Ten IPA’s That Rock: A Guide To Great India Pale Ale Drinking

Hops are a beautiful thing.

hopsFrom Amarillo to Simcoe, Cascade to Centennial, hops are the seasoning and the bitter in your beer. And what better beer style to truly show off the power of hops than India Pale Ale.

So the story goes, the IPA style was originally created by the Brits in the early 18th century as a more stable beer to ship to British troops in India. Hops were believed to be part of the solution in keeping beer fresher as it traveled the long journey across seas. There is perhaps some ambiguity in the storybooks as to the exact origins, but if your an IPA fan like me, there is no doubt that we have British innovation to thank for giving the IPA its start.

On that note, here is a list of ten of my favorite IPA’s (and Imperial IPA’s) that rock. Enjoy!

Alesmith_IPA

AleSmith IPA
San Diego, CA
American IPA, 7.25% ABV

 

alchemist heady topper

The Alchemist Heady Topper
Waterbury, VT
American Double/Imperial IPA, 5.70% ABV


Bear_Republic_Racer_5_IPA

Bear Republic Racer 5
Healdsburg, CA
American IPA, 7% ABV

 

Hercules_Double_IPA
Great Divide Hercules Double IPA
Denver, CO
Imperial IPA, 10% ABV

 

Pliny_The_Elder

Russian River Brewing Co. Pliny The Elder
Santa Rosa, CA
Imperial IPA, 8% ABV

 

Maine Beer Co.

Maine Beer Co. Lunch
Portland, ME
American IPA, 7% ABV



Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
San Diego, California
American IPA, 7.0% ABV

 

Stone Enjoy By IPA
Escondido, CA
Imperial IPA, 9.4% ABV


Firestone_Walker_Union_Jack_IPA

Union Jack India Pale Ale
Paso Robles, CA
American IPA, 7.50% ABV

Avery_Maharaja_IPA

Avery Maharaja
Boulder, CO
Imperial IPA, 10%-12% ABV

What IPAs would you put on your shortlist?