Food & Drink The 34 Hottest IPAs in America Right Now

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

"IPAs are so hot right now!" That sentence is so 1996. And 2019. And probably 2030, if we make it that far. As long as craft beer has been a thing, IPAs have dominated, bringing drinkers in flocks to their favorite beer bars, turning naysayers into beer snobs, and sending rabid collectors across state lines. Which makes picking the best IPAs quite a task, especially in the summer: The best at any given time can be mainstays, one-offs, and everything in between. To keep our bead on this ever-moving target, we’ve assembled a crack team of beer experts from throughout the country to name what they deem to be the most attention-worthy IPAs at this very moment. We will revisit the list in the months to come to add new beers and subtract the ones lost to time, so that you always have your finger on the proverbial IPA pulse. Raise a glass. It’s a good time to be an IPA lover. It always is. About that panel: We’ve divided the country into four sections and selected our favorite experts for each. In the Northeast, we have longtime Thrillist writer and owner of Alphabet City Beer Co. Zach Mack. Taking reins in the South is legendary beer scribe and journalist Ale Sharpton. The Midwest is in the able hands of former editor at DRAFT Magazine and current managing editor for The Takeout, Kate Bernot. And bringing up the west is Ezra Johnson-Greenough, founder of Portland Beer Week and The New School beer blog. And a quick not about distribution: We've noted the primary distribution areas of each of these beers, but that doesn't mean they won't make appearances on taplists and in bottle shops beyond the outlined areas. So unless they're brewery-exclusive, keep your eyes open at your favorite beer bar.

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

La Cumbre Project Dank Albuquerque, New Mexico

7.5%

Distribution: Most western states -- use their beer locator tool here

The highest-rated IPA coming out of New Mexico according to Beer Advocate is La Cumbre Brewing Project Dank. The only thing is that the recipe changes with each iteration, making it an ever-evolving hop project that showcases different hops and hopping techniques. It’s essentially a brewers' experiment, a tool for hop education, and a surprise of hop insanity for the drinkers. -- EJG Fort George/Ruse/Cloudburst 3-Way IPA Astoria, Oregon

7.2%

Distribution: Idaho, Oregon, Washington

Perhaps because they are located in a quiet, older-skewing seaside town best known as the setting for some scenes in The Goonies, Fort George Brewery pre-games summer hard. In early June they release their latest 3-way collaboration, a not-erotic-at-all rubbing of the hops together with two other Instagram-influencers/breweries and come out with the Kim Kardashian of summer IPAs. This year's collaboration is with the white-hot new Portland brewery Ruse and Seattle’s AB InBev-hating Cloudburst Brewing. The result is a merging of California-style West Coast IPA with trendy east coast-style hazy IPA. -- EJG Threes Logical Conclusion Brooklyn, New York

7%

Distribution: New York, New Jersey

Brewing in New York City is becoming increasingly crowded territory these days. It’s especially crowded if you’re trying to create a widely popular IPA that fits with modern tastes, is widely appealing, and doesn’t require waiting nine hours in line to get your hands on. Despite these odds, Threes seems to have succeeded with Logical Conclusion: Hopped with Simcoe, Mosaic, and Citra, with juicy flavors of orange pith, ripe peach, and (according to the brewery’s own tasting notes) “Gushers,” this beer has become the talk of the town in a town with a lot to talk about. Whether it’s a can pickup from your local bottle shop or a pour from a fresh keg at your local, this beer has become a hometown hero. -- ZM

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

SpindleTap Brewery Heavy Hands DIPA Houston, Texas

8%

Distribution: Texas

The beer scene is burgeoning at a rapid rate throughout Texas thanks to progressive law changes, and Houston’s “SpindleTap” is steadily pouring for the increasing flow of beer advocates making the sipping surge happen; the moniker has hop heads drooling upon its mention due to their shitload of solid IPAs. A crowd favorite is the single-hopped Heavy Hands DIPA, where the quadrupled dry-hopping of Citra Hops and 8% potency justify the punch reference, but still remains well-balanced enough to have folks lining up like it’s Black Friday for its can release; the artistic homage to the old school “Punch-Out” video game further confirms it’s the heavyweight champ. -- AS Toppling Goliath King Sue Decorah, Iowa

8%

Distribution: Most of the Midwest, plus Georgia and some of New England -- use their beer locator tool here

If you’ve love PsuedoSue, you can imagine the appeal of her all-grown-up big brother, a wallop of a double IPA packing a massive Citra hop punch. All of the Citra calling cards -- mango, orange, lime, pineapple -- are there, with a beefed-up ABV and double the IBUs. Fans in Rhode Island and Massachusetts are in luck, as the Iowa-based Toppling Goliath chose those two states as the most recent in its steady distribution expansion. -- KB Lupulin Brewing Hooey Big Lake, Minnesota

6.2%

Distribution: Minnesota

This juicy little number took the Twin Cities by storm this winter. When it hit draft lines at one popular beer bar in Minneapolis, the bar’s owner tells me every customer’s reaction was: “Who? What? Give me more of that!” Six hops -- Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, Amarillo, Mandarina Bavaria, and El Dorado -- are woven together in a way that’s complex but not muddled, making Hooey a something-for-everyone crowd pleaser. It’s only been canned since June 2017, and sees distribution mostly around Minneapolis and Duluth. Or, if you can't find it, get it straight from the source at Lupulin’s Big Lake, Minnesota taproom. -- KB

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

Southern Prohibition Brewing Paradise Lost Hattiesburg, Mississippi

8.1%

Distribution: Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee

While Mississippi lawmakers continue loosen the reins on all the archaic laws that have been suppressing the state’s craft beer scene, SoPro has no issue carrying a significant load of representation with their stellar brewing. This hazy, dry-hopped IPA is simply the shit. Pouring a rich golden color, a frothy head crowns this liquid fruit cup loaded with essences of mango, pineapple, tangerine, and peach. Brewers can overdo the dry hopping and Lupulin powder, which can often lead to a burning, acidic finish in the throat, but Paradise Lost graciously defies the odds and puts our palates on an island getaway with no plans of coming back. -- AS Maine Beer Lunch Freeport, Maine

7%

Distribution: The Northeast and Midwest -- use their beer locator tool here

It’s not often the case that your state’s namesake brewery also happens to churn out some of the best stuff within your borders, but in the case of Maine, it certainly is. Lunch has risen as a star among stars in a place very crowded with widely adored beers. We’re pretty sure the brewery’s devotion to using the best ingredients and tightly controlling shipping and freshness of their products make this balanced, bright, citrusy IPA like running into a friend you’re only lucky to see just often enough. The brewery’s commitment to the environment is just a sweet bonus. -- ZM Sloop Juice Bomb Elizaville, New York

6.5%

Distribution: New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts

The world of IPAs is a sea of hop puns so overcrowded that it’s begun triggering copyright-infringement lawsuits. So going with the most generic, recognizable, and colloquial name better mean that what’s in the can will be able to stand on its own merits. Juice Bomb does exactly that, providing (shocker) juicy flavors of citrus and tropical fruit, balanced by subtle pine and fine carbonation. It’s no wonder that this beer’s popularity has surged across New York and the northeast, which recently led Sloop has also recently upped their production and increase distribution. -- ZM

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

Good Word Brewing Never Sleep Duluth, Georgia

7%

Distribution: Georgia

Seasoned from the years working at the world-famous Brick Store Pub in Decatur, Good Word Brewing’s owners Todd DiMatteo and Ryan Skinner -- backed by their talented team -- are only in their second year representing the rapidly developing Duluth municipality with stellar results. Finally canning to gratify the demand, the Never Sleep New England IPA reflects their tireless efforts and acumen of what a gangster IPA is. Set at 7% packed with Citra and Vic Secret hops taking us to the tropics, Good Word mellowed things out with flaked oats and English pale malt finishing with a texture smoother than Billy Dee Williams on ice skates. Evidently, no one is sleeping on this one after receiving Homebrewers Association’s prestigious honor of being Georgia’s pick as one of the “51 Craft Beer Clone Recipes 2019.” Word! -- AS

Pipeworks Ninja vs. Unicorn Chicago, Illinois

8%

Distribution: 8 states nationwide -- use their beer locator tool here

In between collaborating with Run the Jewels, cranking out crazy-ass marshmallow/baklava/mint truffle stouts, and designing some of the raddest can art in the Midwest, Chicago-based Pipeworks steadily brews up this craveable unfiltered DIPA. The light body shoves the trio of Citra, Simcoe, and Columbus hops to the fore, letting the oily orange skin and dank white onion notes steamroll over the surrendering malts. Unlike some of the other beers on this list, Ninja vs. Unicorn sees regular releases and can be found on shelves... for the few minutes before it’s snapped up. -- KB Old Nation M-43 Williamston, Michigan

6.8%

Distribution: Michigan

It’s not hyperbolic to call this beer a game-changer for Williamston, Michigan’s Old Nation Brewing. Prior to the debut of this pillowy-soft, tropical haze bomb in April 2017, the brewery at times struggled to find a fan base. But thanks to M-43, its brewers can hardly keep up with demand. A quartet of Calypso, Simcoe, Citra, and Amarillo hops lend tropical appeal to this year-round release, which credits malted oats for its memorably soft mouthfeel. -- KB

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

NoDa Hop, Drop 'N Roll Charlotte, North Carolina

7.2%

Distribution: North Carolina

There are a handful of beers throughout the country that craft drinkers consider must-haves to purchase in freight capacities, and NoDa’s Hop, Drop ‘N Roll IPA is undoubtedly one of them. Hop lovers will appreciate the amount of cone love this brew packs thanks to overzealous amounts of Amarillo, Citra, Warrior, Centennial, and Chinook varieties doused throughout its creation. Marketed with a clever name and captivating 16-ounce can sold throughout Queen City, Hop Drop’s the total package. Its expansive new brewery will have numerous other hop-forward selections to try as well, but Drop’s World Beer Cup Gold bling in the American-Style IPA category further justifies why it’s the breadwinner and, simply put, no joke. -- AS Kent Falls Buddy Sprinkles Saves the Day Kent, Connecticut

6.5%

Distribution: Connecticut, New York

It’s not a secret at all: Kent Falls makes some of the best beers around. Perhaps it’s their unique approach to even traditional styles that makes their take on as popular a style as IPA stand out the way this repeat release does. It’s got a lusciously full body (thanks to the oats and wheat used in the mashbill) and hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and Vic Secret, resulting in an herbaceous sea of flavors with crisp citrus notes and a fruity, subtle sweetness that brightens the palate before a dry finish. The key to getting your hands on one is to keep an eye on release dates, but luckily, those have been ramping up as of late. -- ZM Bearded Iris Homestyle Nashville, Tennessee

6%

Distribution: Tennessee and Kentucky

If a hop head hits up Music City for a visit and does not make it by Bearded Iris, their trip is simply incomplete. This brewery is doing its best to keep up with the local demand, particularly for its most popular IPA, the single-hopped Homestyle, because, well, it's bordering on world-class status. An impressive balancing act of pine, pepper, biscuit notes, and citrus fruit properties courtesy of the Mosaic hop, this hazy New England-style IPA will hopefully answer the prayers of surrounding Southern imbibers and make its way across state lines soon. And to keep their blossoming legion of fans happy, Iris has rewarded them a Double Homestyle version at 8.2% ABV, along with six other IPAs currently on tap, a few imperial stouts, and some upcoming sours. Cowboy boots are optional. -- AS

Cole Saladino/Thrillist

Mother Road Brewing Tower Station Flagstaff, Arizona

7.3%

Distribution: Arizona

Continuing in a tradition of Route 66-inspired beers, Mother Road Brewing has put its first beer into cans and Arizonan’s can't get enough of it. Mother Road stops short of calling their Tower Station a NE-style or hazy beer but does drop keywords like “unfiltered” and “pineapple." They back this up with tangerine and orange citrus and a pale body that lets the hops speak loudly. It’s a triumphant bridge between west coast and east coast into a midwest package. Making matters even cooler, Tower Station comes in 16oz cans that you can “drop the top” on by removing the whole top of the can to simulate drinking out of a glass and getting the full effect of that juicy hop aroma. -- EJG Kern River Brewing Citra Kernville, California

8%

Distribution: California

A historic California mining town at the southern entrance to the Sequoia National Forest may not seem like the obvious location for a citrusy all-star IPA maker. But Kern River Brewing struck gold with their Citra IPA, rated a perfect 100 on ratings/review site BeerAdvocate. It helps that Citra is one of the fastest-growing and most popular hop varieties. Kern River seems to have tamed the Citra hop... or perhaps cut it loose, as the IPA has become one of the hottest single-serving bottled IPAs in the state. -- EJG Moonraker Brewing Yojo Auburn, California

Distribution: Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington

Yojo IPA (not to be confused with YOLO, for all you 10-year-old meme enthusiasts out there) is named after a small idol featured in the famous novel Moby Dick, for whom the character Queequeg builds small ceremonial fires. Similarly, beer geeks build small ceremonial bottle shares and conduct black market trades for their own white whale. Queequeg was a cannibal and also spearman for the Perquod in the novel who eventually goes down with the ship... not sure what Moonraker is saying here, but maybe we are reading too much into it. Yojo IPA is only made three or four times a year in cans, which keeps it special and in high demand. The brewers pack tons of Galaxy, Mosaic, Simcoe, Citra and CTZ hops into this tropical hazy IPA. -- EJG

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

Weldwerks Brewing Juicy Bits Greeley, Colorado

6.7%

Distribution: Colorado

From one of the hottest new Colorado breweries comes one of the most buzzed-about New England-style hazy IPAs. Two-year-old Weldwerks Brewing is located outside of Fort Collins in Greeley, Colorado, yet still manages to have beer geeks lining up for can releases of Juicy Bits and the special Double Dry Hopped Juicy Bits. The brewers go so far as to adjust the water chemistry and use higher-protein malts along with the tropical, juicy Mosaic, Citra, and El Dorado hops for a soft, smooth mouthfeel, like your drinking pulpy fresh-squeezed hop juice. -- EJG

Tree House Julius Charlton, Massachusetts

6.8%

Distribution: Brewery exclusive

There are few breweries anywhere in the country -- let alone New England -- that have been able to drum up as much hype as Tree House. Thanks to a recently completed expansion, it has finally become *that much easier* to get your hands on a few cans of their flagship IPA, Julius. Not that there’s not plenty to love in their entire lineup: It’s just that this beer has played a huge part in establishing the current haze-craze culture. Expect all those bright flavors of passionfruit, mango, and citrus when you crack a coveted fresh can. -- ZM 450 North Kiddie Pool Columbus, Indiana

8.1%

Distribution: Indiana

With its hefty dry-hopping, haze-for-days appearance, and Shark Week-appropriate can art, it’s no wonder Kiddie Pool turned into a summer banger for 450 North. The brewery’s been around since 2012, but began generating serious buzz about a year and a half ago with a lineup of heavily fruited sours and hazy IPAs. Kiddie Pool was an instant success when it was released in cans this summer, thanks in no small part to the double dry-hop siren song of Mosaic, Idaho 7, and Vic Secret. -- KB

Cole Saladino/Thrillist

Industrial Arts Wrench Garnerville, New York

6.8%

Distribution: New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey

For anyone who has followed his brewing career from Ithaca through Peekskill and up through current day, beer fans know that Jeff O’Neil (or “Chief” as he’s better known) knows a thing or two about putting out a truly show-stopping IPA. Of course, now that he’s been running his own brewery at Industrial Arts for years, it’s no surprise that the IPA currently taking the Hudson Valley by storm is of his creation. Wrench is everything you want it to be: Unbelievably bright, tropical nose with lychee, mango, papaya, and guava that slights right into the palate, super balanced and smooth while finishing with a subtle dryness that makes it thirst quenching. What’s even better is the brewery’s tight release schedule, which makes practically every drop you find even outside of the brewery supremely fresh. -- ZM Orono Brewing Tubular Orono, Maine

7.2%

Distribution: Maine

There are exciting things happening in the perennially exciting beer state of Maine. What has always been fertile ground for influential craft breweries seems to be in the midst of ushering through a new class of young upstarts with great ambitions backed by legitimate talent. Orono Brewing is one such brewery. It’s named for the small town (and home of the University of Maine) just outside of Bangor and a full two hours north of the “bustle” of Portland. Head brewer Asa Marsh-Sachs has developed an impressively broad portfolio of impressive beers in the four years and change he’s been at work, but their flagship Tubular IPA has helped to put them on the map in the region practically overnight. Bright citrus and grassy notes are balanced by flavors of ripe red berries and stone fruit with just enough perceived bitterness to creates a smooth experience beginning to end. (The can’s Saved By the Bell opening-credits design motif doesn’t hurt, either). -- ZM Triple Crossing Green Dreams DIPA Richmond, Virginia

8%

Distribution: Virginia

Not for nothing, but Richmond is having a moment. Between the opening and skyrocketing popularity of white-hot breweries like The Veil Brewing Co. or brewpubs like The Answer, it’s hard to talk about the East Coast without mentioning growth within the Commonwealth. Triple Crossing is one of the breweries that falls within that echelon, and their rotating releases of IPAs keeps both of their taprooms busy with beer fans trying to score cans. Recently, the brewery released another drop of their beloved Green Dreams DIPA, with this iteration made with a blend of Citra, Denali, and El Dorado hops. Expect bright citrus and tropical flavors of pineapple and mango, with a hint of ripe peach and grassy hops on the finish. -- ZM

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

Trim Tab 006 New England Imperial IPA Birmingham, Alabama

8.7%

Distribution: Alabama, Florida, and Georgia

A hop head could drown in the sea of New England-style IPAs that have flooded the market as of late, but Trim Tab throws a much-needed floatation device with their massively tropical, double dry-hopped 006 at a deceptively potent 8.7%. While it packs a gorgeous haze and medium body minus the scorching acidic finish amateurs can’t avoid, those who look for the scale to tip to the sweeter side will find this a godsend; it’s also perfect for bitter-naysayers who annoyingly cringe at the mention of hops without taking an open-minded sip. And like a banging rap track from the '90s Golden Era, you know shit’s legit when it comes with alternate tracks. Trimtab dropped the Light Visions: 006 Lupulin Remix with healthy doses of spirit-lifting Citra hops and lactose to bring more body to the club. -- AS Seminar Pixels IPA Florence, South Carolina

7.2%

Distribution: South Carolina and Georgia

When there are variations of a single IPA including a Berry Cherry and Coffee, the original has to be fuego! Pixels' catchy can art -- an 8-Bit dude resembling Mario using his hops to hurdle a keg -- entices gamers and beer geeks alike to slam this New England-style juice bomb. Boasting notes of mango, pineapple, and grapefruit, hazy joints like this can tend to raise blood-sugar levels at alarming rates, but Pixels’ subtly dry finish shows off Seminar’s mastery of the style. The Double version also does an impressive job keeping the flavor complexity balanced out despite the alcohol boost. -- AS Green Bench Sunshine City St. Petersburg, Florida

6.8%

Distribution: 21 states, including Florida, Colorado, New York, Illinois, and Alaska

Florida has really made it a priority to let the nation know that they can brew some legit IPAs too, and the Sunshine City perfectly sheds light on their brewing talent. Double dry-hopped with a trio of hops known to deliver the fruity dominance you would yearn for while chilling in the Sunshine State -- Azacca, Citra, and Mosaic -- this IPA hits the refresh button with every pour. -- AS



Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

Transient Artisan Ales The Juice Is Loose Bridgman, Michigan

8%

Distribution: Brewery exclusive

The sleepy lake town of Bridgman, Michigan, is ground zero for one of the Midwest’s best-loved IPAs, a hazy-juicy double IPA packed with passionfruit and sweet tangerine flavors. It’s definitely a departure from Transient’s early reputation as a brewery focused on oak-aged and wild-fermented beers. But hopheads are making the road trip from Chicago to pick up fresh cans, proving they don’t mind the shift in focus one bit. -- KB BKS Artisan Ales Counter Culture IPA Kansas City, Missouri

6.8%

Distribution: Missouri

When BKS Artisan Ales opened a year and a half ago, the brewery planned to focus on barrel-aged sours. Then, Counter Culture happened. “It’s still our biggest seller, still everybody who comes in wants to see it on tap,” says cofounder Brian Rooney. He’d tweaked the recipe for Counter Culture several times since the brewery opened, switching up the hop ratios, trying new malts, experimenting with new yeast strains. In the past two months, though, BKS has settled on a standardized recipe using a relatively uncommon English ale yeast and a trio of everyone’s favorite hops: Simcoe, Citra, Mosaic. Rooney calls them “The Holy Trinity.” -- KB HOMES Same Same Different Ann Arbor, Michigan

7.2%

Distribution: Michigan

HOMES head brewer Nick Panchame almost doesn’t want to talk about Same Same Different: “If I mention it, then people come in and ask for it, and sometimes we don’t have it.” But it’s undeniably the brewery’s most popular IPA among a lineup of popular IPAs, a well-loved trio of Mosaic, Citra, and Simcoe headlining the soft but full-textured beer. Try to catch it on draft in the brewery, but if you happen to miss it, fear not: The 2-year-old brewery has plenty of other IPAs in that same vein. “Our IPAs overall are pretty soft, with low bitterness,” Panchame says. “We usually concentrate on using really fruity hop varieties, really bright tropical notes.” -- KB

Cole Saladino/Thrillist

2 Row Brewing Feelin' Hazy Double IPA Midvale, Utah

9%

Distribution: Utah

2 Row Brewing helped usher in Utah’s modern craft brewery boom in 2015, a handful of years behind the renaissance of 2010-11 in many other states. Perhaps because the recent repeal of Utah's restrictive alcohol laws limiting ABV on beers sold at grocery stores, 2 Row Brewing was able to enter the scene as a full-strength brewery that recognized IPAs were taking over the market. Since going from a homebrewer to a probrewer, co-founder/brewer Brian Coleman has made IPAs his thing, and his Feelin’ Hazy Double IPA has become one of the most sought-after hazy IPAs in liquor stores throughout the state. -- EJG Revision Brewing Trying To Get My Aroma, Bro Sparks, Nevada

7%

Distribution: California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Oregon, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania

Ever since walking away from the award-winning brewery he helped create in California (Knee Deep), Jeremy Warren has put his yellow lupulin-stained thumb on the pulse of the industry, making IPA after IPA in a variety of sub-styles, many better than the next and with psychedelic labels that seemed inspired by both Reno’s outdoors and dance clubs. Where once he specialized in giant triple West Coast-style IPAs, Warren has now has mastered the juicy IPA, and when he tries to get that mouth watering fruity hop aroma like he does with this beer, all the boys (and girls) come to the yard. -- EJG Anchorage Brewing Citra Bitter Monk Anchorage, Alaska

9%

Distribution: International

You don’t usually think about monk’s as being bitter people. I mean, they live in a monastery where they don’t have to travel to work or fret about how to pay for the groceries and gas for the hummer. On second thought, they probably don’t get to blow things up on the Fourth of July or ever experience an In-n-Out burger and the boss is probably an asshole. At least they get awesome beers like Citra Bitter Monk. I don't think the monks ever had double IPAs like this one, leta lone dank and citrusy dry-hopping. Anchorage Brewing ferments all their beers in oak, too, and this one sat in Chardonnay barrels so it has complex notes of oak, grape, and buttery tannins contrasting with funky brett yeast and citrusy hops. I’d like to be a monk at the monastery this beer is served in. -- EJG Odd 13 Brewing Codename Superfan Lafayette, Colorado

6.5%

Distribution: Colorado and Arizona

Odd 13 Codename Superfan sounds more like a children’s cartoon series than a juicy hazy IPA. But just like kids clutching their milk and juice boxes while catching up on the latest mind-numbing entertainment, grown kid beer geeks are clutching their milky-looking and juicy-tasting bottles of Codename Superfan. -- EJG

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