When many people imagine an IPA, the version they usually visualize is the iconic West Coast IPA. This subset of the American pale ale is well-known for its over-the-top hop aroma and flavor. While this style has citrus and fruit flavors from the hops, it’s most well-known for its aggressively bitter, piney, dank finish thanks to the liberal use of hops like cascade, centennial, chinook, and others.
Even with the resinous, dank, sometimes bitingly bitter finish, West Coast IPAs are known for balance, mixing a malt backbone with the pronounced hops. They’re also more potent than many beers, with classic West Coast IPAs usually in the 7-9% ABV range.
While many believe Anchor Brewing’s Cascade-hopped beer Liberty Ale was the first contemporary IPA when it was released in 1975, the West Coast IPA style reached its pinnacle in the ‘90s when beloved bangers like Lagunitas IPA and Stone IPA were first launched.
It’s always a good idea to pay tribute to the OG West Coast IPAs that have a flavor profile that still holds up. Unlike chain wallets, bucket hats, snap bracelets, and too much flannel, these timeless IPAs will never go out of style.
Bear Republic Racer 5
This 7.5% ABV West Coast IPA never gets old. Brewed with malted barley, wheat, and crystal malts, it gets its hop presence from the use of cascade and columbus hops. It’s won numerous awards over the years for its complex, balanced flavor profile featuring notes of sweet malts, tangerine, candied orange peels, grapefruit, and dank, resinous pine. The finish is perfectly bitter and hoppy and leaves you craving more.
Buy (6-pack): $10.99
Lagunitas IPA
One of the first popular West Coast IPAs, Lagunitas IPA was first launched in the ‘90s and is still just as great today. This beloved beer is known for its well-balanced flavor profile thanks to the use of simcoe, chinook, centennial, and cascade hops. It’s known for its caramel malt backbone that works in perfect unison with its notes of grapefruit, lemongrass, orange peels, and dank, sticky pine. The finish is aromatic, bitter, and highly memorable. It’s steeped in the best kind of nostalgia.
Buy (6-pack): $8.99
Sierra Nevada Celebration
Sierra Nevada Celebration is a very unique classic West Coast IPA. Instead of being brewed to be enjoyed on a hot summer day, it’s meant to be enjoyed as a preparation for cool weather and the impending holidays and is only available from October through December. I look forward to this 6.8% ABV IPA every year. It’s complex and flavorful with hints of caramel malts, candied orange peels, fresh-cut grass, and resinous pine. The finish is gently bitter and very aromatic.
Buy (12-pack): $19.99
Russian River Blind Pig
Many drinkers are aware of Russian River’s iconic Pliny beers, but its first West Coast IPA is the still-iconic Blind Pig. First released in 1994, Blind Pig is a 6.5% hop-fueled IPA known for its flavors of sweet malts, tangerine, orange peels, grapefruit, pineapple, and dank pine. The finish is loaded with classic West Coast IPA bitterness that fans of the style love.
Buy (16.9-oz bottle): $17.99
Alesmith IPA
This award-winning 7.25% ABV treat is as classic as West Coast IPAs get. An all-time favorite by brewers and drinkers alike, it’s brewed with a mix of columbus and citra hops. The result is a nuanced, memorable IPA loaded with notes of ripe grapefruit, pineapples, mango, orange peels, lemongrass, and resinous, stick pine. The finish is perfectly bitter and brings everything together nicely.
Buy (4-pack): $11.99
Stone IPA
If you’re only going to drink one classic, timeless West Coast IPA, make it Stone IPA. This highly rated 6.9% ABV IPA was first introduced in 1997. It’s brewed with a symphony of hops including magnum, centennial, chinook, calypso, azacca, ella, and vic secret hops. These various hops create a sublime drinking experience featuring notes of sweet malts, lemon, grapefruit, orange peel, fresh-cut grass, and resinous pine needles. It all ends in a crescendo of perfectly bitter hops.
Buy (12-pack): $17.49
Ballast Point Sculpin
Named for a stinging fish, this bitingly bitter IPA is brewed with amarillo and simcoe hops. This gives this award-winning, highly-rated IPA a slightly different flavor profile than its counterparts. Sipping it reveals notes of caramel malt sweetness that backs up the lemon head candy, grapefruit, orange peel, grass, and epic pine aromas and flavors. The finish is prickly and bitter like the aforementioned fish. But it’s expected and works perfectly with the other flavors.
Buy (6-pack): $12.99
Firestone Walker Union Jack
Firestone Walker is well-known for its prowess in crafting award-winning West Coast IPAs. One of its best is its Union Jack. Named to reference its English-born co-founder, Union Jack is brewed with CTZ, cascade, and centennial hops in the kettle and dry-hopped with cascade, centennial, simcoe, citra, amarillo, and chinook. This creates a multi-layered experience featuring notes of tangerine, lemon peels, grapefruit, caramelized pineapple, and pleasant hop bitterness.
Buy (6-pack): $8.99
