Every once in a while I find myself proud of some things. For example, when one of the beers imported by the company I work for wins a tasting panel. A recent panel, organized by Holland’s De Volkskrant and consisting of 23 well-versed IPA drinkers, elected Flying Dog’s Raging Bitch winner. I’m still glowing with pride – partially because this is final proof IPA is no hype, but a trend.

I can still see us at HORECAVA, a yearly trade show in Amsterdam, where Bier&cO introduced American India Pale Ale to the crowd. January 2007 was when we poured Snake Dog by Flying Dog, Titan and Hercules Double IPA which we flew in, keen not to miss the opportunity (just as comparison: exactly four months later the first iPhone was introduced). Most of those present were in shock and awe, unable to blink both eyes simultaneously for a minute. Even Hans Glandorf, the legendary chairman of Alliance of Beer Tapperies – who took a Big Sip – was silent for at least fifteen seconds, usually a clear indicator for him being sound asleep. Then he said ‘whoa, whoa’ and ‘good heavens’ a couple of times. Most attendees said they were ‘impressed – but do you SERIOUSLY expect people to drink this?!’  Well: look again at the 22 August 2015 edition of De Volkskrant.

Two years later, Flying Dog celebrated its twentieth birthday with a beer that had no match: the same beer that won the 2015 IPA Panel of De Volkskrant. “Raging Bitch: terrible name, great beer” were the historic words by Zak Avery (2008 British Beer Writer of the Year) after having tasted it in Leeds, both on draft as in a special cask conditioned version, brought by brew master Matthew Brophy for the occasion. Just watch the classic recording of him, sampling from a pint-carton he brought from North Bar.

Fiona de Lange, the acclaimed Dutch beer connoisseur had started her blog around this moment: she tasted the Bitch at the 2010 edition of HORECAVA and it was this beer that made her change her mind about American Craft beer.

But let’s go back to January 2007 again: maybe fifty Dutchies knew about American India Pale Ale then. In England, production was close to zero. During our presentation no one actually said it, but most must have thought us utterly and completely bonkers for bringing these beers to the European market. As time moved on the style won fans every day, some Dutch breweries started to experiment with it – quite successfully actually. Some thought IPA to be a hype that would blow over. Today we know Twitter is a hype, or Hyves. The iPhone wasn’t a hype and clearly IPA either. Even better: Raging Bitch hasn’t lost a single bit of its attraction and power!

Working in the beer industry – my life with beer – is so damn great! Can you understand I find myself proud of some things every once in a while?