize in exporting beer, with a specific market for Russia and another for the West Indies.

Initially, three types of beer were delivered under these export contracts: Porter, Märzen, and Strong ale. All three were more alcoholic and more heavily hopped. Porter was already well-known, strong ale was a slightly beefed-up version of a standard beer, while Märzen was something different.

Brewed in March, Märzen was meant to age in barrels until October, hence the name. It was a beer designed for long aging. Some British manors made a point of aging it for years, even decades. The result was a smooth, clear beer, often with a slight fizz.

George Hodgson’s Bow Company supplied most of the beer for voyages to the West Indies, particularly Porter. The business model was pretty clever: the company sold on 18 months’ credit, giving time to sell off the stock, return, and let the beer settle a bit. But soon enough, soldiers started complaining. By the time the beer made it to India, it was flat, stale, or even contaminated.

The brewery tried to fix this by shipping concentrated beer—unfermented wort. Eventually, Hodgson switched gears and began shipping barley wine, a beer already aged and packing around 8% alcohol. From 1800 to 1820, Hodgson did quite well, quadrupling production and relocating to a larger facility.

By 1821, the brewery was run by George’s son, Mark, and his partner Drane. Their big dream? To sell directly to their customers in India, cutting out the West Indies Company. Suddenly, they stopped offering credit, demanded cash only, and eventually hiked beer prices by 20%. Their goal was crystal clear: outmaneuver the British officers who were selling beer on their own terms and for their own profit.

Of course, the West India Company was absolutely furious. But they weren’t the only ones—retailers in Calcutta and Madras were just as outraged, having also been cut out of the market. Hodgson’s greed created an urgent need: they had to find someone else who could supply beer in large volumes—and fast!

When a lawyer on the West India Company’s board invited brewer Samuel Allsopp to dinner in London, Allsopp had no idea his life was about to change. Samuel ran a brewery in decline. Burton-on-Trent was now exporting exclusively to the lucrative Russian market. But a year earlier, Russian customs had slapped ridiculously high tariffs on Burton’s imported beer. At that price, they couldn’t sell to the imperial court, which loved its fortified Porter.

“How about selling your Burton Ale in India?” asked Campbell Majoribanks, representing the West India Company’s directors. After a long discussion—likely over plenty of good beer—Allsopp eventually agreed. He didn’t know it yet, but he had an ace up his sleeve that would make his fortune and change the course of brewing history forever: Burton’s extraordinary water for IPA.

The Secret of Burton-on-Trent

Burton’s water played a crucial role in the invention of India Pale Ale (IPA) due to its significant impact on the beer’s characteristics, especially the presence of calcium sulfate.

The water used in brewing beer has a major influence on its taste, aroma, and texture. In the case of IPA, Burton’s water became legendary because of its unique chemical composition. It was rich in calcium sulfate, also known as gypsum, which has a direct effect on how the beer’s flavors are perceived.

The calcium sulfate in Burton’s water acts as a key mineral element that shapes the aromatic profile of IPA. It enhances the bitterness and hop flavors while minimizing the sweetness of the malts used in brewing. This has a clear effect on the overall balance of the beer, giving IPA its signature bitterness and dry finish.

Indeed, IPA is defined by its bold bitterness and hop-forward aroma, which are crucial for cutting through the residual sweetness of the malts and creating a crisp, complex flavor profile. Burton’s water, with its high calcium sulfate concentration, amplifies this characteristic bitterness while keeping the beer from becoming overly sweet.

The use of Burton’s water, rich in calcium sulfate, was a pivotal step in the evolution of IPA as a distinct beer style. It allowed brewers to fine-tune the elements of the beer and achieve the distinctive taste that has made IPA one of the most beloved and recognizable craft beers in the world.

Why is IPA making a comeback today?

In 2018, the global IPA market was valued at $32 billion, a figure projected to hit $70 billion by 2025. This meteoric rise stands in stark contrast to the IPA’s fall into obscurity by the end of the 19th century.

There are many reasons for the disappearance of India Pale Ale. Consumers shifted their preferences toward lighter, less bitter beers, pushing IPA with its intense bitterness into the background. Prohibition in the United States interrupted legal beer production, limiting the variety of styles available. The standardization of beer and the reduction in style diversity, including IPA, were a result of the consolidation of the brewing industry in the 20th century.

In the 90s, however, the IPA made a triumphant comeback. With the rise of the craft beer movement, forgotten styles were rediscovered, and consumers began seeking bold flavors—especially those found in hop-heavy beers like IPA.

In this renaissance, it was microbreweries that drove innovation and creativity in brewing, while the growing popularity of IPA can be credited to the rise of the internet and social media, which made it easier to spread the word about new beers. By captivating beer lovers worldwide, IPA went from a forgotten relic to an iconic style at the heart of the craft beer revival.

Pierre-Olivier Bussières is the editor-in-chief of Le Temps d’une Bière, a leading platform for beer culture and history. Pierre-Olivier has contributed to publications like Global Risk Insights, The Diplomat, and Impact Campus. He is also the co-owner of Uber Flix Studio and Uber Optimized.