No single beer style has dominated the craft world like the American IPA. Though the British invented the hop-centric India pale ale in the 18th century, the IPAs we know and love today were born in the 1990s, as American brewers amplified the bitterness, alcohol, and hop flavor.
For our survey of the best IPAs in America, we limited ourselves to pale, hoppy ales with 5.5 to 7.5 percent alcohol—the standard used by the Beer Judge Certification Program—and ruled out fruited variations. Our final list features established craft breweries you can find at your nearest beer shop, alongside a newer generation of upstarts with fresh takes on the style.Â
