What Is an IPA? A Plain-English Guide to the Style
Updated June 20, 20262 min read
IPA is the most popular — and most misunderstood — craft beer style. Here is what it actually means, and how to find one you'll love.
IPA stands for India Pale Ale. The name is a 19th-century story about beer shipped from Britain to India, but the modern IPA is an American reinvention: a hop-forward ale built around aroma and bitterness. If a beer tastes of citrus, pine, mango or grass, hops are why.
The two IPAs you'll meet most
West Coast IPA
Clear, golden, dry and properly bitter, with pine and grapefruit. This is the classic. If you want the crisp, resinous version, look for 'West Coast' on the can.
Hazy / New England IPA (NEIPA)
Cloudy, soft, low on bitterness and bursting with juicy tropical fruit — mango, peach, passionfruit. It drinks almost like juice. This is the style that converted a lot of people who 'don't like IPA'.
ABV and IBU, decoded
- ABV is alcohol by volume. A session IPA sits around 4%; a standard IPA 6–7%; a double/imperial IPA 8%+.
- IBU measures bitterness on paper, but it is a rough guide — a hazy IPA at 40 IBU can taste sweeter than a West Coast at the same number, because soft malt and fruit hide the bite.
Want the bigger version? A double IPA (DIPA) pushes hops and strength together — delicious, but pace yourself.
How to pick one
- New to hops? Start hazy — it is forgiving and fruity.
- Like bitterness and a dry finish? Go West Coast.
- Watching the alcohol? Look for 'session' on the label.
- Always check the canning date — fresh IPA is non-negotiable.
Fresh hops fade fast — drink your IPA young.
- Why is IPA so bitter?
- Hops. West Coast IPAs lean into bitterness; hazy IPAs use the same hops for aroma but finish much softer, so try a hazy IPA if bitterness puts you off.
- Is IPA stronger than normal beer?
- Usually a little — most IPAs are 6–7% versus 4–5% for a lager. Double IPAs are stronger still.
- What food goes with IPA?
- Spicy food, burgers, sharp cheese and fried snacks. The bitterness cuts through fat and heat.
Browse what's in stock in the IPA collection, or see the full beer cooler. New to craft? Start with where to buy craft beer in Đà Nẵng.
Drink less, drink better.