📚Reference
Timeline of IPA History
A chronological reference for the major milestones in the development of the IPA, from its 18th-century pale ale roots to the modern era of hazy, cold, and experimental variants. For the narrative behind these dates, follow the linked history notes.
18–19th century · Origins
Early 1700s
Pale ale emerges as coke-fired malting yields paler grain
Read the note ›
1750s–80s
Hodgson's Bow Brewery supplies the East India Company
Read the note ›
Early 1800s
The 'India Pale Ale' descriptor enters use
Read the note ›
1820s
Bass & Allsopp adopt the export trade — Burton character defined
Read the note ›
Mid-1800s
IPA peaks across the British Empire and reaches America
Read the note ›
Late 1800s
Tastes shift; British IPA declines into a shadow of itself
Read the note ›
20th century · Revival
1971
CAMRA forms in Britain, reviving traditional cask ale
Read the note ›
1975
Anchor's Liberty Ale — widely held as the first modern American IPA
Read the note ›
1980s
U.S. craft beer takes off; microbreweries embrace American hops
Read the note ›
Late 80s–90s
The bold, bitter West Coast IPA takes shape
Read the note ›
1994
Russian River's Pliny the Elder — the archetypal Double IPA
Read the note ›
21st century · Diversification
2004
Heady Topper popularises the unfiltered hazy idea in Vermont
Read the note ›
Early 2010s
The hazy/NEIPA emerges as a defined style — soft, juicy
Read the note ›
Mid–late 2010s
Substyle explosion — Brut, Milkshake, Cold, Brett, Sour
Read the note ›
~2018
Cold IPA — lager yeast and a crisp hop showcase
Read the note ›
2020s
Thiol-driven biotransformation reshapes hop expression
Read the note ›
Now
IPA remains craft's flagship — still evolving
Read the note ›
Note
Many "facts" about early IPA history are contested or mythologized. See The October Beer Myth for what is legend and what is documented.
#18th–19th Century: Origins
| Period | Milestone | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Early 1700s | Lighter, well-hopped "pale ales" emerge in Britain as coke-fired malting allows paler malt. | Origins of Pale Ale |
| 1750s–1780s | London brewer George Hodgson at the Bow Brewery supplies hoppy, well-aged pale ale to East India Company traders. | Hodgson and the East India Trade |
| Early 1800s | Pale ale destined for India is exported in volume; the "India Pale Ale" descriptor enters use. | IPA in the British Empire |
| 1820s | Burton-on-Trent brewers — Bass, Allsopp — adopt the export trade; their sulfate-rich water defines the crisp, bitter Burton character. | Burton-on-Trent and Burton Pale Ale |
| Mid-1800s | IPA peaks as a celebrated British style and spreads across the Empire and into America. | IPA in Early America |
| Late 1800s–1900s | Tastes shift to milder, weaker beers; British IPA declines into a faint shadow of itself. | Decline of IPA in Britain |
#20th Century: Revival
| Year | Milestone | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) forms in Britain, reviving interest in traditional cask ale. | Decline of IPA in Britain |
| 1975 | Anchor Brewing releases Liberty Ale — dry-hopped with Cascade — widely considered the first modern American IPA. | Anchor Liberty Ale and the First Modern IPA |
| 1980s | The U.S. craft beer movement gathers pace; new microbreweries experiment with American hops. | The American Craft Beer Revolution |
| Late 1980s–1990s | The bold, bitter West Coast IPA takes shape in California and the Pacific Northwest. | Rise of the West Coast IPA |
| Early 1990s | Brewers push strength and hopping rates upward, giving rise to the Double IPA. | Origins of the Double IPA |
| 1994 | Russian River's Pliny the Elder debuts (under Blind Pig / later Russian River), becoming the archetypal Double IPA. | Origins of the Double IPA |
#21st Century: Diversification
| Year | Milestone | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | The Alchemist's Heady Topper popularizes an unfiltered, intensely aromatic IPA in Vermont — a precursor to the hazy style. | The New England IPA Emergence |
| Early 2010s | The New England / hazy IPA emerges as a defined style — soft, juicy, low-bitterness. | The New England IPA Emergence |
| 2010s | IPA spreads worldwide as the flagship craft style across Europe, Asia, and Oceania. | Globalization of IPA |
| Mid–late 2010s | A wave of substyles appears: Brut IPA, Milkshake IPA, and others. | Modern IPA Diversification |
| ~2018 | The Brut IPA trend emerges briefly from San Francisco. | Brut IPA |
| ~2018–2019 | The Cold IPA concept is introduced, using lager yeast for a crisp hop showcase. | Cold IPA |
| 2020s | Thiol-driven hop biotransformation and "next-generation" aroma hops reshape recipes. | Thiols and Hop Burst |
| Today | IPA remains the best-selling craft style, still evolving toward new frontiers. | The Future of IPA |
#Continue Reading
- History of IPAs — the full narrative history
- Iconic IPAs That Defined the Style — the beers behind the milestones
- Key Figures in IPA History — the people who shaped the style
- Modern IPA Diversification — the contemporary substyle explosion
- The Future of IPA — what comes next