Highest rated IPAs in Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania 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.
#29. Blossoming Down Under
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 6.80%
- Brewery: Voodoo Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#28. Wandering Into The Fog
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.60%
- Brewery: Abomination Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#27. Shades
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.10%
- Brewery: New Trail Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#26. Wandering Into The Fog - Simcoe
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.60%
- Brewery: Abomination Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#25. Trellis
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 9.00%
- Brewery: New Trail Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#24. Space Cadet
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.10%
- Brewery: Voodoo Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#23. 37 Pieces Of Flair
- Type: American IPA
- ABV: 7.90%
- Brewery: Voodoo Brewery
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#22. Hop Ranch
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.00%
- Brewery: Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#21. Double Broken Heels
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 9.20%
- Brewery: New Trail Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#20. Nimble Giant
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.00%
- Brewery: Tröegs Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#19. Rare Fog
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 10.50%
- Brewery: Abomination Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#18. Double Lustra
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.50%
- Brewery: Dancing Gnome
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#17. Hammock
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 9.00%
- Brewery: New Trail Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#16. Idle Hands Double IPA
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.00%
- Brewery: Helltown Brewing
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#15. The Shape Of Hops To Come
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.50%
- Brewery: Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#14. Prop
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 7.50%
- Brewery: Funk Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#13. General Braddock's
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 6.80%
- Brewery: Brew Gentlemen
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#12. Better One or Two
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.00%
- Brewery: Dancing Gnome
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#11. DirtWolf
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.70%
- Brewery: Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#10. Akamai
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.20%
- Brewery: Brew Gentlemen
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#9. Infinite Highway
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.00%
- Brewery: Dancing Gnome
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#8. Alien Church
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 7.00%
- Brewery: Tired Hands Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#7. Eviscerated Pathway Of Beauty
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.60%
- Brewery: Tired Hands Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#6. Recertified
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.00%
- Brewery: Brew Gentlemen
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#5. Double Milkshake IPA - Mango
- Type: Milkshake IPA
- ABV: 9.70%
- Brewery: Tired Hands Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#4. Extra Extra Knuckle
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.60%
- Brewery: Tired Hands Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#3. Mammoth
- Type: Imperial IPA
- ABV: 8.50%
- Brewery: Brew Gentlemen
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#2. Double Milkshake IPA - EXTRA Vanilla
- Type: Milkshake IPA
- ABV: 9.20%
- Brewery: Tired Hands Brewing Company
- Read more on BeerAdvocate
#1. Albatross
- Type: New England IPA
- ABV: 8.00%
- Brewery: Brew Gentlemen
- Read more on BeerAdvocate