[charles1968]

"Low gravity IPA" just doesn't sound right to me. Can't we come up with a better name?

its called session IPA

What American homebrewers think of IPA, should be called "American IPA" or "BJCP IPA".

Yes, American IPA is completely different from British IPA. Most British IPAs served in pubs are just the same as regular bitter or best bitter. The " IPA" tag is more of a marketing gimmick that a denoter of style. I drank pub IPA for many years without knowing it was supposed to be different from bitter.

[erockrph]

"Low gravity IPA" just doesn't sound right to me. Can't we come up with a better name?

its called session IPA

What American homebrewers think of IPA, should be called "American IPA" or "BJCP IPA".

Yes, American IPA is completely different from British IPA. Most British IPAs served in pubs are just the same as regular bitter or best bitter. The " IPA" tag is more of a marketing gimmick that a denoter of style. I drank pub IPA for many years without knowing it was supposed to be different from bitter.

I have not been fortunate enough to drink beer of any sort in a proper English pub, but it's certainly on the bucket list. That said, this particular recipe has a firmer bitterness than any bitters/ESB that I've tried. Not enamel-stripping American IPA-like at all, but it does have a nice bite to it.

[charles1968]

Yes IPAs are probably meant to be a bit more bitter than special bitter or best bitter and a lot more bitter than mild. However there's so much variation in draft British beers that I never really noticed the difference. I can definitely tell mild apart from other beers as it's so much less bitter, and special/best tend to be stronger (4.2-4.5%) than regular bitter (3.5-4%), which can sometimes taste watery.

These days things are changing as US style hops are very popular and there are lots of new pale ales and golden ales that use them. British hops tend to have far less aroma/flavour but character from the yeast makes up for it a bit. Also the water often has high mineral levels - probably more sulphate that typical US pale ales.

Hope yours turned out well.

[hopfenundmalz]

Yes IPAs are probably meant to be a bit more bitter than special bitter or best bitter and a lot more bitter than mild. However there's so much variation in draft British beers that I never really noticed the difference. I can definitely tell mild apart from other beers as it's so much less bitter, and special/best tend to be stronger (4.2-4.5%) than regular bitter (3.5-4%), which can sometimes taste watery.

These days things are changing as US style hops are very popular and there are lots of new pale ales and golden ales that use them. British hops tend to have far less aroma/flavour but character from the yeast makes up for it a bit. Also the water often has high mineral levels - probably more sulphate that typical US pale ales.

Hope yours turned out well.

The acreage of hops grown in England keeps dropping, last I saw it was about 2000 acres, which makes me concerned about the supply of some hops I like. What is your feeling about the future supply of EKG?

[charles1968]

Interesting question but I can only guess at the answer. It will take a while to disappear as lots of British beers rely on it. I do think newer hop varieties are steadily displacing older hops in commercial beers though. Maybe it will dwindle in supply to the point where it's an heirloom variety with rarity value.

It's much easier to brew with new-world hops as the flavors are so powerful. It takes genuine skill to make good use of more subtle flavours.

[Steve Ruch]

The acreage of hops grown in England keeps dropping, last I saw it was about 2000 acres, which makes me concerned about the supply of some hops I like. What is your feeling about the future supply of EKG?

I have goldings growing in my backyard. They may not be exactly like goldings grown in England, but they aren't all that far off. I make some pretty good bitters with them.