Brew Master: the “Lost Sailor” IPA

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The Indian Pale Ale (IPA) style is an intensely hopped brew that dates back to 18th century Britain. Today, beer geeks the world over hail this style for its hoppines and intense aroma. Its popularity in the U.S. has increased in recent years as scores of craft breweries have introduced their own IPAs.

There are plenty of facts and myths that explain the origins of the style as well as its intriguing name. One popular explanation is partially true, but is likely a myth.

While it is true that hops are a natural preservative that extend the shelf life of beer, it is unlikely that brewers began to add more hops to pale ales being exported to India. Many believe that this was done to prevent the beer from spoiling on the long voyage, but it is more likely that the style simply gained popularity amongst the East India Company traders due to the original brewery’s proximity to the port. One of the brewery’s styles actually aged well on the voyage and became very popular amongst Indian consumers.

This week I sampled Berkshire Brewing Company’s “Lost Sailor IPA.” Berkshire Brewing is located in South Deerfield, Mass., and according to their website, only distributes to the North East. They are sold individually in one pint, six ounce bottles for about $4.00 each.

Although I find most IPAs enjoyable only in small doses, I thoroughly enjoyed every drop of Berkshire’s “Lost Sailor IPA.” I found it to have an interesting mouth feel that was slightly minty. That is, it didn’t have a mint aftertaste, it just had that lingering and refreshing feel you get after you use mouth wash. Its complex aroma and flavor had my taste buds delightfully baffled.

This beer gets much of its hoppiness from Dry Hopping. Just like Ballantine Ale, this process helps maintain the aroma and flavor of the hops.

If you’re new to intensely hopped beers, I would recommend Berkshire’s “Lost Sailor IPA” or Samuel Adams’ “Latitude 48 IPA.” I’ve found that neither of these have an overwhelmingly bitter aftertaste commonly associated with IPAs. You’ll get more for your money if you buy a six pack of Latitude 48. However, both are brewed in Massachusetts, so either way you’ll be drinking a great New England beer.