We ranked 8 classic IPAs (and 1 pale ale) you’ll find at any store

How we tested
Best overall: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
Best bold pale ale: Elysian Space Dust IPA
Best classic: Bell’s Two Hearted IPA
The full list of pale ales, from highest to lowest, ranked

Think you can pick your favorite beer from a lineup? We put it to the test with some of America's most popular pale ales.

How we tested, Best overall: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Best bold pale ale: Elysian Space Dust IPA, Best classic: Bell’s Two Hearted IPA, The full list of pale ales, from highest to lowest, ranked

Over the past 20 years, pale ales, and particularly India Pale Ales (IPAs), have gone from a semi-obscure craft beer darling to a beer style as ubiquitous as mass-market lagers. They’ve turned hops into personality traits, making bitterness a bragging point rather than something to avoid. An explosion of new and revived classic styles has followed, from the West Coast IPA to New England hazies, American Pale Ales, double and imperial IPAs, fruited options, and everything in between.

However, a handful of producers have become mainstays in beer cases across the U.S. These aren’t the obscure options with seasonal releases in cans that look like comic book art. These are the pale ales you can often find in any supermarket, gas station, or friend’s fridge — brands like Lagunitas, Bell’s, Dogfish Head, Stone Brewing, Sierra Nevada, and Goose Island. These brewers are often synonymous with “IPA” in most people’s minds, and as with macro lagers, brand attachment is strong.

But would most people who say they prefer Lagunitas over Sierra Nevada really be able to tell the difference? (Yes, we’re aware Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is not technically an IPA, and no, we’re not especially interested in having that argument right now.) To put that question to the test, we pulled Food & Wine editors into a sight-unseen tasting of nine widely available pale ales.

How we tested

Beers were chosen based on a combination of national availability, sales volume, and availability at stores near the Food & Wine office, representing what any U.S. consumer is likely to find when they go out to pick up a quick six-pack of pale ale. We tried to keep the selection to each brand’s flagship product, and though we kept it IPA-centric, we also left ourselves some wiggle room — for instance, Sierra Nevada has a number of IPAs in its lineup (hazy, fresh hop, imperial, non-alcoholic, and so on), but its classic Pale Ale is the most iconic and readily available, and we wanted the selection to mirror most consumers’ grab-and-go options.

The beers were poured anonymously into numbered cups. We used plastic cups, which might not be the ideal way to serve beer but is likely how you’d be served one at a barbecue in real life — if you’re the type of beer lover who would never drink from plastic, this ranking is probably not for you.

Our panel captured a wide range of tastes, with diehard IPA lovers and those who favor other styles. Tasters sipped each beer, assessing its aroma, taste, body, and general drinkability. Different categories were put into weighted averages (so taste and overall impression contributed more to the final score than aroma alone), and our final ranking was compiled from the results.

These are the top flagship pale ales in America, according to a group of people who didn’t know what they were drinking.

Best overall: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

It’s “bitter but balanced,” said Special Project Editor Lucy Simon, of Dogfish Head’s iconic 60 Minute IPA. Though the brewer first debuted its 90 Minute IPA (the number denoting the length of time used in its continual hopping process), the lighter 60 Minute has overtaken its predecessor in sales and positioning as the producer’s flagship brand. “This one actually had a stronger smell than everything else, but was fruit-forward and easy to drink,” said Senior Photo Editor Doan Nguyen.

60 Minute, released in 2003, comes in at a relatively light 6% ABV — on the lower end of the spectrum, compared to many of higher alcohol and heavier-hopped beers that would take over the market in the coming years. But the decision made a beer that has stood the test of time, outlasting many beer fads. “It’s got good upfront bitterness and subtle citrus notes that don’t turn it into juice or overstay their welcome,” said Editorial Director Dylan Garret. “Funny, 10 years ago I’d probably have looked down on this for being too light, but nowadays it’s exactly the kind of IPA I want.”

Best bold pale ale: Elysian Space Dust IPA

Seattle-based Elysian Brewing has been in the IPA game for a long time, eventually becoming part of the Anheuser-Busch InBev portfolio in 2015. The first release of Space Dust predates the change in ownership; it was first brewed in 2012 and released to a wider market in 2013. This was an era of increasingly bold IPAs, and the 8.2% ABV selection found fans among our staff.

“I like the tanginess bouncing off the bitterness — pretty appealing,” said Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle. “It’s slightly cloudy, but with great mouthfeel. Leaves me wanting another sip.” His sentiments were echoed by Simon. “This is probably my favorite,” she said. “It’s kind of savory but fruity. Nice balance and a lingering finish.”

Best classic: Bell’s Two Hearted IPA

Michigan-based Bell’s Brewery’s flagship Two Hearted IPA predates the iPod and the Harry Potter film franchise, debuting in 1997 while Seinfeld was still the No. 1 television show in America. Nearly 30 years later, it still commands legions of fans, even among new-wave IPA enthusiasts.

“There’s a light-hearted appeal here — it’s less bro-y than a lot of IPAs, but also refreshing with a fair amount of complexity,” said Isle. Editor Amelia Schwartz concurred, calling it “complex, fruity, and a touch bitter,” while Garret noted that the finish was “on the sharper end of the spectrum.”

These notes come from Bell’s use of 100% Centennial hops, which tend to bring notable citrus (grapefruit, orange, lemon) and pine notes. The beer’s 7% ABV gives it more heft than most lagers without veering into the territory of exceptionally strong double and triple IPAs. The combination made Bell’s Two Hearted an early entry to the modern IPA scene, inspiring countless cans on the market today.