It seemed like such a good idea at the time. “Hey,” said one of DRAFT’s editors in early May, “We haven’t reviewed IPAs in a while. Why don’t we get a bunch of breweries to send some in and rank them, a la our big pumpkin beer tasting last October?”

We expected a decent response from the brewers we emailed asking for submissions. We did not expect to get nearly 400 IPAs in total. But the boxes of bottles, cans, crowlers and growlers (and even a couple plastic soda bottles) kept coming. In the end, our fridge was stocked with 386 IPAs from every region of the country, as well as a few from outside the States. For perspective, there were 312 entrants in the American IPA category at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival—the largest beer competition in the country.

Why go so big on IPA? As any bar owner or brewer paying attention will tell you, it’s far and away the most popular style among drinkers who enjoy better beer. The numbers back this up: According to market research group IRI, which tracks sales at grocery and convenience stores, sales of IPA have climbed from 8.9 percent of the total volume of Brewers Association-defined “craft” beer in 2011 to 25.2 percent in 2016. Get that? More than quarter of all the craft beer sold last year was IPA. And while substyles like session IPA and fruit IPA have bit into the total share somewhat, regular old American IPA is still king of the mountain, accounting for 76.4 percent of total IPA sales last year.

But more than that, nearly every brewery in existence makes an IPA. Knowing who’s doing it the best can be helpful when seeking out new breweries to visit.

Plus, we just really like IPAs.

Our judges and process

In preparing for this thing, we looked to some of our beer-writing peers for best practices; Paste Magazine and its tasting of 247 IPAs last year gave us a great rubric in terms of the structure and size of the tasting. As with every review we’ve ever published, the IPAs were tasted blind (meaning the folks drinking them had no knowledge of what they were drinking) by our panel of judges, all of whom are either Certified Cicerones or Beer Judge Certification Program veterans with a certified, national or master ranking. (One of our tasters is even BJCP and Cicerone-certified.)

While large, the selection of IPAs represented here is by no means exhaustive (with more than 5,000 breweries now active in the U.S., you gotta figure that there are at least 5,000 IPAs to try, right?). But we did our best to make it exhaustive, anyway. We emailed every brewer in our database to ask for submissions sent directly from the brewery to our office (which is how we got a vast majority of them). For brewers we couldn’t contact or who didn’t get back to us, we tried to grab bottles and cans through trades and at local stores. Inevitably, some great breweries will have fallen through the cracks, but we’re pretty proud of the collection we were able to assemble.

Since freshness is paramount in hop-focused styles like IPA, we gathered the beers throughout a single month and tackled the giant job of reviewing all 386 by setting up small daily tastings based on the time they arrived, so no beer spent more than a week in the fridge after arriving at our office. Once tasted, the beers were given a score out of 100, which we used to determine their placement.

What the tasting taught us

Here’s the thing about IPAs: Even within a style whose parameters in terms of color, alcohol content, bitterness and otherwise have generally been agreed upon, there’s a ton of variability. We tasted IPAs as clear as glass and as murky as gravy; as pale as straw and as dark as copper; as sweet as fruit juice and as bitter as, well, hops. They ranged in ABV from a floor of 4.8% to a ceiling of 7.8%; their hop flavors covered everything from grass, pine, orange, grapefruit to blueberries, cantaloupe and cannabis.

But a couple truths did reveal themselves as we experienced our Lupulin Threshold Shifts. First, haze is the new normal. A vast majority of the beers we tasted were at least partly cloudy; many were downright opaque. Clear, bright beers were so few and far between, in fact, that it became a pleasant surprise whenever they popped up. That said, haziness alone does not a great IPA make. Some brewers are still struggling to capture the juicy qualities of the still-somehow-controversial New England IPA.

So what makes a winning IPA? The versions that made our top 50 all have clearly defined, vibrant hop character and a malt character that, while present, stays mostly out of the while. While hop flavor and aroma varied, we generally preferred beers that kept things tropical, oniony, citrusy or dank. Plus, there had to be enough bitterness to remind us that we’re drinking an IPA. Of course, the answer to that question is different for every brewer and every drinker, and there was something to like about all the IPAs we tasted.

Here are all 336 entrants that didn’t make our top 50, listed alphabetically:

10 Barrel Brewing Joe

3 Daughters Brewing Bimini Twist

Aeronaut Brewing Co. A Year with Dr. Nandu

Aeronaut Brewing Co. 3 Years with Dr. Nandu

Against the Grain Brewery Pile of Face

Alameda Brewing Co. Admiration

Alesmith Brewing Co. IPA

Altamont Beer Works Dank Row

Altamont Beer Works Mr. Nice Guy

Altamont Beer Works Shot Away

Amplified Ale Works Born to Lose

Amplified Ale Works Electrocution

Anchor Brewing Co. Liberty Ale

Anderson Valley Brewing Co. Eetah!

Angel City Brewing IPA

Appalachian Mountain Brewery Not an IPA

Arbor Brewing Co. Sacred Cow

Arbor Brewing Co. Buzzsaw

Arcadia Brewing Co. IPA

Arcadia Brewing Co. Rapunzel

Asheville Brewing Co. Perfect Day

Aspen Brewing Co. Independence Pass Ale

Atwater Brewery Street Artist

Atwater Brewery Better Life Choices

Bale Breaker Brewing Fresh Off the Farm

Bale Breaker Brewing Top Cutter

Ballast Point Brewing Co. Unfiltered Sculpin

Ballast Point Brewing Co. Sculpin

Banded Horn Brewing Co. Veridian

Bandwagon Brewpub Pirate Eye

Barrier Brewing Co. Money Mad Fat

Barrier Brewing Co. Kapow!

Bear Republic Brewing Co. Hop Shovel

Bear Republic Brewing Co. Racer 5

Belching Beaver Brewery Hop Highway IPA

Belly Up Beer Co. Howling Hank

Bhramari Brewing Co. Lorelai

Blackfoot River Brewing Co. Single Malt IPA

BLDG 8 Brewing The IPA

Bold City Brewery Mad Manatee

Boneyard Beer RPM

Bozeman Brewing Co. Hopzone IPA

Boston Beer Co. Sam Adams Rebel IPA

Boulder Beer Co. Mojo IPA

Brasseurs Sans Gluten Glutenberg India Pale Ale

Braxton Brewing Co. Revamp

Breakside Brewery Jerry Bears

Breakside Brewery Something Wicked

Breakside Brewery Wanderlust

Brew Rebellion Hops on Pops

Brewery Vivant Secret Rituals

Bristol Brewing Co. Compass

Burial Beer Co. Surf Wax

Butte Creek Brewing Co. India Pale Ale

Byway Brewing Chi.P.A.

Caldera Brewing Co. Mosaic IPA

Caldera Brewing Co. Hopportunity Knocks

Caldera Brewing Co. IPA

Cape May Brewing Co. Follow the Gull

Cape May Brewing Co. IPA

Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. Mosaic IPA

Cascade Lakes Brewing Co. Hop Smack

Catawba Brewing Co. CLT

Central 28 Beer Co. Show Pigeon

Central Waters Brewing Co. Rift

Cerebral Brewing Rare Trait

Cerebral Brewing Living Fossil

Cerebral Brewing Secret Chat Room

Chilly Water Brewing Co. One Hop Wonder

Cinder Block Brewery Block IPA

Circle Brewing Co. Lady Bird

Collective Arts Brewing IPA No. 2

Community Beer Works The IPA

Community Beer Works That IPA

Crazy Mountain Brewing Co. Hookiebobb

Crazy Mountain Brewing Co. Shane McConkey

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Tropicalia

Crooked Fence Brewing Hop Notion

Crux Fermentation Project Gimme Mo

Deep Ellum Brewing Co. Deep Ellum IPA

Deep River Brewing Co. Mango Tango Foxtrot

Deep River Brewing Co. Golden Antler

Deschutes Brewery Fresh Squeezed

Devil’s Canyon Brewing Co. Western IPA

Devils Backbone Brewing Co. Cross Eyed Stranger

Devils Backbone Brewing Co. Eight Point

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery 60 Minute IPA

Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom Hop Lion IPA

Double Nickel Brewing Co. Lawn Surfer

Drake’s Brewing Co. Best Coast IPA

DuClaw Brewing Co. Neon Gypsy

DuClaw Brewing Co. Hop Hammer

Due South Brewing Category 3 IPA

Dust Bowl Brewing Co. Change Order

Ecliptic Brewing Starburst

Eddyline Brewing Crank Yankers IPA

Elevation Beer Co. First Cast

Elysian Brewing Co. Dayglow IPA

Elysian Brewing Co. Space Dust

Empyrean Brewing Watchman

Epic Brewing Spiral Jetty

Epic Brewing Citralush

Epic Brewing Escape to Colorado

Evil Czech Brewery Casshmere Ousside

Evil Czech Brewery Leng

Evil Czech Brewery Nefarious Harbor

Evolution Craft Brewing Co. Lot No. 3

Fargo Brewing Co. Wood Chipper

Fat Bottom Brewing Co. KnockOut IPA

Fieldwork Brewing Pulp

Fieldwork Brewing Misfit Stream

Finback Brewery Chromoscope

Firemans Brew IPA

Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Luponic Distortion Revolution 006

Foolproof Brewing Co. The Grotto

Forgotten Boardwalk 1916 Shore Shiver

Fort George Brewery & Public House The Optimist

Fort George Brewery & Public House Vortex

Fourpure Brewing Co. Shape Shifter

Fremont Brewing Co. Interurban

Full Sail Brewing Co. Classic IPA

Full Sail Brewing Co. Hop Pursuit

Full Sail Brewing Co. Hop Shooter

Garvies Point Craft Brewery Wunderkind

Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. Jucifer IPA

Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. Radical Rye P.A.

Good People Brewing Co. IPA

Good People Brewing Co. Hitchiker

GoodLife Brewing Co. Descender IPA

Goose Island Brewing Co. Goose IPA

Great Divide Brewing Co. Titan

Great Divide Brewing Co. Local Knowledge #1: Hazy IPA

Great North Aleworks Tie Dyed

Great North Aleworks IPA

Great Notion Brewing Fortunate Son

Great Notion Brewing Ripe

Greenpoint Beer & Ale Co. Purgatory

Gunwhale Beer Pau Brah!

Gunwhale Beer Bait Ball

Half Acre Brewing Co. Vallejo

Half Door Brewing Co. House of Hops

Half Door Brewing Co. North East IPA

Harpoon Brewery IPA

Heavy Seas Beer Alpha Effect

Heavy Seas Beer Loose Cannon

Helio Basin Brewing Co. American IPA

Highland Brewing Co. IPA

Highland Park Brewery Good Green

Holy City Brewing Overly Friendly

Hop Butcher for the World Telehopic

Hop Butcher for the World Unwind Your Mind

Huss Brewing Co. Copper State

Icicle Brewing Co. Bootjack IPA

Indeed Brewing Co. Let It Ride

Inland Empire Brewing Co. War Bond

Insight Brewing Dankbot

Insight Brewing Troll Way

Iron Hill Brewery Rising Sun IPA

Island Brewing Co. IPA

Island Brewing Co. Hopliner

J. Wakefield Brewing Hops 4 Teacher

Jack’s Abby Brewing Springdale But I Digress

Jack’s Abby Brewing Springdale Good N’ You?

Kalona Brewing Co. Sucha Much

Karl Strauss Brewing Co. Aurora Hoppyalis

Kings County Brewers Collective Robot Fish

Lakefront Brewery, Inc. IPA

Lamplighter Brewing Co. Birds of a Feather

Land Grant Brew Co. Stiff Arm

Left Coast Brewing Co. Trestles

Left Hand Brewing Co. Introvert

Lift Bridge Brewing Co. Crosscut

Lift Bridge Brewing Co. Hop Dish

Lighthouse Brewing Co. Shipwreck IPA

Liquid Riot Bottling Co. Ka$h Money

Liquid Riot Bottling Co. Head Stash IPA

Listermann Brewing Co. MS. E

Lompoc Brewing The 36th Chamber of IPA

Lompoc Brewing C-Note

Lucky Town Brewing Co. Hop Fiasco

Mad Fox Brewing Co. Orange Whip

Magnify Brewing Maine Event

Maine Beer Co. Woods & Waters

Maplewood Brewery & Distillery Son of Juice

Martin House Brewing Co. Friday IPA

McFate Brewing Co. Fateful IPA

McFate Brewing Co. Fatality IPA

McFate Brewing Co. False Promises

Mendocino Brewing Co. White Hawk

Middle Brown Beer Co. Sells Out

Mike Hess Brewing Solis Occasus

Mike Hess Brewing Hoptoitus

Mikkeller Brewing San Diego Centennial Eyes

Mill Creek Brewing Co. Woodshed

Moab Brewery Johnny’s American IPA

Mockery Brewing Co. Rock the Fuck On Forever

Monday Night Brewing Slap Fight

Montauk Brewing Co. Wave Chaser

Mother Earth Brew Co. Power of Love

Motorworks Brewing Intellectual Property Ale

Narragansett Brewing It’s About Time

Nebraska Brewing Co. IPA

New Anthem Beer Project Neon God

New Anthem Beer Project Lower Haight

New Belgium Brewing Co. Voodoo Ranger Juicy Mandarina

New England Brewing Co. Sea Hag

New England Brewing Co. Fuzzy Baby Ducks

New Holland Brewing Tasmanian Hatter

New Holland Brewing Mad Hatter

Newburgh Brewing Co. MegaBoss IPA

Newburyport Brew Co. Green Head

Ninkasi Brewing Co. Total Domination

Ninkasi Brewing Co. Maiden the Shade

Noble Aleworks Aim for the Fences

Noon Whistle Brewing S-Punk

North Peak Brewing Co. Diabolical

Novo Brazil Brewing Samba Haze

Odd13 Brewing Codename: Superfan

Odd13 Brewing Thirdeen Cent

Odd13 Brewing ubern00b

Oskar Blues Brewery IPA

Pale Fire Brewing Co. Arrant

Parleaux Beer Lab Express Yourself!

Perrin Brewing Co. 98 Problems

pFriem Family Brewers Blonde IPA

Pike’s Peak Brewing Co. Elephant Rock

Port City Brewing Co. Monumental IPA

Potosi Brewing Co. Snake Hollow

Pueblo Vida Brewing Co. Monswoon

RaR Brewing Nanticoke Nectar

Real Ale Brewing Co. Axis IPA

Relic Brewing Co. Leafstorm

Relic Brewing Co. The Flaxen Foal

Resurgence Brewing Co. Citmo

Revival Brewing Co. You Thirsty?

Rhinegeist Brewery Truth

Rhinegeist Brewery Streaker

Rhinegeist Brewery Slow Jam

Rising Tide Brewing Co. Zephyr

River North Brewing IPA

River North Brewing Co. Colorado IPA

Rivertown Brewery & Barrel House Rivertown IPA

Riverwalk Brewing Co. IPA

Riverwalk Brewing Co. Rangelight IPA

Roc Brewing Co. IPA

Rockmill Brewery Farmhouse IPA*

Rogue Ales 7 Hop IPA

Rogue Ales 6 Hop IPA

Russian River Brewing Co. Blind Pig IPA

Saint Archer Brewing Co. IPA

Saint Benjamin Brewing Co. Pasque

Sand Creek Brewing Co. Wild Ride IPA

Sawtooth Brewery Idahome

Scofflaw Brewing Co. Hooligan

Scofflaw Brewing Co. Basement

Short’s Brewing Co. I Got 5 On It

Short’s Brewing Co. Humalupalicious

Silver Moon Brewing IPA 97

Sixpoint Brewery Bengali

Ska Brewing Co. Modus Hoperandi

Sketchbook Brewing Co. Orange Door

Smartmouth Brewing Co. Rule G

Smuttynose Brewing Co. Rhye IPA

Smuttynose Brewing Co. Finest Kind

Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Sunny Si

Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Wildcat IPA

Societe Brewing Co. The Apprentice

Sole Artisan Ales Simcoe Nerd

Sole Artisan Ales Turbo Nerd

Solemn Oath Brewery Snaggle Tooth Bandana

Somerville Brewing Co. Flag Raiser

Sound Brewery Liberty Bay IPA

Spice Trade Brewing Co. Sun Temple

Spice Trade Brewing Co. Himilayan IPA

Spiteful Brewing Co. Spiteful IPA

Squatters Pub Brewery IPA

Station 26 Brewing Co. Hop Sequence No. 5

Station 26 Brewing Co. Single Hop IPA: Simcoe

Station 26 Brewing Co. Juicy Banger

Steady Hand Beer Co. Paradise Waits

Steel String Brewery Big Mon

Stevens Point Brewery IPA

Stillwater Artisanal Super Hop

Stony Creek Brewery Cranky

Stony Creek Brewery Ruffled Feathers

Strike Brewing Co. Two Seam IPA

Sudwerk Brewing Rye of the Lager*

Sudwerk Brewing Cascaderade*

Summit Brewing Co. Saga

Summit Brewing Co. True Brit

Sun King Brewing Co. Alrye’d Alrye’d Alrye’d

SunUp Brewing Co. Trooper IPA

Surly Brewing Co. Furious

Sweetwater Brewing Co. Sweetwater IPA

Tall Tales Brewing Co. Excalibur

Telluride Brewing Tempter IPA

Temperance Beer Co. Escapist

Temperance Beer Co. Gatecrasher

The Pike Brewing Co. Space Needle Golden IPA

The Round Barn Winery, Distillery and Brewery Hop Dealer

The Veil Brewing Co. Brozbrozdayday

The Veil Brewing Co. Master Shredder 3

Third Street Brewhouse Hop Lift

Three Creeks Brewing Co. Crowdpleaser

Three Floyds Brewing LazerSnake

Three Floyds Brewing Necron 99

Three Magnets Brewing Co. Sunstorm

Three Magnets Brewing Co. Rainstorm

Three Notch’d Brewing Co. G IV

Three Notch’d Brewing Co. 40 Mile IPA

Thunderhead Brewing Co. Cropduster

Tighthead Brewing Co. Irie

Tribes Beer Co. Craft’d IPA

Troegs Brewing Co. Perpetual IPA

Uinta Brewing Hop Nosh IPA

Uinta Brewing West Coast-style IPA

Upland Brewing Co. Dragonfly IPA

Upslope Brewing Co. India Pale Ale

Upslope Brewing Co. Experimental India Pale Ale

von Trapp Brewing India Pale Lager*

Voodoo Brewing Co. Guy

Wachusett Brewing Co. Wally

Wachusett Brewing Co. Green Monsta

Wachusett Brewing Co. IPA

Weldwerks Brewing Juicy Bits

Weldwerks Brewing Alpha Bits

Weyerbacher Brewing Co. Last Chance

Weyerbacher Brewing Co. IPA #3

Widmer Brothers Brewing Rainy Days & Mondays

Widmer Brothers Brewing Russell St. IPA

Wooden Robot Brewery What He’s Having

Wooden Robot Brewery Generously Hopped V1

Wynwood Brewing Co. Wynwood IPA

Yards Brewing Co. IPA

Yonkers Brewing Co. Hop Runner

Zipline Brewing Co. India Pale Ale

*We limited the beers included in this tasting strictly to IPAs—no fruit additives and no wild, Belgian or lager yeast strains. We made exceptions for breweries that only brew lagers or ferment with Belgian or wild yeast.

Whew. Now that that’s all out of the way, let’s get to the top 50. The next page has IPAs 50-26; page 3 contains the top 25. Read on, hopheads.