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James Squire IPA or India Pale Ale is a tribute to the colonial heritage of the British Empire. Traditionally IPAs were brewed with extra hops and greater alcohol content for export to the colonies in India and this beer is true to the old brewers of Burton-on-Trent. The Malt Shovel Brewery (MSB) IPA has a deep reddish golden colour with a sweet hoppy head. Made with Munich and pale malt it is not surprising that there is a strong malty flavour to this pale ale. The Malt Shovel Brewery also uses generous quantities of English Fuggles hops, which they still use today in County Durham to produce an IPA called Fuggles Imperial. In brief this beer is strong in flavour, strong in hops and strong in alcohol content. A great mixture of strong aniseed bitterness, from the hops, together with sweet flavours from the two malts. In the Malt Shovel range this beer sits well placed between the popular Amber Ale and the brewer's favourite Pilsener. Chuck, Doug and the boys at MSB have done it again! 5.6 % alc/vol Food For Thought: Ok we know what you think we are going to say, "drink this beer with Indian cuisine". Well you're right. The hoppy bitterness would go well with a strong curry or a spicy Asian dish. Be warned however, at 5.6% alcohol this beer should not be used to wash down the saava* flavours of curries. This beer is also well suited to strong flavoured meats such as venison and kangaroo. |
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A Brief History of IPA:
IPA, which stands for India Pale Ale often confuses some drinkers (then again some people think that MSB stands for Murbah Swamp Beer). This style of beer was originally brewed in Britain in the late 1700s to withstand the rigours of export to the colonies of India. Often the ale transported to the Asian colony ended up tasting the same as the sea water that it travelled upon. Using excess hops and greater alcohol content improved the longevity of the brew for export. According to legend, a couple of hundred barrels of Bass's East India Pale Ale was wrecked off Liverpool in 1827. Some of the beer was rescued and won immediate acclaim with locals. This story is reminiscent of the famous Easter weekend in Murwillumbah, NSW where locals saw a truck laden with Malt Shovel Brewery beer roll over into the river. The locals saw the MSB on the cap and dubbed the very popular beer "Murbah Swamp Beer" ("some sort of Irish beer" according to one ignorant, but happy, local lad). India Pale Ales are still made today in England and North America as well as at the Malt Shovel Brewery.
*Saa.va
n.
1. The spicy flavour attributed to chillies in Asian foods.
2. Spicy hot.
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