Chowhound spoke with former brewmaster Rich Higgins, who said that before buying an IPA at a grocer, you should ensure the store keeps their beer fridge in the dark.

"When light shines on beer,

it irradiates hop bittering compounds and breaks off an aromatic molecule that's also in skunk spray," Higgins warns.

This makes light a dangerous element for IPAs especially, as the more bitter the beer, the higher the hop content, and the more sensitive to light exposure.

When buying a new package of IPAs, the temperature of the storage area also matters. Warmer temperatures speed up oxidation, so buy beer that's been kept in a beer fridge.

For a quality IPA experience, follow these rules, because once your beer is lightstruck, you can't go back. "Those skunky, aromatic thiols are

in there for good," Higgins says.