Regardless of how you feel about the IPA, there’s no arguing with its undying popularity. From West Coast IPAs to milkshake IPAs to New England-style IPAs and everything in between, you’d have a tough time finding a more beloved beer style in the US craft beer world. And, as we’ve mentioned in the past, there are more than 9,000 breweries in the US and it’s a safe bet that most (if not all) have an IPA (or three) on its menu. The US is figuratively drenched in hoppy, sometimes juicy, sometimes bitter India Pale Ales.
Since summer is hurtling towards us like a hop-fueled bullet train, we figured it was the perfect time to rank some of the best IPAs in America. Instead of the usual top ten (boring), we decided to instead opt for the top thirty IPAs in America. Ranked, obviously.
Selections below include dry-hopped bangers, hazy, juicy New England-style IPAs, bitter, floral West Coast IPAs, and other IPA styles. It should be noted that we tried our best to showcase as many beers from different breweries as possible. We’re magnanimous like that. Maybe your favorite IPA made the list — time to find out!
The Beer:
This double IPA is brewed with a ton of Nelson Sauvin, Galaxy, and Mosaic hops. The result is an aromatic flavorful, hoppy beer with a ton of candied citrus peels and tropical fruit flavors. There’s a reason Trillium is such a popular brewery.
Tasting Notes:
This is a classic hazy IPA from the start. A nose of ripe peach, guava, mangos, and dried orange peels starts everything off. The palate is more of the same and that’s not necessarily a bad thing if you enjoy a beer that more resembles freshly squeezed juice than beer. The finish has just a hint of pine.
Bottom Line:
This is an outstanding New England-style IPA. It ticks all the boxes. Its only downfall is that for casual IPA fans, it might be a little too sweet.
The Beer:
This beer has a rather grim name, but the beer is anything but. This 10.5% ABV double IPA is a fall favorite from the folks at 3 Floyds. This 100 IBU (international bittering units), dank, citrus-filled beer was brewed in collaboration with the band Pig Destroyer.
Tasting Notes:
This beer’s nose is exactly what you expect from a classic West Coast IPA. There’s a nice mix of grapefruit, orange peel, and dank, resinous pine needles. Drinking it reveals hints of grapefruit, lime, candied orange peel, wet grass, bready malts, and more bitty pine needles at the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a decent West Coast IPA for fans of the style. It’s a little one-dimensional with mostly just citrus and pine sticking out over any other flavors.
