Top 5 India Pale Ales In The United States

Everywhere you look, someone has an opinion on craft beer. Is it "underground" enough. Is it made from local grains? Are they eco-friendly? Is the owner a member of PETA? Do they support a certain GOP candidate? ...and all this other crap I don't care about and, honestly, neither should you.

You know what makes a good IPA? IT'S GOOD. That's it.

Now, upon reading all of these trite and drastically different opinions on who makes the best IPA in America, I figured it wouldn't be too much dissonance if I threw my hat in the ring.

First off, what makes a beer officially an India Pale Ale? Most people wonder if it has to do with where the beer is brewed or where they get their hops. Neither is true at all. What makes an India Pale Ale an India Pale Ale is how long the fermentation and hopping process lasts. When pale ales would be brewed in India, they would ferment longer in their casks as they sailed through to England. So the alcohol by volume and International Bittering Units become much, much higher than usual.

Now, I have yet to be involved in the beer fermentation and bottling process as of yet, but I hope to someday soon rectify that. I also have yet to try every IPA there is out there because that would nearly be impossible, unless I sat on a tasting board of some kind. New ones are coming into popularity all the time and some will never be discovered. Hell, there could be an amazing one in someone's kitchen in the Ozarks, but you'll never hear about it.

Q: So, what are my qualifications then?

A: Well, I have been a bartender for over 10 years, have won multiple awards traveling around the US, managed and operated a bar in south Florida, and have been on TV demonstrating and speaking about my craft. Also, it's the only beer I really ever drink anymore. So there.

And... That brings us to my list. Enjoy.


5) Stone Brewing Company - Delicious IPA (Escondido, California)

There is no doubt in anyone's mind that has a mind for craft beer that Mitch Steele is easily one of the greatest Brewmasters in the world. Stone Brewing Comany has had an amazing run of beers, such as Arrogant Bastard Ale, Reason Be Damned Belgian, and Stochasticity Project, and they show absolutely no signs of slowing down. As opposed to their session India Pale Ale, the Go To IPA, the Delicious IPA sits at strong 7.7% ABV and is accompanied by a dominatingly sweet lemongrass flavor reminiscent of a lemon Starburst. Definitely one of their finest brews to date.


4) Two Brothers Brewing Company - Wobble IPA (Warrenville, IL)

Living in Gainesville, Florida the past few months, I have had a lot of really good beers. Sure, I have access to a lot of beers, but this was the one I would always end up grabbing whenevs I frequented Gator Liquor. This midwestern beauty is a perfect balance of citrus and pine with a bready malt and a heavy dose of hops. It has the same alcohol by volume as the rest of their year-round beers (6.3%), but based on it's complex-yet-simple combination it blows them all out of the water. Hands down.


3) Ballast Point - Grapefruit Sculpin (San Diego, California)

This remarkable take on one of the most popular IPA's ever first peaked its head in 2012 and has been widely regarded by many of the beer aficionados I know as superior to the original. Don't get me wrong, the original Sculpin (named for the fish with poisonous spikes that pack a strong sting) is incredible. In fact, both of these fine India Pale Ales sit at 7.0% alcohol by volume, meaning they both pack a good kick. But with a hint of apricot, peach, mango, & lemon, this beer takes the crown. From what I hear, Ballast has a bunch of different Sculpins that they don't distribute all around the country, but I have yet to try them. One day, maybe.


2) Bell's Brewery - Two Hearted Ale (Kalamazoo, Michigan)

This is where we get to the really good stuff. Sure, the other three on this list are amazing in their own right, but I have a very clear understanding of where numbers one and two both sit. I always introduce my friends to this beer as my second favorite beer because it is. IPA's are easily my favorite, as I have well-stated, so this one honestly is just that. It's not heavier than the others (7.0% ABV); in fact, it's smoother. A lot of this comes from it being hopped exclusively with the Centennial hop varietal of the Pacific Northwest. Whether in a can, bottle, or on draft, this magnificent blend of malt, Centennial hops, and Bell's unmistakable house yeast, this bad boy will win even the strictest beer drinker's palate over.


1) Surly Brewing Company - Furious (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

I absolutely love this beer. Obviously. I am fairly certain I just summarized that it is the greatest beer in North America, perhaps the world. Sure, that's a lot of hype and I completely realize that. But it is so good, that it has been kept in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area for so long because of the demand for it was so high that they could not even get it out of the city limits. Thankfully, they built a new restaurant/brewery that can accommodate the demand and bestow the surplus of this insanely good beer to the neighboring states. And sure, I hear the remarks about this being the same city that Summit and Grain Belt come from, but let's also remember that this is a town built on craft everything. About the Surly Furious though, it's creamy, amber body gives way to a chewy caramel Scottish malt backbone combined with American hops that is to die for. It is true American IPA that sits at 6.2% ABV and will never let you down. Will we be able to get it in say Florida? Only time will tell. But it's worth a trip to Minnesota to buy.



Again, this is just my opinion. Don't like it? Make your own favorite Top 5 like I did. However, I strongly suggest that you try these fantastic beers if you have not already.