Join me as I explore the origins of IPAs (India Pale Ales) with some of the most knowledgeable IPA authors and brewers in the brewing world. Author and beer historian Ron Pattinson will give us the history of English IPAs. Vinnie Cilurzo, Brewer and Owner of Russian River Brewing Company, will expand on this story and give us the origins of Pilny and Pliny the Younger.  Mike Karnowski will elaborate on how IPA’s history can influence the style’s future.  We will wrap up our time together with Mitch Steele as he promises to bring it all together and discuss the future trends of IPAs.

Origins and inspirations of the American and Double IPA

Commercial Calibration (available for purchase from Zebulon Brewing).

Question and Answer: Ron and Mitch will answer your questions in the second half of each discussion

Henry "Thank you for the great presentation!! Excellent content!!!"

Lou: "great presentation Doug. Both educational and entertaining. I've learned a lot on a style I love!"

Erin: "I can't thank you enough, - cheers to you!"

Mitch is the Brewmaster, COO and Co-Founder of New Realm Brewing Co. in Atlanta, GA.  He has been brewing beer professionally for 33 years, studying brewing science at the University of California Davis and home brewing prior to becoming a professional brewer in 1988. Since 1988 Mitch has managed brewing operations and innovation with three different breweries, including 14 years with Anheuser-Busch followed up by 10 years at Stone Brewing in San Diego county, where he managed all brewing operations as Stone Brewing grew from a 50,000 bbl operation to one of the top 10 largest craft brewers in the country, operating 4 separate breweries in 2 countries. In 2012, Mitch authored the Brewers Publications book IPA: Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale and in 2014, the Brewers Association awarded Mitch with the prestigious Russell Scherer Award for innovation in craft brewing.

Ron is a brewing historian who writes online at Shut Up About Barclay Perkins. Ron lives in Amsterdam but is obsessed with the British brewery Barclay Perkins (therefore the title of his blog). He has spent the last 15 years researching and obsessing over many beer-related topics. His European Beer Guide has pointed countless beer lovers in the direction of good beer across Europe, while on his Shut up About Barclay Perkins blog, he writes about beer history, mostly the history of British beer styles, but with excursions into German, Austrian, Dutch and Scandinavian beer history. 

He is the author of many books about beer history, most significant for their single-word titles, such as “Porter!”, “Mild!” and “Bitter!”. Each month he writes a column for BeerAdvocate magazine about beer history. He recently published a book on brewing historic beers called “The Home Brewer’s Guide to Vintage Beer”. He is married and the father of two teenage sons.

Russian River Brewing Company was founded by Korbel Champagne Cellars in Guerneville, CA, in 1997. Vinnie was hired as the brewery’s brewmaster and initially sole employee. For the next 6 years, Vinnie continued to set the bar high for super hoppy and Belgian-inspired beers. Pliny the Elder, first brewed at the Korbel location in 1999, was one of the first commercially brewed Double or Imperial IPA’s in America and won numerous awards over the years. It is still our most popular beer more than 20 years later. in 2003, Korbel decided to get out of the beer business and transferred the rights to the Russian River Brewing Company name, all beer names, and the recipes to Vinnie and his wife, Natalie. They wrote a business plan, found 2 managing partners, and convinced 30 friends and family to invest in their new brewpub venture. In April 2004, they opened the doors to the next chapter of Russian River Brewing under their ownership.

Our beers have won dozens of awards from the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup. Vinnie and the brewery were twice named “Brewery and Brewmaster of the Year” at both the GABF and World Beer Cup. In 2007, Vinnie was awarded the “Russell Scherrer Award for Innovation in Brewing”. Vinnie and Natalie received the “Brewers Association Recognition Award” in 2017. But the most important award of all are the many beer enthusiasts who visit from around the world year after year!

Over the years, Vinnie and Natalie were able to buy out all of their partners and investors. The decision was made in 2014 to build their dream brewery right here in Sonoma County. The search for property took nearly 2 years which allowed them time to assemble their “dream team” of architects, consultants, designers, and contractors. And they received a lot of helpful advice from their friends in the beer industry! They found and15 undeveloped acres in Windsor, CA, and were quickly immersed in the project of a lifetime.

On October 11, 2018, they opened the doors to their new brewpub! The entire brewery is 85,000 square feet and encompasses beer production for both clean beers and sour barrel-aged beers, administrative offices, a brewpub, outdoor beer garden, gift shop, tasting room/growler fills, guided and self-guided tours, and 2 acres of free parking. This increased capacity has allowed them to distribute more draft and bottled beer to markets in which they currently sell as well as open up some new territories within the state of California. The original Downtown Santa Rosa location continues to thrive offering small-batch brews and tasty pizza. Vinnie, Natalie, and all their dedicated employees are excited to share a beer or two at both breweries with you!

Mike Karnowski is the owner and brewer of Zebulon Artisan Ales in Weaverville, NC. He has brewed at home and professionally for more than 30 years, judged homebrew competitions as a certified beer judge, and owned a homebrew supply store in New Orleans. He lives in Asheville, NC.

History of IPA -1700s to 2021