Gift from the Heavens: Angel City IPA

IPA--India Pale Ale--the wide, imprecise style of beer from the 18th century. There are two main subclasses (American and English) and some debate on which of the two are more authentic. British brewers created the style for rough and tough adventurers, setting out to sea in search of India and its treasures (mmm...and what treasures those spices are). Normal beer would spoil over the long journey, so brewers came up with the idea of concentrating the beer and adding more hops. The higher alcohol content would keep all the germs out (unfortunately bugs can't handle their booze) and the extra hops (one of the reasons for adding hops) help preserve the beer. There is more to this story but...ehh, if you want more, go read your history book (I have PLENTY of book suggestions). So the resulting concentrated beer has a rich, fruitful hoppiness and is dripping in caramel malts: overall drinkable, but decadently strong. This description is more of American IPAs (AIPA) than English IPAs (EIPA); The latter are vaguely different, slightly hoppier offerings than ordinary bitters (Even that is probably giving more distinction between ordinary bitters and EIPAs). Until fairly recently AIPAs were considered more authentic (minus the American ingredients) and EIPAs were considered a style that had lost its identity and fallen out of popularity (CAMRA--just google it if you don't know who they are-- and American efforts have rekindled some interest in the UK) A recent Beer Advocate article argued for EIPA's accuracy because the concentrated beer was then watered down when sailors arrived to their destination. What is my opinion? (Who cares?) If you consider, that the sailors were dipping into the beer along the voyage (what the hell else is there to drink?), than I argue it's probably a mix of both. So...why not make an IPA that has a mix of both.

Angel City Brewing is a Torrance-based brewery. I had briefly heard of it, but not enough to look too much into it. The Angel City IPA poured a pale orange gold with a petite white head. The thin aromas of oak and spiced fruit (Pears, maybe a hint of apples and oranges) took a little while to wake up and crawl out of the glass. The beer had a soft, chalky body that was barely carbonated with large full bubbles. The mouthfeel miraculously melds in the mind with the tastes; giving in overall impression of smooth, silky wood and spicy floral hops with marshmallows and caramel-biscuit malts softening the bitterness. I have not tasted an IPA this balanced in a long time. I admit it could be a little stronger, however the gentleness of this beer contributes to its drinkability (I understand not everybody likes 80 IBUs in their brews). This beer features all the strengths of English ingredients at the strength of an AIPA. And in my opinion...a beautiful mix of both.