Comparison
English IPA vs Session IPA
What is the difference between English IPA and Session IPA?
The short answer
The main difference is citrus: Session IPA has far more of it than English IPA. English IPA also leads on yeast fruitiness (esters) and bread & biscuit; Session IPA on tropical fruit.
Generated from the two style records. No editor has written this comparison up, so it carries no verdict beyond what the data supports.
Where they overlap
They share comparable bitterness, body, dryness, the same style family — the boundary between them is narrower than the comparison suggests.
Side by side
| English IPA | Session IPA | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | IPA | IPA |
| Fermentation | Top-fermented (ale) | Top-fermented (ale) |
| Origin | United Kingdom | United States |
| Category status — One of these is a more settled category than the other, which is worth knowing before treating the comparison as exact. | Established | Emerging |
| Strength | 5–7.5% ABV | 3.5–5% ABV |
| Bitterness (IBU) — IBU measures iso-alpha acids in the lab. It does not track perceived bitterness, which residual sweetness, body and roast all alter — compare the sensory rows below for how each actually tastes. | 40–60 IBU | 30–55 IBU |
| Colour | Gold to deep copper — 6–14 SRM, 12–28 EBC | Straw to gold — 4–8 SRM, 8–16 EBC |
| Original gravity | 1.050–1.075 | 1.036–1.048 |
| Final gravity | 1.010–1.018 | 1.006–1.012 |
| Serving temperature | 9–12°C | 6–9°C |
| Carbonation | 1.8–2.4 vol CO₂ | 2–3 vol CO₂ |
| Glassware | Nonic pint, Tulip glass | Nonic pint |
| Clarity | clear | variable |
How they taste different
| Character | English IPA | Session IPA |
|---|---|---|
| Citrus | Not characteristic | Moderate–High |
| Yeast fruitiness (esters) | Low–Moderate | Not characteristic |
| Bread & biscuit | Moderate | Not characteristic |
| Tropical fruit | Not characteristic | Low–Moderate |
| Caramel & toffee | Low | Not characteristic |
| Alcohol warmth | Trace–Low | Not characteristic |
| Floral | Moderate | Not characteristic |
| Herbal | Moderate | Not characteristic |
| Resin & pine | Not characteristic | Low |
| Sweetness | Low | Trace |
Which should you choose?
- You want more citrus → Session IPA
- You want more yeast fruitiness (esters) → English IPA
Derived from where the two actually differ. Neither is better — this is a question of which difference you want.