As we step into 2024, the IPA continues to reign supreme in the craft beer world, boasting an ever-expanding palette of flavors and styles. This guide cuts through the vast landscape of IPAs, highlighting the most remarkable brews of the year.
From classic hop-forward profiles to innovative, flavor-infused creations, we present a curated journey that promises to intrigue and delight both long-time enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
Table of Contents
Prepare to dive into a world where each of these IPA beers tells a unique story of craftsmanship and taste.
The 18 Best IPA Beers
We’re sure you’re super excited to get drinking already, so we won’t keep you waiting any longer.
Without further ado, here are some of the best IPA beer products that should enhance your overall drinking experience.
1) Pliny the Elder
Features:
- Brewed by: Russian River Brewing Company
- ABV: 8%
- IBU: 100
Russian River Pliny the Elder is a West Coast IPA and our BEST OVERALL pick.
This Double IPA pioneer continues to withstand in the market even with the competition brought about by newer double IPAs.
It is made from 4 kinds of hops, which are:
- Amarillo
- Centennial
- CTZ
- Simcoe
They all contribute to its hoppy bitterness but still showcase flavors of pine, citrus, and florals.
Its dry finish will keep you sipping from your pint.
Also try: Pliny the Younger
2) Two Hearted Ale
Features:
- Brewed by: Bell’s Brewery
- ABV: 7%
- IBU: 60
This brew has been recognized as the best beer by the American Homebrewers Association and Zymurgy Magazine. Coincidentally, it is our BEST VALUE pick.
This American beer is amazingly created by using 100% Centennial hops.
It appears as a hazy orange beer and tastes of bitterness, pine, citrus, and florals. The drink stays crisp and clean with every sip.
The passion and consistency of Bell’s Brewery have allowed it to expand globally while remaining family-owned and independent.
3) Torpedo Extra IPA
Features:
- Brewed by: Sierra Nevada
- ABV: 7.2%
- IBU: 65
A delicious IPA can come at an affordable price too. This is why Sierra Nevada’s Torpedo Extra IPA is our choice for the BEST BUDGET IPA.
The Torpedo Extra is a revolutionary beer of the Sierra Nevada resulting from the equipment called Hop Torpedo. It boosts the aroma and flavor of hops without causing more bitterness.
More hops without added bitterness? Yes, please!
This beer consists of whole-cone hops of Citra, Crystal, and Magnum for its notes of citrus, pine, and herbs.
The less hoppy flavor and aggressiveness is balanced by rich malt backbone from the 2-Row Pale and caramelized caramel malts.
Take note, all this comes at a price that is under $10for a pack of 6 cans.
4) Hazy Little Thing
Features:
- Brewed by: Sierra Nevada
- ABV: 6.7%
- IBU: 35
Another IPA entry from the Sierra Nevada is the Hazy Little Thing. It is remarkably the brewery’s top seller and our pick for the best hazy IPA.
The brew is dry-hopped with Citra, Comet, Simcoe, El Dorado, and Mosaic hops.
It is served straight from the tank without much filtration to give its silky texture and flavorful fruity bright tropical stone fruit notes throughout.
This juicy drink is refreshing and juicy flavor keeps the patrons coming back for more.
5) Heady Topper
Features:
- Brewed by: Alchemist
- ABV: 8%
- IBU: 100
We cannot miss out on the PIONEER New England-style beer that is Heady Topper.
This brew was released in 2003 exclusively to those who visit the brewery in Vermont. Limitedly distributed, it is hard to find but you should not miss out on this unicorn.
As a Double IPA brewed with 6 hops it has an extra hoppy bitter flavor but displays fruity notes.
It appears hazy and has a full-bodied mouthfeel because it is unpasteurized and unfiltered.
6) Blind Pig
Features:
- Brewed by: Russian River Brewing Company
- ABV: 6.25%
- IBU: 60
The Blind Pig is a CLASSIC American IPA.
Created in the mid-1900s, the Blind Pig has become a standard for brewing West Coast IPA.
The beer has a copper color. It is dry with assertive bitterness while reflecting notes of pine, lemon, and grapefruit.
All this is sealed with refreshing carbonation.
7) Liberty IPA
Features:
- Brewed by: Anchor Brewing
- ABV: 6.3%
The Liberty IPA reformed the classic Anchor Liberty Ale. It is one of the earliest West Coast IPAs dating back to 1975.
The traditional pale ale was revolutionized with the introduction of Cascade hops and dry hopping. This is done while still strictly adhering to the principles of ancient brewing.
The resulting beer iscrisp and dry with notes of pine, floral and citrus notes, and biscuit.
8) Stone IPA
Features:
- Brewed by: Stone Brewing
- ABV: 6.9%
- IBU: 71
Stone is an ICONIC West Coast IPA, which dates back to 1997 but continues to be one of the well-respected best IPAs in the country.
Stone Brewing first released this as their anniversary beer and remains using Magnum, Chinook & Centennial hops.
They can consistently recreate its balance of the citrusy citrus flavor flavors, hop aromas, and subtle malt character.
All these are packed into a CLEAR, CLEAN, and MEDIUM-BODIED beer.
9) Hopnosis
Features:
- Brewed by: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- ABV: 6.7%
- IBU: 45
This is an innovative beer that is double dry-hopped (DDH) with Cryo hops.
Cryo hops are made from concentrates from whole-leaf hops to contain all the aroma and bitterness.
Hopnosis is double-dry hopped with Mosaic Cryo hops, Nelson Sauvin, Idaho 7, Riwaka, El Dorado, and Cashmere hops.
The result is a CLOUDY and FLAVORFUL brew of mango, white grape, passionfruit, and lychee notes.
10) Hop Showers
Features:
- Brewed by: Other Half Brewing Co.
- ABV: 7.4%
The original DDH beer from the Other Half Brewing Company is Hop Showers.
This American IPA is double hopped with Amarillo and Citra hops, which is the reason for its name. The amount and combination of hops results in acitrusy,tropical,and juicy brew.
It is a refreshing beer that is easy to drink while it displays a variety of fruity flavors.
11) Green City
Features:
- Brewed by: Other Half Brewing Co.
- ABV: 7%
- IBU: 65
Green City is another DDH entry from the Other Half Brewing Company. It is an American beer that is a New England IPA.
Green City is double hopped with Centennial, Citra, and Simcoe, which allow it to display complex aromas and flavors of pineapple, basil, pine, grapefruit, and mango.
The amount of oats in its malt bill balances the bitterness of the hops to produce a smooth and creamy mouthfeel with fine carbonation.
12) Santilli
Features:
- Brewed by: Night Shift Brewing
- ABV: 6%
- IBU: 70
Night Shift Brewing also incorporates England brewing into the American craft beer scene.
The brew uniquely underwent many brewing tests with different hops while fans gave their feedback on the recipes.
The result became an American IPA is a balance of both the West Coast style IPA and the New England style IPA.
It is a clean and crisp drink with mild bitterness, pine, citrus, and caramel malt flavors.
The drink won the Bronze award in the 2016 World Beer Cup for the American IPA category only a year after its release.
We surely think that this brew holds so much promise.
13) Ripe
Features:
- Brewed by: Great Notion
- ABV: 7%
- IBU: 55
Another award-winning IPA is Great Notion’s Ripe.
Great Notion was the first brewery in Portland to brew hazy IPAs.
This juicy brew is produced from 100% Citra hops that let you experience flavors of orange juice, papaya, and mango.
This cream-bodied drink is also served during NBA Portland Trail Blazers games.
14) Julius
Features:
- Brewed by: Tree House Brewing Company
- ABV: 6.8%
- IBU: 72
We cannot get enough of hazy IPAs. Julius is the flagship IPA of Tree House Brewing Company.
Tree House Brewing Co. prides itself on this New England IPA.
It showcases American hops that result in juicy tropical fruit notes full oforange sherbet,mango,passion, passion fruit,and stone fruit.
Despite being a juicy beer, Julius completes the complexity of its smoothie-like flavors with a distinct bitterness to avoid boring your taste buds and palate out.
15) Tropicalia
Features:
- Brewed by: Creature Comforts Brewing Co.
- ABV: 6.6%
- IBU: 65
Hops do not always mean bitterness and Tropicalia proves that.
This juicy IPA showcases overflowing notes of the tropical fruits and fruit flavors, tropical fruits such asorange,mango,and guava.
Subtle notes ofcaramelandmild bitternessbalance the overall taste of mild malt flavors the brew.
The smoothness and juiciness of this brew make it invigoratingly easy to drink.
16) Voodoo Ranger IPA
Features:
- Brewed by: New Belgium Brewing Co.
- ABV: 7%
- IBU: 50
This brew is from New Belgium Brewing Co.’s Voodoo Ranger lineup of IPAs.
This American IPA is made from Mosaic and Amarillo hops that burst intotropical citrus aromas,pine, and grapefruit notes.
Also Try: Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA
This double IPA has anABV of 9%and70 IBUs.
It is made from Delta, Bravo, Centennial, Cascade, Calypso, and Mosaic hops that result in notes of piney hops, and a citrus flavor.
17) Premiere
Features:
- Brewed by: Interboro Spirits and Ales
- ABV: 6%
- IBU: 30
If you are looking for beers that do not exhibit bitterness, Premiere is for you. It has the LOWEST IBUs among all the IPAs on our list.
This England-style IPA has a slightly hazy golden color that is crowned by a rich frothy head.
It is made fromCitra, Galaxy, and Mosaic hops and a double-hop of Mosaic, which cause the brew to display notes ofmelon and other citrus flavors.
It stays dry and balanced despite the number of aromatic hops added to it.
Since it only provides low bitterness, Premiere is refreshing and easy to indulge with.
18) G-Bot
Features:
- Brewed by: New England Brewing Co.
- ABV: 8.8%
- IBU: 85
We just have to talk about the controversial G-bot, formerly called Gandhi Bot, which displayed Mahatma Gandhi on its can label.
This double IPA caught the world’s attention through its sticker label but was eventually able to sustain people’s regard through its delectable tasting notes.
Its double dose of hops reveals a fruity sweetness with notes oforange peel,citrus, andpine.
With the number of hops it contains, it is not overly bitter making it easy to drink.
Top IPA Beer: ABV vs IBU Scatter Plot Diagram
| Beer Name | ABV | IBU |
|---|---|---|
| Pliny the Elder | 8% | 100 |
| Two Hearted Ale | 7% | 60 |
| Torpedo Extra IPA | 7.2% | 65 |
| Hazy Little Thing | 6.7% | 35 |
| Heady Topper | 8% | 100 |
| Blind Pig | 6.25% | 60 |
| Liberty IPA | 6.3% | N/A |
| Stone IPA | 6.9% | 71 |
| Hopnosis | 6.7% | 45 |
| Hop Showers | 7.4% | N/A |
| Green City | 7% | 65 |
| Santilli | 6% | N/A |
| Ripe | 7% | 55 |
| Julius | 6.8% | 72 |
| Tropicalia | 6.6% | 65 |
| Voodoo Ranger IPA | 7% | 50 |
| Premiere | 6% | 30 |
| G-Bot | 8.8% | 85 |
What Is an IPA Beer?
An India Pale Ale (IPA) beer is a pale ale with more hops. The classic beer style was created when the British colonizers shipped their beer to India in the 18th century.
Casks with more hops produced beer that was MORE BITTER yet with a sensationally juicy scent and fruity flavor profile.
In the 1990s, the American craft beer movement widely popularized the IPA, which eventually overtook the beer fridge of the rest of the world.
Craft breweries continue to experiment with the addition of a variety of hops that give rise to the different beer styles of the India Pale Ale.
IPA Styles
The West Coast-style IPA usually has a clear copper color and a taste of assertive bitterness with citrus notes and herby hops.
Craft beer belonging to this beer style is usually dry. The New England IPA generally appears hazy and yellowish.
It hasrestrained bitterness with notes of tropical fruit flavors. Its cloudy appearance reflects itssoft and creamytexture.
It’s a beer industry modern classic, and India Pale Ales may fall anywhere in the spectrum of colors, bitterness, tastes, and textures!
Because of this, the Beer Judge Certification Program has set categories for all the IPA varieties instead of just the West Coast IPAs and the New England-style IPAs.
Types may now include the following:
- Session IPA
- Hazy IPA
- Black IPA
- Red IPA
- Belgian IPA
- Double or Imperial IPA
- Grapefruit IPA
- Milkshake IPA
What Makes IPA Beers Stand Out?
The wide spectrum of possible IPA varieties may make it difficult to choose the best of the best but the following factors make good criteria for choosing a favorite.
Flavor
It is a given that lots of hops are crucial in brewing IPA.
The flavors from the other ingredients like the malt and yeast must go well togetherwith the bitterness from hops.
Fruity yeast strains can make IPAs fruity too. Neutral ones can emphasize the more malty sweetness or hoppy character and malt backbone of the beer.
Aroma
Different hops have different respective features that affect flavor and aroma.
With around 150 unique hops that can be added to beer, your favorite IPA should be able tohighlight the particularity of the hops used.
Mouthfeel
A good IPA should have BALANCE when it comes to its mouthfeel, which is your overall drinking experience.
It should be full-bodied from the mouth, across the tongue, and down the throat but it should not be disgustingly too much.
A hint of malt sweetness would be nice while still experiencing the hop bitterness of the brew.
Drinking is made more enjoyable if the beer has a dry finish.
Authenticity
This reflects the creativity of the brewer who can modify certain variables of a brew, such as water profile, type of yeast, unique ingredient, or process.
Achieving originality can be challenging at the same time because other brewers also have the same access to whatever ingredients a brewer is using.
Freshness
It is best to consume IPAs fresh within 2 to 3 months after their bottling before they go through oxidation.
The amount of hops in an IPA makes it prone to oxidation, which can make the beer taste stale and the full of hop aroma, flavor and character spoiled.
Appearance
The beer color should be appealing and bright, regardless if it is clear or cloudy.
Slightly brown beer may be going through oxidation already. This change in hop character is similar to the browning of apples when going through oxidation.
What type of glass is an IPA best served from?
A craft beer IPA glass, of course.
Spiegelau Craft Beer IPA Glass Set of 4 at 19.1 oz
$44.99$40.43 ($10.11 / Count)
03/17/2023 03:27 am GMT
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Common questions on IPAs are as follows.
How Much Alcohol Content Do IPAs Have?
Usually between 5% to 7%.
Other IPAs have alcohol content that is not within this range.
Session IPA has an alcohol content that is below the usual range, while imperial or double IPA has an alcohol content that is above this range.
Are IPA Beers Pricey?
Yes, because of the hops.
Hops are expensive. IPAs are supposed to have more hops and the demand for hops has been increasing with the growing popularity of craft beer.
What Is the Difference Between IPA Beer and Regular Beer?
They have higher hop bitterness and are brewed in warmer temperatures.
The international bittering units (IBU) of IPAs is at 40 to 70 while that of regular beers is at 20 to 40.
They are brewed in warmer temperatures, which takes longer than low-temperature brewing.
Why Do IPAs Have a Strong Taste?
They are created with more hops in warmer temperatures.
More hops in the brewing process of IPAs cause its distinctive bitterness. Brewing in warmer temperatures takes longer and contributes to the stronger taste of IPAs.
Why Do You Have to Drink IPAs fresh?
Exposure to oxygen causes IPAs to undergo oxidation.
Oxygen causes the hop oils to go bad. This results in a decline in flavors and for the IPAs to go stale. Canning and bottling beer are not enough to prevent exposure to oxygen.
IPAs are best consumed around 2 months after their canning or bottling. They are best refrigerated.
Summary of Top Picks
Here is a quick rundown of our top picks for the best IPAs.
Best Budget: Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
At a reasonable price point, Sierra Nevada manages to produce a delectable IPA.
The Torpedo Extra IPA is infused with many hops whose characteristics shine as it is brewed using the Hop Torpedo.
The notes of its hops, such as citrus fruits, pine, and herbs are brought forward while keeping the brew’s bitterness low at 65 IBUs.
As a bonus, it has a relatively higher ABV of 7.2%, which will give you a taste of what you signed up for with this brew.
Best Value: Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
This award-winning brew is made from 100% Centennial hops. The family-owned brewery is a major player in demand for the crop.
Crisp and floral, this India Pale Ale is produced with high quality and precision.
Because of its wide distribution that has reached the global market, the price for this remarkable brew has stayed at a minimum.
This best value brew will prove to you how high grade does not have to mean expensive.
Best Overall: Russian River Pliny The Elder
Thismarket pioneer continues to establish a strong footing even with new players appearing here and there.
Even as a bitter DIPA with 100 IBUs, Pliny the Elder can emphasize its delectable pine, citrus, and floral notes.
The complexity of its refreshing taste, is harmoniously sealed with a dry finish that balances out its bitter first impression.
The elaborate display of tastes and characteristics makes it a brew that is loved and sought after by many.
Conclusion
Now that you know about the best IPAs that the world of craft beers offers, get your mugs, or maybe your pitcher, ready. Search for the brew that is best for you!
We are prettyoptimistic that you will enjoy the experience of drinking IPAs with all your senses.
From your first impression of its color to its fragrant bright floral aromas throughout, and down to its flavorful notes, you will surely be transported to the other world of beers you did not know existed.
What are you waiting for? Stop thinking and start drinking!
Karl S
Lead marketer, brewer, dad, and husband. Pretty much an all-round awesome guy. Self proclaimed coffee addict who’s been home brewing beer (among other things) for 25+ yrs. Also an aspiring pro-brewer and micro-brewery owner!
