IPA is mainly defined by its hoppiness, a trait that is central to its history, which dates back to the early 1700s. The most common version of the story involves the British military.

The British troops stationed in India were accustomed to drinking porter, a style of beer that spoiled quickly in the hot Indian climate.

To navigate this problem, brewers began importing beers with more hops, which have antibacterial properties for preservation.

The brew became synonymous with India, earning it the name, India Pale Ale. However, like most stories from the past, this one is full of questionable details.

IPA's invention is most frequently attributed to a British brewer named George Hodgson, whose brewery was located near the East India Company's headquarters.

Hodgson had an exclusive contract to supply beer to the East India Company. Many accounts claim that he carefully crafted IPA to solve the challenges the classic porter presented.

However, the concept of adding extra hops to beer was not Hodgson's. That practice dates back potentially as early as the 15th century with the rise of a brew called barleywine.