In the last decade the craft beer industry has boomed. Today, this industry makes up about 22 percent of all beer sales. The most popular of the craft beers, the Indian Pale Ale, have evolved from their traditional aggressive bitter flavours. In an interview with legendary brewer, Josh Bernstein, the writer of the Complete IPA: The Guide to your favourite Craft Beer, he discusses the surge in the craft beer industry and the evolution of the IPA. Bernstein explained, brewers have begun to utilise new hop varieties like Mosiac and Citra hops that emphasize tropical, fruity, and citrusy flavours.

Experimentation with new hop strains, brewers have spun IPAs in many different directions transforming the beer. With all these emerging new beers, it leaves one to wonder, where the industry is heading. Quick changes in trends, and the rise of the international economy, beer styles are adapting. New pale ales are adapting to geographical areas and using new creative, crazy, flavorful breeds of hops.

With brewer intellect, we may only be in the infancy of what is possible. The IPA has been the dominant player in the craft industry for quite some time and that shows little evidence of changing. The biggest challenge for a brewer is staying current in an innovative market, one that has over 5000 craft breweries in the United States alone.

Our annual BeerFest in Edmonton offers some of the best selections from the micro brewing community. Those interested in attending the event in 2018 can keep up to date by liking our Facebook page.

Photo by CKGolf