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Home/Blogs/IPA vs Pale Ale: Which Should You Choose?
IPA vs pale ale? They both sit in the same wider category of the beer family, but can taste surprisingly different.
An IPA will generally increase the use of hops, bringing bigger aromas, a strong bitter finish and far more pronounced flavours. Whereas a pale ale generally brings hops and malt together for a balanced, palatable, easy-drinking beverage.
This guide will compare the flavour, levels of hops, bitterness, strength and what complements both pale ales and IPA’s. This will make your choice between our Pale Brummie and Gold Brummie options that much easier.
The main difference between an IPA and a pale ale is intensity. Both styles can put hops firmly in the spotlight, but pale ales normally aim for more balance between malt, bitterness and hop flavour. IPAs tend to push that hoppy character even further.
That can mean a stronger aroma, more noticeable bitterness and punchier flavours in an IPA. Depending on the hops used, those flavours could range from citrus and tropical fruit to pine, resin, flowers or even herbs.
| A general guide | Pale Ale | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour Profiles | Balanced between hops and malt, often with citrus, fruity or floral notes | Hop-led with flavours of citrus, tropical fruit, pine or resin |
| Hop intensity | Moderate | More pronounced |
| Bitterness | Moderate and balanced | Stronger and more noticeable |
| Typical ABV | Often between 4 and 6% | Anywhere from 5 to 7.5% depending |
| Drinking experience | Balanced and refreshing | Bold, aromatic and hoppy |
Pale ales are a broad family of beers that are traditionally made with lighter malts than a more traditional dark ale style. Today, pale ale beers come in many forms with the balance between hops and malt remaining prevalent.
Malt provides the full-bodied texture and flavour, while hops add the bitterness, aroma and citrus/fruity notes.
The Pale Brummie created by our brewers pairs Citra and Amarillo hops for a refreshing citrus character with an ABV of 4.0% for an approachable, session drink suitable for a wide range of drinkers.
An IPA, on the other hand, stands for India Pale Ale and sits within the wider pale ale family, with hops taking a much more prominent role. IPAs can deliver bold citrus, tropical fruit, pine, resin or floral flavours, often with greater bitterness. Our 5.5% Gold Brummie combines British bittering hops with American aroma hops for pine, grapefruit and a lingering bitter finish.
Hops add aroma, flavour and bitterness to beer, but these qualities don’t always increase together. Hop variety, quantity, and when they’re added during brewing all influence the final character.
Pale ales usually balance hop and malt flavours, with moderate bitterness and notes of citrus or fruit. IPAs typically put hops front and centre, offering stronger aromas, bolder flavours and more noticeable bitterness.
So, when comparing IPA vs pale ale, it’s less about hop quantity and more about the overall drinking experience.
IPA vs pale ale? There is no real winner here; the decision is down to you and your taste buds.
A pale ale can be up your street if you like:
Start with Pale Brummie. Its citrus character keeps things interesting, while the balanced 4.0% pale ale underneath makes it a straightforward pint to settle into.
Or, if you are more interested in the following, an IPA would be for you:
For that, try Gold Brummie. The combination of grapefruit, resinous pine and lingering bitterness gives it a much bolder profile.
Good beer doesn’t always need to be enjoyed on its own; both pale ales and IPA’s can work brilliantly with certain foods.
The balanced character of pale ale makes it an easy match for plenty of everyday food.
Try it with:
The hops can freshen up richer food without overpowering it, while the malt character gives the beer enough body to sit comfortably alongside grilled and savoury flavours
A bolder IPA can stand up to dishes with a bit more going on.
Good pairings include:
Hop bitterness can cut through richness, while citrus, pine or fruity notes can work particularly well with heat and spice.
By far the easiest way to compare IPA vs pale ales is to give both a try.
We recommend starting off with the balanced citrus character of a Pale Brummie, before moving on to a bolder, hoppier, more full-bodied choice of a Gold Brummie to see which level of the spectrum of pale ales suits your palate most.
Both are brewed in our independent brewery in Stirchley as part of our vegan and gluten-free range. Shop our beer range online, with free delivery on orders over £40.
Yes, an IPA sits within the wider pale ale family itself. It has, however, developed its own distinct style that puts more emphasis on hops, bitterness and aroma compared to other choices.
An American pale ale tends to feature brighter citrus, pine or tropical character, unlike an English version that leans more towards the malt side of things with earthy or floral hop character.
A Session IPA keeps the hop-forward aroma and flavour associated with IPA while reducing the alcohol strength. The aim is a lighter, easier-drinking beer that still delivers a noticeable hop character.
They can be served at similar temperatures, but not ice-cold. Around 7–10°C works well for IPA, while pale ales can sit slightly warmer, around 7–13°C. Too cold and hop aroma can become muted.
Pale ale and IPA are only the start of it.
Our range also includes lager, stout, bitter, hazy pale ales and alcohol-free beers, all brewed with the same proudly Brummie approach.
Shop our full beer range today and unlock countless avenues of flavour potential.
