The October beer of George Hodgson’s Bow Brewery was the world’s first India Pale Ale (IPA).  East Indiamen transported a number of Hodgson’s beers to India, among them his October beer, which benefited exceptionally from conditions of the voyage and was highly regarded among consumers in India.  Bow Brewery came into decline in the early 19th century.  At the request of The East India Company, Allsop brewery developed strongly hopped pale ale in the style of Hodgson’s for export to India.  Demand for the export style of pale ale, which had become known as “India Pale Ale,” developed in England around 1840 and India Pale Ale became a popular product in England, as still sold as IPA in pubs today.

“Pale Ale is nothing more than Beer made from worts extracted from the palest malt and boiled with the palest and best hops. The East Kent Hops are the best for this class of ale.”

James Herbert – 1866