IPA: Truly Pale

September 1, 2007 By Roger Protz

As can be seen from the Bass beer brewed for the White Horse, the original IPAs were truly pale in color. Such stewed and colored malts as crystal and caramalt didn’t exist at the time. The first IPA brewers used only pale malt and brewing sugar. In some cases, lager malt was imported from central Europe. IPAs and pale ales should not be confused with bitter, a beer style introduced in England early in the 20th century, which uses crystal malt alongside pale for body and flavor.