Highest rated IPAs in Louisiana
The craft beer revolution has taken a major bite out of macrobrew's traditional dominance of the national palette, and India pale ale is perhaps the most popular category to find traction in its wake. A wide range of flavor profiles and varieties—not to mention a generally higher alcohol content—make what constitutes an IPA a much more diverse profile than the average lager, which tend to run thinner, less hoppy, and in some cases wheatier.
A full breakdown of precisely what makes an IPA an IPA is as complex as the process of its creation. Some brands position themselves by the "type" of IPA they are—session, double IPA, dry hopped, double dry hopped, and so forth; others focus on the region or state in which they are created, which explains East and West Coast varietals as well as Belgian and British IPAs. India pale ale actually takes its origins from the British Isles. During the British colonial era, the intense heat and humidity of then-colony India made the brewing of a sustainable beer impractical, particularly one that could withstand the months-long sea voyage from India to Britain, but that didn't mean British sailors didn't still need a drink. Thus—as hops are a preservative—a heavily hopped beer was devised, and now centuries later there exists a mass spectrum of hoppy, deeply profiled, occasionally fruity ales that have a loyal following.
In 2020, the overall IPA category accounted for 19% of all beer sales, according to Drizly, putting it ahead of all other beer types and second only to hard seltzer. Paige Guzman, chief marketing officer for California-based brewer Lagunitas, told Craft Brewing Business, "What started as a fixture of the craft brew category has now grown into its own subset on the shelf." Pandemic-related shutdowns have only further fueled the success of the IPA market, and every state in the nation has both its favorites and its keystone brewers and producers.
Stacker compiled a list of the best IPAs from Louisiana using data from BeerAdvocate. A maximum of 5 IPAs per brewery were included. So if you want to know if your favorite made the list, or you're looking for a new local brew to add to your go-to IPA arsenal, this list has got you covered.
#15. West Coast IPA
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.40%
- Brewery: Second Line Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#14. AlphaGator
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.50%
- Brewery: Abita Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#13. Wrought Iron IPA
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.90%
- Brewery: Abita Brewing Co.
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#12. Radical
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.60%
- Brewery: Gnarly Barley Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#11. The Queen of New England
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.50%
- Brewery: Second Line Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#10. Holy Roller IPA - Grapefruit
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.30%
- Brewery: Urban South Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#9. Final Resting Place
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 7.50%
- Brewery: Flying Tiger Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#8. Snoball Juice
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 7.00%
- Brewery: Urban South Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#7. Jucifer
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.00%
- Brewery: Gnarly Barley Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#6. Grace And Grit
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.00%
- Brewery: Great Raft Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#5. Attacus Atlas
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 9.00%
- Brewery: Parish Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#4. Holy Ghost
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 11.00%
- Brewery: Parish Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#3. Nova Vert
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.80%
- Brewery: Parish Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#2. Ghost In The Machine
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.50%
- Brewery: Parish Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#1. Ghost In The Machine - Double Dry-Hopped
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.50%
- Brewery: Parish Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate