INDIA pale ale (IPA) once had a good claim to be the first global beer, before lager took a grip on the world’s tipplers. Now IPA, an amber, hop-laden brew, high in alcohol, is regaining its global footprint. Arguments rage about the origins and history of IPA. Britain’s territories on the Indian subcontinent were generally too hot for brewing. So a couple of hundred years ago, to keep army officers and officials of the East India Company away from the fearsome local firewater, beer was exported from Britain to take its place. Whether a beer already existed that had the characteristics of IPA or whether it was developed for the purpose is a matter of heated debate among beer historians. What is clear is that hops, which act as a preservative as well as a flavouring, combined with a hefty dose of alcohol for added robustness, ensured that the beer survived the long sea journey to India. Indeed, the months jiggling in a barrel onboard seemed only to improve the flavour. The style caught on at home, as the brew seeped onto the domestic market. IPA’s popularity waned as the brewing industry changed. After the second world war, big brewers in Britain and America bought smaller competitors and flooded the market with bland, mass-market beers as old styles were abandoned in favour of a pint that would not offend anyone. But in the 1980s brewing began to change again. The craft-beer revolution, which started in the US, was a reaction to the domination of the market by these dull and flavourless brews. Small beermakers, encouraged by tax breaks and an urge to drink a beer with some character, began to produce small batches of more adventurous ales. The taste for these beers caught on. The result is that the US is now home to more than 2,500 breweries, compared with about 50 in the 1970s. Beer drinking is in overall decline as wealthy boozers switch to wine and spirits, but craft beer is growing fast, as consumers turn against the mass market to savour more expensive and exclusive brews.

The beer that craft brewers like making the most is IPA. Artisan beermakers in the US adopted old recipes from Britain for their IPAs but gradually began to adapt the brews to their own tastes. The heavy use of hops allows them to show off their skills in blending different flavours. Some parts of the US, like Britain, have an excellent climate for growing top-quality hops. The bold flavours and high alcohol content create a beer that has a distinct style and bold taste, yet can come in many shades. The passion for hops in US craft beers has taken on the characteristics of an arms race, as brewers try to outdo each other in hoppiness. (Many bottles now list their score in international bitterness units, or IBU, as a badge of pride.)

If no brewer in the US can pass up the opportunity to make an IPA, the same is true elsewhere. As the craft-beer revolution has spread beyond America, so has the taste for IPA. Britain is undergoing a brewing revival alongside a foodie revolution, based on local produce and artisanal methods. Much the same is happening in other rich countries around the world, where breweries are springing up to produce craft beers. Indeed, IPA has come full circle. Many British craft brewers are using new IPA recipes imported from the US for their brews, but again adapting them for local palates. IPA may not yet have displaced lager as the global tipple, but it is at least battling for bar space with mainstream beers. Who could feel bitter about that?

Dig deeper:

Rejoice! Scientists have discovered that barbecued meat is healthier if you add beer (April 2014)

How a band of microbrewers is transforming the beer business (April 2014)

Why alcohol-free bars are taking off in London (February 2014)

Update: This blog post has been amended to remove the news peg.