On 2013-02-27, Dave Smith > wrote:

> are known to add a bunch of hops to bad beers to make it more like an
> IPA...

You know the ol' saying about Americans. Our working credo is: If a
lot is good, more is better! Yes, we tend to over do it. And there
is certainly a lot of really crappy micro-beer out there. I have two
pizza-microbreweries near me. Neither make an IPA worth spit.

OTOH, other big rep breweries like Dog Fish Head make ultra hoppy
beers to critical acclaim. I have no idea why, as I don't think their
60, 90, and 120 IPAs are worth a damn. They want $12 for a 12oz bottle
fer there 120 IPA! I wouldn't give 120 cents. Yet I LOVE mega hoppy
beers.

A real IPA has two things. At least 5.5% abv (US) and 40 IBU hops rating. There
are scientific reasons for both. I won't go into it, but they both
helped preserve the beer (ale) shipped from Merry Ol' to the Colonies,
primarily India. Hence the name, India Pale Ale. Before the
invention of IPAs, most beer (pale ales) spoiled in the tropical
climate on the long voyages before it could get to the guys in red
bengaling those lances. Bad mojo!

A good IPA has the flavor of a either a citrus fruit like grapefruit
or some other tree fruit. My brewing mentor's best IPA smelled like
carmelized peaches. Speaking of mojo, my current fave IPA is,
co-inkidinkily, Mojo IPA from Boulder Beer.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/130/12322

It's 7.2 abv and smells of grapefruit. Yum!

nb