What’s in Your Glass? #3: IPA

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There’s a moment in every beer lover’s journey where they try an IPA for the first time and immediately think: this is too much. Too bitter. Too intense. Too… everything.

And then a few months later, they try another one. And something clicks.

What Is an IPA?

India Pale Ale. The name comes from 18th-century British brewing history – heavily hopped ales were brewed for long sea voyages to India, the extra hops acting as a natural preservative. The style largely disappeared, was rediscovered by American craft brewers in the 1980s, and is now one of the defining styles of the global craft beer movement.

Australian IPAs typically break into a few clear camps:

  • West Coast IPA – clear, dry, piney and resinous, with pronounced bitterness. The classic style.
  • New England / Hazy IPA – unfiltered, cloudy, intensely aromatic with tropical fruit characters (mango, passionfruit, stone fruit). Soft bitterness. Huge aroma. Australia’s favourite IPA style right now.
  • Session IPA – all the hop flavour at lower alcohol (under 4.5%). The best of both worlds.

Australian Hops: A Secret Weapon

Australia grows some of the world’s most exciting hop varieties – Galaxy, Ella, Vic Secret, and Topaz. Galaxy in particular has become a globally sought-after ingredient, delivering intense passionfruit and citrus notes that have become synonymous with the best Australian IPAs. When you drink a locally brewed hazy IPA, you’re tasting something the rest of the world is genuinely jealous of.

Best Australian IPAs to Try

  • Balter IPA – the benchmark; passionfruit and citrus up front, clean and dry finish
  • Stone & Wood Green Coast Lager – gentler entry point for IPA newcomers
  • Pirate Life IPA – bold, resinous, and unapologetically intense
  • Young Henrys Newtowner – hop-forward but soft enough to win over the sceptics

The Takeaway

The IPA rewards patience. Your first one might catch you off guard. Your fifth one will be your favourite style. Trust the process.

Other Articles in this series:

  1. Lager – The Beer That Built Australia
  2. Pale Ale – How One Fremantle Brewery Changed Everything
  3. IPA – The Hop Head’s Handbook
  4. Wheat Beer – Cloudy, Soft, and Summer-Ready
  5. Stout – Dark Beer for Bright People
  6. Pilsner – Lager’s Sophisticated Upgrade
  7. Sour Beer – Tart, Wild, and Worth It
  8. Amber & Red Ale – The Best Beer You’re Not Drinking Yet
  9. Porter – The Original Dark Beer
  10. Session Beer – Great Taste, Easy Does It

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