I am not sure what you mean by "solid American IPA" - there are so many different examples of American IPA that bear very little similarity to each other that I am not sure this description is enough. It is a little like the description "English bitter". This coupled with the reality that many American IPAs are being brewed by craft brewers who have torn up any style rules that may have existed. The range of malts available in the UK made from UK barley is surely big enough to produce most beer styles without resorting to imported malts. However, some brewers will insist on a particular subtle