IPA: what it is, how to recognize it, and why everyone loves it

You’re sitting at the table, the server comes over and tells you the beer of the day is an IPA. You nod, but inside you’re thinking: “What exactly is an IPA?” Don’t worry, it happens to everyone. Those three letters you see on labels and menus all over the world stand for India Pale Ale, and it’s one of the most loved beer styles in the craft beer world.

In this post we’ll break it down without the sommelier jargon and without the snobbery: history, characteristics, substyles, and a few real places in northeast Italy where you can start exploring it in person.

Where this beer comes from: a story of ships and hops

It’s the late 1700s, in England. The ships of the East India Company are leaving the docks of London on a journey that takes months to reach the colonies in India. Along the way, heat, humidity, and temperature swings take their toll on the beer: it spoils, turns sour, arrives undrinkable. The solution the brewers found was as simple as it was effective: more hops and more alcohol, both excellent natural preservatives. The beer that made it to India was more bitter, more stable, and more hop-forward than anything else being produced in Europe at the time.

One of the key names from this period is George Hodgson, of the Bow Brewery in London. His brewery sat close to the docks and had a huge logistical advantage: he could load beer onto the ships on very favorable terms. Hodgson became one of the main suppliers to the Indian market between 1800 and 1813, shipping thousands of barrels a year. Then came competition from Burton-upon-Trent, an English town famous for its sulfate-rich water, which turned out to be ideal for amplifying hop character. Breweries like Bass and Allsopp refined the style further, and the India Pale Ale became famous back home too.

Through the twentieth century the IPA gradually lost popularity, nearly disappearing from mainstream production. Then, in the 1980s and 1990s, American craft brewers rediscovered it and reinvented it completely: new American hop varieties, intense aromas of tropical fruit and citrus, a whole new identity. From a colonial export style, the IPA became the symbol of the craft beer revolution. Today Italy produces IPAs of real quality, with examples earning recognition at a national level.

What is an IPA: definition and key characteristics

Bitterness and the IBU scale

The first thing you notice in an IPA is the bitterness. Not the kind you get from burnt coffee or dark chocolate: this is herbal, resinous, citrusy bitterness that makes itself known without being unpleasant. It’s measured using the IBU scale (International Bitterness Units), which indicates the theoretical bitterness of a beer. Classic IPAs typically fall between 40 and 70 IBU, though some versions push well beyond that. Most commercial lagers sit well below 20 IBU: enough to understand why an IPA tastes so different.

Strength, body, and carbonation

Alcohol content, shown on the label as ABV (alcohol by volume), typically runs from 5% to 7.5% in a standard IPA. These aren’t beers you’ll drink without noticing, but they’re not heavy either. Body and carbonation vary quite a bit depending on the substyle: a West Coast IPA tends to be drier and leaner, while a NEIPA usually has a fuller body and a softer mouthfeel. Two IPAs can have the same ABV and smell completely different from each other: it all comes down to which hops were used and when they were added.

Hops and dry hopping: why some IPAs smell so incredible

Dry hopping: what it is and how it works

Hops are the heart of an IPA, but not all hops do the same thing. Hops added at the beginning of the boil contribute mainly bitterness, because the heat converts their compounds into bittering agents. Hops added late, toward the end of the boil or during the whirlpool (the circulation phase after cooking), preserve aroma instead, because the fragrant compounds are volatile and disappear with prolonged heat. The later you add them, the more aroma stays in the beer.

Then there’s dry hopping: adding hops cold, directly into the fermenter or during conditioning, with no boiling at all. It adds no bitterness, but massively amplifies the aromas. This is the technique that explains why some IPAs smell of fresh mango, passion fruit, grapefruit, or freshly cut pine resin before you even take the first sip. When you see DDH (Double Dry Hopped) on a label, it means the dry hopping was done twice, resulting in an even more explosive aromatic profile. NEIPAs rely heavily on this technique to build the intensity they’re known for.

The hop varieties you’ll most often encounter

Understanding hops helps you understand what’s in your glass, even without being an expert. Each variety has a precise character, and many craft breweries list them on the label because they’re central to the beer’s identity.

Citra is probably the most recognizable: it brings clear tropical fruit, lime, and passion fruit aromas. When an IPA smells intensely of exotic citrus, there’s usually Citra involved. Simcoe has a more complex character: resinous and citrusy notes mix with an almost earthy, piney quality that makes it immediately recognizable once you’ve met it before. Amarillo brings orange, peach, and floral notes, softer and rounder than the other two. Mosaic is perhaps the most versatile of all: it combines exotic fruits, berries, and herbal nuances in a profile that shifts quite a bit depending on how it’s used and what it’s paired with.

Then there are newer and less common varieties, like Galaxy (Australian, with very pronounced passion fruit notes) and Nelson Sauvin (from New Zealand, with almost wine-like character reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc). Many breweries combine them: Citra and Mosaic together, for example, produce a balanced and recognizable aromatic profile that you’ll often find in quality Italian NEIPAs.

The main IPA substyles: which one is for you?

The West Coast IPA is the bold one: bitter, dry, crystal clear in the glass, with a clean finish that doesn’t forgive if you don’t like bitterness. The notes are resinous and citrusy, sometimes almost sharp like pine resin. It’s the modern classic, the style American brewers made famous in the 1990s.

The English IPA is the oldest and most balanced version: more malt body, floral and herbal English hops, less aggression. A good starting point for anyone approaching hop-forward beers for the first time.

The NEIPA (New England IPA) is the real revolution of recent years. The appearance is hazy, almost cloudy like a fruit juice, and the bitterness is kept low. What dominates are the aromas: mango, peach, pineapple, juicy citrus. The mouthfeel is soft, full, and juicy. If the bitterness of a West Coast intimidates you, the NEIPA is the right place to start.

The Session IPA often clocks in below 4.5% ABV: it keeps the hoppy character but stays light and easy-drinking, ideal when you want to sit for a while without overwhelming your palate after two glasses. It’s the substyle that convinces many skeptics, because it proves a beer can be aromatic and hop-forward without being heavy

The Double IPA, or Imperial IPA, does the opposite: more hops, more alcohol (often above 7.5%), more intensity across the board. This is a beer to sip slowly, with respect.

The Black IPA is perhaps the most surprising substyle. The color is dark, almost like a stout, but the aromatic profile is pure IPA: resinous and citrusy hops up front, with a roasted background that adds complexity without ever taking over. People who encounter it for the first time often expect something sweet and heavy, and end up pleasantly thrown off.

How to recognize an IPA in the glass and on the label

An IPA’s color ranges from pale straw yellow to copper amber. NEIPAs have that characteristic hazy, opaque look, almost like a glass of fruit juice. The foam is usually compact and persistent, supported mainly by proteins from the malt. Looking at the glass already tells you a lot: if it’s clear and golden, it’s probably a West Coast or an English IPA; if it’s hazy and almost orange, it’s almost certainly a NEIPA; if it’s dark but smells of citrus, you might be looking at a Black IPA.

Not every label lists the IBU, but many craft breweries include it as a point of pride. The practical rule is simple: below 40 IBU the beer will be balanced and approachable, above 60 get ready for serious bitterness. In Italy and across the EU, ABV is required by law on every label. With those two numbers and the substyle name, you already have everything you need to know what you’re about to drink before you even open the bottle.

Food pairings

Hop bitterness has a useful quality at the table: it cuts through fat and protein. That’s why IPAs, especially West Coast ones, work brilliantly with burgers, pizza with spicy cured meats, aged and intense cheeses like gorgonzola, fried food of all kinds, and spiced curries. The bitterness resets the palate and every bite feels like the first. A Session IPA, being lighter, is perfect as an aperitivo with something salty to snack on.

The NEIPA plays a different game. Softer and fruitier, it pairs better with delicate dishes: sushi, ceviche, fish tacos, grilled chicken, Thai curry with coconut milk. Fresh cheeses, like goat cheese or a creamy brie, hold up well against its soft profile without covering the aromas. A berry cheesecake works surprisingly well too.

A few IPAs to try in northeast Italy

Theory is useful, but an IPA is really only understood by drinking it. Here are some beers we’ve tried in person and that won us over, between the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

From Bradipongo, a microbrewery and brewpub in San Martino di Colle Umberto (in the province of Treviso), come two IPAs worth tracking down: the Bradipa, a direct and well-built IPA, and the Steeka, an American IPA that’s genuinely special, full of flavor and incredibly aromatic. One of those beers you order and just keep going back to.

Zuppa di Sasso, a microbrewery and brewpub in Motta di Livenza (Treviso), makes the Tap to Start, a Session IPA at 3.8% that’s exactly what it should be: light, easy-drinking, fragrant, and very flavorful. We stumbled across it almost by accident and ended up drinking it all evening without ever getting tired of it. If you’re not yet sure whether you like IPAs, this is a great place to start. We also brought a few bottles home to taste at our own pace, and among them was the Yurei Haze, a NEIPA at 6.5% that genuinely surprised us: fruity, dense, with a real haziness that leaves no doubt about what style you’re drinking. One of the haziest NEIPAs we’ve come across so far.

From La Ru Birrificio Bosco in Cornuda (Treviso) come three very different takes on the style: the New England IPA, soft and aromatic as you’d expect from a quality NEIPA; the American IPA Fresh Hops, available in can, which delivers the fresh and immediate aroma of just-harvested hops in every sip; and the LINFHA, an IPA with a precise and recognizable personality. La Ru’s lineup is among the most interesting we’ve found in the area.

Moving into Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the surprises keep coming. At the Sapori ProLoco event at Villa Manin in Codroipo (Udine), we tried the Dove canta la Rana by Birrificio Campestre: a Session IPA at 4% and 54 IBU that caught our attention immediately. Very aromatic, with a clean bitterness balanced by precise citrusy freshness. Easy-drinking without being simple. A brewery we still need to visit in person, but one that has already won us over.

Also at Villa Manin we came across the Pert Beach by Garlatti Costa, a family brewery from Forgaria nel Friuli (Udine): a Session Aussie IPA at 4.5% with a lovely tropical fruit aroma and a light, easy flavor, less bitter than the Campestre. Pleasant and very drinkable, perfect for anyone approaching IPAs who doesn’t want to start with the more assertive bitterness end of the style.

At home, we opened a bottle of Grava by the craft brewery La Birra di Meni from Cavasso Nuovo (in the province of Pordenone): an IPA that surprised us with its complexity. Bitter and sweet at the same time, with an aroma that accurately previews what you’ll taste in the glass. Paulo picked up something in the sweetness that reminded him of chestnut honey, and it’s not a far-fetched comparison. A distinctive beer with a clear personality. Highly recommended.

If you want to explore other Italian craft beer styles and figure out where to start based on your own taste, take a look at our craft beer styles guide: you’ll find profiles, suggestions, and a few pointers to help you navigate.

Where do you start?

So, what is an IPA? A hoppy, bitter, aromatic beer born in England to survive months at sea, reinvented by American craft brewers in the 1990s, and today produced in Italy with genuinely exciting results. There’s a substyle for every palate: from the soft and fruity NEIPA, ideal if you’re not yet used to serious bitterness, to the dry and resinous West Coast for those who want to feel the hops all the way through, to the Session for anyone looking for something light but never boring.

Pick the substyle that interests you most and start there. And if you already have a favorite IPA, or a brewery in northeast Italy you think deserves a spot on this list, let us know.

Cheers!