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Just wondering. My friends who are into brewing say they do, but I think they may be too easily discounting the importance of the aging and rocking in a ship's cargo hold. I mean there is a kind of wine that was created because it travelled to mainland Europe from islands in the Atlantic. The original IPAs were special because they endured the trip from England to India before being drunk. How can removing that months long unusual form of aging not change the taste somewhat?
Guess the easiest way to find out would be to go out and buy some English IPA's and throw them in the trunk of your car for a few months.
I have had a couple of English IPA's (though I can't remember which ones) but still prefer the flavor of American IPA's. The American IPA's have a lot more hop flavor. The other thing about IPA's is that they are meant to be drunk a little warm. So whenever I go out to a bar I have to explain to the bartender or waitress that they need to pour my IPA into a warm glass, not the chilled beer glasses. So then I need to explain that the reason you chill beer glasses is so you don't actually have to taste crappy beer like Coors Light or Bud Light.
The original IPAs would have used english hops, which taste different than american hops, but if your friends use english hops they will come closer. You could try Worthington's White Shield, which is the longest continuously brewed ipa (somewhere in the 1800s). It's brewed in burton on trent (famous for water). White Sheild is aged for a month before distribution, too. I'm guessing this aging wouldn't be the same as sitting on a ship with changing temps, but I would think it now would taste better than that.
The American IPAs are probably more hoppy, & are usually higher in alcohol. In some old world countries, the tax is based on the amount of alcohol, so most are relatively low. IPAs in America are 5.5%-7.5% and IBUs (international bittering units) are usually 40-75 IBUs. America also has double IPAs that are 7.5%-12% alcohol & 70-120 IBUs. I remember the 1st time I drank a 100 IBU IPA, it felt like it was making holes in my skin (inside my mouth).
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