National IPA Day and International Beer Day

Sunday, Aug. 7 will be a day for beer drinkers of all tastes and appreciation levels to celebrate. It is both National IPA Day here in the States and International Beer Day. So for this week, we are going to leave our normal wine commentary and talk a bit about these days to celebrate (and what to enjoy during the celebration). With our expanded beer collection it seems like a well-timed — albeit temporary — segue.

The first IPAs were developed designed and brewed in England in the 1800s. At the time, British troops stationed in India to protect British colonials would receive government provided beer sent via ships. The long journey from England to India took months. The ships crossed the equator twice during each trip, and the beer — along with all of the other cargo and passengers — were subject to huge temperature swings and rough seas. At the time, the most common beer being shipped was porter, mildly sweet and low alcohol. The effects of the trip were deleterious for the brew. It arrived flat and spoiled many times. Coupled with the warm temperatures in India, the British troops had little interest in consuming the rich porter, and with the diminished quality, much of the beer was dumped.

Brewers in England started making light colored ale, with healthy doses of hops and specially-selected malts. The resulting beer was drier, higher in alcohol and lighter and cleaner on the palate. The higher alcohol levels and lower sugars also allowed it to complete the long journey in better shape! This pale ale was the toast of the troops stationed in India for all of those palate-pleasing reasons, thus the name we know today: India Pale Ale.

And now we have a day to celebrate this specially-designed beer! Working with our own beer guru Chris Vincent, here are our recommended IPAs to enjoy on Aug. 7.

Just like the British soldiers stationed in India, we prefer a bit of a lighter touch on our beverages when the weather turns toasty. The addition of a bit of citrus to the more traditional take on IPA lightens the beverage and gives it a refreshing punch, while keeping the signature hoppiness in place. The Soul Style IPA from the brewers at Green Flash in San Diego ($1.85, beer club price $1.66 per 12 ounce bottle) uses hops that are citrus noted, with a bit of tangerine in the mix, resulting in a great summer IPA.

The Citradelic Tangerine IPA from New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins Colorado ($1.80, beer club price $1.62 per 12 ounce bottle) is familiar to most beer drinkers here in our area. We like the beer so much that we featured it in our July beer club. It offers the full gamut of what we want in summer beer: crisp and zippy, good hoppiness and light tropical flavors for balance. It is another good choice for your IPA celebration.

Another featured beer from our July beer club is the Single Wide IPA ($1.60, beer club price $1.44 per 12 ounce bottle) from Boulevard Brewing in Kansas City. When we selected the beer, we loved the smooth and consistent flavor during tasting. Chris referred to the beer as a Midwest IPA. He noted how consistent the bitterness was across the palate, with a bit of a more restrained finish, making the beer a less forceful take on the style. We just found the beer to be really good, and have enjoyed it on many a warm summer afternoon.

For those of us who like full throttle western-style IPA, with all of the bitter hoppiness that leads us to love the style, we suggest Armory XPA ($2, beer club price $1.80 per 12 ounce bottle) from Deschutes Brewery in Bend Oregon. The XPA is all that we have come to expect both from the brewery and the style over the years, and will satisfy even the most ardent IPA lovers.

Like many beer lovers we are still learning much about beer, and about our likes and dislikes under the tutelage of good friend and expert Chris Vincent. No beer ends up on our shelf or in our beer club without first being tasted by all of us, including Chris. We are expanding our selection all the time as we continue to find more creative choices to satisfy the tastes of beer drinkers here in North Idaho.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or if you have questions on wine, you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com, or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d’Alene Press.

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George Balling is co-owner (with his wife Mary Lancaster) of the dinner party, a wine and table top décor shop located by Costco in Coeur d’Alene. George worked as a judge in many wine competitions, and his articles are published around the country. You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. Be sure and check out our weekly blog at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com/home/blog-2 You can get all of these articles as well as other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.