Did you know the first Thursday of every August is IPA Day? Founded in 2011, IPA Day has grown to become a global celebration of this popular type of craft beer.
Traditional IPA
Whether it’s an Imperial IPA, an American IPA or an English IPA, IPAs are typically characterized by:
A full-bodied, bold and bitter taste
Higher hop content than the average beer
Often higher alcohol content than the average beer
IPAs are typically between 5.5% to 7.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). Those above 7.5% are often referred to as double IPAs or Imperial IPAs.
IPAs (short for India Pale Ales) date back to the late 18th century. British soldiers stationed in India craved a pale beer from back home. Because the sea voyage to India was so long, the beers being sent there needed to be designed to last. Hops are a natural preservative, as is alcohol, and the earliest IPAs were strong beers packed full of hops that showed up in Indian ports tasting fresh and delicious.
Today, the IPA is one of craft beer’s most iconic styles thanks to its broad range of flavour variations. At beer tastings, festivals and competitions, IPAs receive more entries than any other type of craft beer—and people line up to sample the delicious assortment.
The Grimross Approach to IPAs
Many breweries have developed their own IPA recipes, including Grimross Brewing. Our unique interpretations of the iconic style showcase the creativity of our brewers and the many different colours, ingredients, and flavours that fall under the IPA beer-umbrella.
Bishop Belgian IPA
Bishop Belgian IPA is another one of Grimross’ seasonal beers. This IPA’s name is two-fold: it’s named after the road on which the Grimross brewery is located (Bishop Drive in uptown Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada) and brings forth the high-ranking leader characteristics of the word ‘bishop’.
Bishop Belgian IPA brings together intense new world citrus hop flavours with complex old-world spiciness. Balanced bold hops and Belgian yeast make this beer a unique Belgian-inspired take on a traditionally American and English style. It’s a fairly approachable 6% ABV with 50 IBU.
Maritime Black IPA
This deceptively dark IPA earned Grimross a silver medal at the 2018 Canadian Brewing Awards. The perfect balance of roasted malts and hops, Maritime Black IPA is dark, dank and delicious. This seasonal beer has an ABV of 6.6% and 40 IBU.
Also known as a Cascadian Dark Ale, the roasted malt is what gives this IPA its unique black colour; it’s the backbone of this flavourful beer. Cascade hops (along with other types of hops from the Cascade region of the American West Coast) give it a piney character.
Maritime Pale Ale - Looking for a lower-hopped version of a typical IPA? The Grimross year-round Maritime Pale Ale provides the same satisfaction of IPA as a hop-forward, well-balanced, all-occasions pale ale. Sitting at an ABV of 5.6% and and 35 IBU, this craft beer is approachable with prominent hop character that delights IPA lovers.
On this extra special Thirsty Thursday, support your local craft brewers! Come into Grimross Brewing to enjoy a pint of IPA—or take some home for the long weekend!