An India pale ale built on a lager foundation — the aggressive hopping of an American IPA married to the clean, crisp fermentation of a lager. Typically 5.6–7.9% ABV, straw to gold. Cold lager fermentation strips away the fruity yeast esters of an ale, leaving the hops fully exposed: medium to high hop aroma, bold hop flavor, and firm bitterness over a lean, bready pale-malt backbone. The cleanest possible canvas for showing off hops.
In the glass
Origin
The India pale lager emerged in the early 2010s as American craft brewers began applying IPA-level hopping to clean lager fermentation. Jack’s Abby, a Massachusetts brewery founded in 2011 and devoted entirely to lagers, was among the earliest committed explorers of the form: its Hoponius Union, introduced in 2011, became one of the style’s defining examples and remains a year-round flagship. The brewery built a rotating lineup around the idea, from session strength up to imperial, including Mass Rising and the New Zealand-hopped Kiwi Rising. The appeal is straightforward — lager yeast ferments cold and clean, producing few of the fruity esters that an ale yeast throws, so the hops stand out with unusual clarity. The style is essentially an American IPA stripped of its yeast character.
Notes
Think of it as an IPA with the yeast turned down and the hops turned up. The cold, clean lager fermentation removes the fruity ester layer that an ale yeast contributes, which paradoxically lets the hops read louder and sharper. Jack’s Abby’s Hoponius Union is the benchmark; the brewery’s broader IPL range — Mass Rising, Kiwi Rising — maps out the territory from balanced to imperial. The hop palette is wide open: brewers reach for whatever varieties they like, including the citrus and tropical American hops that drive the IPA category. Some versions incorporate corn or rice adjunct and may show those grains.
Defining examples
Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union·Jack’s Abby Mass Rising·Jack’s Abby Kiwi Rising·Devils Backbone Gold Leaf Lager (adjacent)·Sixpoint The Crisp (adjacent)