Aroma
Intense hop aroma, with stone fruit, tropical fruit, citrus, or other fruity qualities; not grassy or herbal. Clean, neutral, grainy,or lightly bready malt in the background; no caramel or toast. Absence of any malt character is a fault. Neutral to fruity fermentation character. Esters from yeast and hops should not clash. A creamy, buttery, or acidic aroma is inappropriate. Light alcohol aroma optional.
Aparência
Color ranging from straw to very light amber, sometimes with an orange hue. Hazy, often opaque, clarity; should not be cloudy or murky. The opacity can add a ‘shine’ to the beer and make the color seem darker. Any visible floating hop matter, yeast clumps, or other particulates is a fault. Medium to rocky, meringue-like white head with high to very high retention.
Sabor
High to very high fruity hop flavor, same descriptors as aroma. Low to medium malt flavor, same descriptors as aroma. Low to medium-high perceived bitterness, often masked by the fuller body and soft, off-dry to medium finish. The hop character in the aftertaste should not be sharp or harsh. Neutral to fruity fermentation profile, supportive of the hops. Should not be sweet, although high ester levels and lower bitterness may sometimes give that impression. Background alcohol flavor optional.
Corpo
Medium to medium-full body. Medium carbonation. Smooth. No harshness. Lightwarmth optional.The beer should not have a creamy or viscous mouthfeel, an acidic twang, or a raw starch texture.
Contexto
The IPA category is for modern American IPAs and their derivatives. This does not imply that English IPAs aren’t proper IPAs or that there isn’t a relationship between them. This is simply a method of grouping similar styles for competition purposes. English IPAs are grouped with other English-derived beers, and the stronger Double IPA is grouped with stronger American beers. The term “IPA” is intentionally not spelled out as “India Pale Ale” since none of these beers historically went to India, and many aren’t pale. However, the term IPA has come to be a balance-defined style in modern craft beer.