Before you beer nerds get angry with me, this is an article about the best IPA beer you can find at the grocery store. So you won’t see Heady Topper on this list, nor will Pliny the Younger be making an appearance. This is a ranking of the best IPAs you can easily find in a grocery store.
Also, I want you to know that pretty much every beer I tasted was good and something I would buy again. But the five listed below were the ones that really wowed me. They were the IPAs that I would earnestly urge beer drinkers to drink if they hadn’t tried them yet. And they’re the IPAs I would point IPA-curious folks to, as well, as a means of introducing them to the category.
Here’s what I looked for: defined hop flavors (IPA—aka India pale ale—is characterized by the hop-forward profile), gulpability (I don’t think IPAs should be a challenge to drink, I think they should be a pleasure), and uniqueness (if it tasted like a billion other IPAs I’ve tried, I threw it out).
I fully expect to get screamed at in the comments (I also am outraged that Founders All Day didn’t make the list! But it was edged out!) and I am open to reassessing this selection with new brews down the line. But right now, I stand by these five. This is the definitive (for now) ranking of the best IPA beers you can buy at the supermarket.
- Elysian Space Dust IPA
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Even at 8.2% ABV, this powerful IPA is extremely drinkable. It’s so drinkable that it’s sold in a tall-boy can. Buy one of those and you have quite an afternoon ahead of you. It smells like a brewery—like someone just added fresh hops to the mash. It’s on the drier side of the spectrum and tastes like the best IPA beer for a real hop nerd. I’m talking about someone who wants to nosh like a billy goat on fresh hops. That said, it’s not too astringent or bitter and it won’t wipe out your palate.
Credit: Liv Averett / Total Wine
- Lagunitas IPA
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Disclaimer: Lagunitas is based very close to my hometown, so I have a bit of a bias toward the brand and its apple-tinged IPA. But I dare you to tell me it’s not one of the best IPAs you can find in the grocery store. It is just plain delightful. It leans into both the malt and the hops but goes easy on the bitterness, making it a great entry point for beginners. It doesn’t punch you in the face with hops, but gently caresses your cheek with a grassy twang.
Credit: Liv Averett / Total Wine
- Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
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I remember when Bell’s first made its way into New York City bodegas and beer stores. It was a revelation. Such craft. Such polished flavors. So I was glad to find it still holds up when I revisited the brand’s most celebrated IPA. It has a delicious citrus flavor—almost like you expressed orange zest into the bottle. It keeps your tongue tingling. If nothing else, I’m glad this best IPA taste test reminded me how damn good this beer is.
Credit: Liv Averett / Total Wine
- Bear Republic Racer 5
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Here’s the best IPA to drink all day long. Bear Republic Racer 5 has fine bubbles and a touch of fruity apricot flavor that makes it extremely easy to drink. There’s a touch of fall spices in the mix, as well. It tastes like sitting around a campfire in Upstate New York on a crisp October evening. It tastes like a puffy vest over a cozy flannel. It tastes like kicking back with absolutely nothing to do. Who doesn’t want that?
Credit: Liv Averett / Total Wine
- Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
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Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA is refreshing, with a mix of citrusy hops that’s balanced by malt. It’s just a nice, straight down the middle IPA with a lovely bitter note that runs all the way through but doesn’t coat your palate. It’s hard to say anything bad about it. Go on, I dare ya. If you’re wondering why it’s called 60 Minute, it’s not because that’s how long it will take you to drink it (that’s closer to 60 seconds). It’s called that because during the boil stage of brewing, they boil the mash for 60 minutes while continuously adding hops, so you get an even distribution of hop aroma and flavor in the end product. Something else I appreciate: Dogfish Head 60 Minute doesn’t take sides when it comes to IPA geography—it’s not a West Coast style and it’s not a hazy New England IPA. It’s IPA, classic. And it’s the best IPA you can buy in your supermarket.
Credit: Liv Averett / Total Wine
Best Ultra Hoppy
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Best Orange Zesty
Best for Day Drinking
Best of the Best
Other IPA beers we tried: Stone IPA, New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA, Stone Delicious IPA, Founders All Day IPA, Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA, Deschutes Fresh Haze IPA, Cigar City Jai Alai, Goose Island IPA
