The Colby Echo

Issue date: 9/16/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: imdb.com

Our journey begins in the 18th century, in British-ruled India. The Empire's regime began to loosen as morale amongst British troops plummeted, due to the fact that all the beer being sent to the troops was unable to survive the long, hot and humid journey through the sub-continent. Brewers soon developed a unique style of Pale Ale with high levels of hops and alcohol so as to better preserve the beer, thus beginning one of the longest and greatest traditions in brewing history: The India Pale Ale (IPA). The IPA's journey has since continued on into Maine, which boasts some of the best IPA brewers in the world.

Two IPA brewers were chosen to face the critique of Colby's finest experts in beer and brewing: The Frye's Leap IPA by Sebago and the Tremont IPA by Shipyard. Sam Brakley '10 and Peter Johansson '10 sat down this week to put these two IPAs to the test and to see which one had best continued the legacy and tradition begun so many years ago in India. Both IPAs proved themselves to be powerful, offering a forceful bitter presence upon initial tasting.

Make no mistake, the IPAs are not for the faint hearted. One innocent female bystander upon tasting the beer, exclaimed, "Whoa whoa whoa! A man beer!" An appreciation for the IPA often requires a certain rugged character; both beers were described by Sam as, "definitely not a beer Tom Cruise's character from Top Gun would order." Both beers were indeed bitter, far from anything smooth, sleek or fast like Maverick. The Tremont was found to have the lesser initial bite, and brought with it a sweet burnt caramel taste, which was also described as if "cotton candy had been lit on fire then put inside the beer." But what it lacked in initial bite it made up for with a strong lasting bitter after taste that seemed to linger in the mouth for a little too long. The Sebago IPA had the stronger initial bitter taste, but it blended well with a cool crispness and subtle underlying sweetness, not quite the strength of burnt caramel or flaming cotton candy, but more of a lightly roasted honey or smoldering vanilla flavor.

Overall both beers were surmised as "bitter, and a little bitterer." For those with a keener interest, the bitterness and flavor of the IPA comes from the high use of hops as well as the specific malt and yeasts used. Through advanced tasting techniques it was determined that the Tremont IPA uses a Ringwood yeast for fermentation, and most likely loads up on English Fuggles, Cascade and Styrian Goldings for hops, as well as Pale, Crystal and Torrified Wheat malts, and probably burnt cotton candy.

Unfortunately our taste buds could not work out the exact ingredients for the Sebago IPA (nor Google), and so it remains a mystery; but, it definitely uses something very bitter, and probably some roasted honey. The Sebago won the competition with its brisk, bitter, but refreshing taste. Yet in the end both IPAs proved to hold up the heavy mantle of the IPA tradition. Hopefully, IPAs in the future will be used for purposes other than to prolong the exploitative colonial rule over other countries. Cheers!

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