Kmflett's Blog

Jaipur IPA at 20

June 2025 marks the 20^th birthday of Jaipur IPA

It remains a craft flagship beer that has crossed over into the mainstream in can and bottle format, and now cask too. I’ve seen it piled high in Lidl from time to time which is a useful benchmark for that.

I’ve been drinking a 20th anniversary can but a little earlier had a pint on cask in Wetherspoons where it currently seems to be fairly regularly on the bar

I certainly can’t claim to have been aware of it or had a pint of it until 2010/11 probably at the Jolly Butchers in Stoke Newington or the Euston Tap.

Its 5.9% strength seemed strong at the time (it still is) although in a world where 6% plus beers are easy to find it might be argued the world has moved on.

That would be wrong because Thornbridge is still innovating and building the profile of Jaipur

Thornbridge have produced variants a DDH version and a 10% Jaipur X and in 2024 a Jaipur Black and a Jaipur (Burton) Union both cask beers

The original remains a distinctive addition to the list of great British beers. Proof that tradition can develop in a modern day context not just be something for the history books.