There Are Way Too Many IPAs. Here Are the 12 Best.
- 1/13
There Are Way Too Many IPAs. Here Are the 12 Best.
There's one thing that "best IPA" lists too often do not consider: actually being able to find and enjoy the beers.
Look, not everyone has the ways or means to travel to a remote corner of Vermont to visit the hallowed grounds of The Alchemist or Hill Farmstead. Not everyone has the time or energy to wait in a serpentine beer-release line at Tired Hands or Bissell Brothers. Not every beer drinker has to be a beer fanatic.
And it is in this more measured approach to beer drinking that we created our list of the 12 best IPA beers.
It's not that we don't enjoy esoteric beers from small-town nano-breweries—it's just that it's hard to recommend them to a fellow beer drinker who is just looking to branch out a little. Nothing is more frustrating, we know, then hearing about a great beer and then realizing that the only way you could ever drink it is by having to travel and/or wait for a taste.
So, on this list you will not find Pliny the Elder, or any of its gotta-hunt-for-it ilk. You will also not find any session IPAs, fruited IPAs, or otherwise non-traditional IPAs, except for hazy IPAs, which have come to redefine the style.
What you will find is a list of dependably delicious IPAs that deliver on hops and are to be trusted in flavor no matter what the year (as long as you drink them fresh, of course).
- 2/13
1) Two Hearted Ale IPA
Bell's
drizly.com
Named after the Two Hearted River in Michigan, the state where Bell's is based, this strong and sturdy IPA is a classic. Centennial hops deliver equal doses of citrusy tang and piney punch, while an undercurrent of malt lends balance.
- 3/13
2) IPA
Stone
drizly.com
$19.79
Hoppy beers are like ska bands: The worse the pun in their name, the harder they are to enjoy. Which is why a beer named "IPA" is perfect for this Stone offering. It's straightforward. But for a beer that's been around since 1997, that doesn't mean boring. You'll taste some tropical fruits, some peppery notes, and even some grapefruit in here, if you're paying close attentino.
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- 4/13
3) Maine Beer Company Lunch
MAIN
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At 7% ABV, it's up to you whether or not you want to actually have one for lunch. Regardless, it's gentle sweetness and palate-popping hops make it an excellent food beer, especially with seafood, grilled vegetables, or anything spicy.
- 5/13
4) 60 Minute IPA
Dogfish Head
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The inclusion of Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA does not exclude their 90 or 120 varieties. It's just that this beer—bold, important, and impressive—is a lesson in brewing. Continuously hopping the beer for 60 minutes produces an explosion of flavors and a surprising crispness. Try it in a flight with the 90 and 120 for a full education.
- 6/13
5) Bengali
Sixpoint
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These Brooklyn brewers have been cranking out powerful IPAs since 2004. Bengali, which started as a homebrew, has a vibrant orange color (hence the name) and a bite of hops that chomps down and won't let go. This is going to sound strange, but it pairs exceptionally well with cheddar popcorn.
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- 7/13
6) Truth IPA
Rhinegeist
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This Cincinnati brewery's offering is refreshingly honest. It's an East Coast-style IPA, so expect a ton of pineapple, mango, and apple-esque flavors, along with a tongue-tingling effervescence.
- 8/13
7) Citra Ass Down
Against The Grain
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Kentucky can do more than bourbon. This IPA is proof. It's a double, so the ABV sits at 8%, but you have to love the no-bullshit approach. It's just powerfully hoppy, with heft, and unapologetic about it all.
- 9/13
8) Bodem IPA
Half Acre
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Grassy, yet sweet. Spicy, yet smooth. Wild, yet balanced. This Illinois-based brewer offers an excellent representation of all the things a great IPA can be—in one beer.
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- 10/13
9) Wicked Weed Brewing Pernicious IPA
This was the now-legendary Asheville, NC, brewery's first IPA. It's a titan of the category—bright, not bitter—and exceptionally easy-drinking, even at 7.3% ABV.
- 11/13
10) Modern Times Orderville IPA
drizly.com
There's haze in here, but make no mistake, this is a West Coast style IPA at heart. Mosaic and Denali hops combine to form a beer that's shot through with orange and grapefruit flavors, yet surprisingly floral on the nose.
- 12/13
11) LazerSnake
3 Floyds
drizly.com
$14.99
The name is not hyperbole. There's so much craziness going on here, but it all works. Citrus! Heat! Dankness! Pine! Get! At! It!
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- 13/13
12) IPA
Southern Tier
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We'll end this list like we started it: with a tried-and-true go-to that's balanced in hops and malts, but still totally unlike any IPA on this list. And that's the beauty of the style, isn't it?
Bonus: You can actually find them.
