Forget About the IPAs – Here Comes the IPL
Already familiar with IPLs? Here’s what India Pale Lagers are all about and why we are so enthusiastic about them.
As the title says, IPL is in someway like a German cousin (that has since lived in the Pacific Northwest) to IPA. India Pale Lagers were created by combining bottom-fermented crispy lager with bitter and fruity North American hop varieties that are normally used in IPAs.
So, basically: Yes, we are still talking about crispy lagers, but overly hopped ones. Ones that have more fruity, herbal, and even tropical flavours than the normal ones do. And of course, ones with mild bitterness, but not as harsh that we are used to with IPAs.
The IBU of the IPL ranged between 20–40, as in an IPA the IBU may range between 40–60.
India Pale Lager isn’t actually an official beer style, but an evolved version of the traditional lager beer.
As there are many categories of different lager styles, as we noticed in the earlier post, IPLs can also vary depending on what kind of lager is used as a basis. IPL may be a well-hopped Pilsner as well as a Maibock.
For IPL, we may give thanks to the increased hop consumption that has gained a new level since new hop varieties have been processed.
The breweries have at least doubled or tripled or multiplied their hop consumption during the past couple of years. That means that dry-hopping techniques have gained popularity among the brewers as at the same time double-hopped beers have appeared to be popular as well.
Now or never it’s lager’s time to develop and evolve.
But what does a good IPL then taste like? IPLs tend to be as lagers: light, crispy, and refreshing with a clean beer flavour. That’s why a good drinkability is also guaranteed.
3 x India Pale Lager
Mikkeller (Denmark): American Dream Extra Dry-Hopped
India Pale Lager 4.7%
This IPL is packed with extremely exotic fruit aroma hops that form quite a dosis of aromas from pineapple, citrus, grapefruit, mango and passionfruit. A nice and easy way to get familiar with this hoppy style.
BrewDog (Scotland): One More Minute
India Pale Lager 5.6%
Tropical aromas are on point also in this one. The flavour of this IPL is especially fruity but also herbal, and slightly malty. Still, BrewDogs IPL would be easily recommended also for those who like their Pilsner as Pilsner. You may not even notice the difference between this and a regular Pilsner.
The Piggy Brewing Company (France): Piggy Rider
India Pale Lager 5.5%
This one could be easily, without any notice, consumed as an excellent IPA. You can taste the malts covered with slightly herbal hop notes. Light fruit aromas, as passionfruit and melon, can be detected. The beer is ment to be enjoyed after a bicycle ride, so it’s made easy to drink, indeed.
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