The Ultimate Beer Road Trip: America’s Top IPAs

As summer approaches, the quest for the perfect beer to sip while basking in the sun begins. India Pale Ales (IPAs) have become the go-to choice for many, thanks to their refreshing characteristics, diverse flavor profiles, and the delightful hoppy aromas that make them incredibly enjoyable on warm days. With their bright, bold flavors often accentuated by fruity and floral notes, IPAs offer a delightful escape from the heat, making them ideal companions for backyard barbecues, beach outings, and casual gatherings.

What makes IPAs even more appealing is their distinctiveness as an American original. Born from the craft beer revolution that began in the late 20th century, IPAs have evolved significantly over the years, spawning a variety of styles—from the hazy New England IPAs to the traditional West Coast variations. This evolution speaks to not only the ingenuity of American brewers but also their dedication to experimentation and innovation in brewing. As a result, IPAs proudly represent the spirit of American craft beer, reflecting its boundary-pushing nature and distinctly regional flavor.

As the days get longer and the temperatures rise, many are planning are deep into planning their summer vacations. Here is an idea. Why not plan a trip around discovering some of the finest IPAs that America has to offer? It will offer you a chance to journey to some of the most exciting breweries out there and sample some amazing brews. To simplify things for you, here are four award-winning beers from 2024, plus a personal favorite. Grab yourself a cold one and start planning out your next adventure.

1. Fremont Brewing Head Full of Dynomite Hazy IPA

Fremont Brewing Company, founded in 2009 and based in Seattle, Washington, is known for its commitment to quality and sustainable brewing practices. They must be doing a great job since their Head Full of Dynomite Hazy IPA holds one of the highest scores ever awarded by the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) with a 98 out of 100 points. While not a household name the BTI has been rating all styles of beverages for almost three decades and their beer list is one to dive into if you are looking for some amazing sips.

Head Full of Dynomite is a tribute to the vibrant, juicy flavors that hazy IPAs are celebrated for. This brew features a luscious blend of tropical fruit aromas and a smooth mouthfeel, delivering a refreshing experience that captures the essence of the Pacific Northwest. Its balanced bitterness and juicy finish have made it a staple for IPA enthusiasts. While you might find their beers outside the Evergreen State, the best way to enjoy a Head Full of Dynomite is at their two Urban Beer Gardens during a sunny summer day in a city that stays wet most of the year.

2. Highland Park Brewery High 11

Once overshadowed by its bigger brewing neighbors to the north and south, San Francisco and San Diego, the city of angels, Los Angeles has arrived on the American craft brewing landscape in a big way. There are over 100 breweries of all sizes pouring golden goodness in the City of Angels, making any visit there worthwhile for a beer lover. One of the more interesting ones is Highland Park Brewery in Chinatown, next door to the LA Dodgers stadium.

Founded by Montana transplant Bob Kuntz, the brewery has gone from being one of the city’s best-kept beer secrets to one that is winning major awards. Their latest was for their big bold anniversary beer, High 6, which took home the gold medal in the American-Style IPA category at the 2024 World Beer Cup. While you can’t get that brew anymore, you can get a pint full of their High 11 West Coast IPA, made with six different IPA varieties that will knock your socks off at their intimate tasting room.

3. Tree House Brewing Company Julius

Since it opened in 2011 in a small red barn in Brimfield, Massachusetts, Tree House Brewing Company has been focused on doing one thing-brewing ridiculously good beers for its local community. That passion has resulted in a plethora of awards and a fanatically dedicated fan base that continually calls out their beers on all online forums.

Their Julius IPA was named one of the top IPAs in America in the recent Untapped Community Awards, one of the many brews from Tree House to be called out by the top online beer rating site in the world. Here is the kicker: Since they self-distribute, the only way you can enjoy their beer is to go to one of their six tasting rooms spread throughout the Bay State.

4. Ambitious Ales Professional Human Being

One of the beautiful things about craft beer is that it is the ultimate underdog American success story. Talk to any successful brewer, and they will tell you that an overwhelming passion drove them to dive into the industry. That drive to create something special saw them through all sorts of challenges and is what led to many sleepless nights.

That’s precisely the story behind Ambitious Ales. Located inside a renovated 71 year old building in Long Beach, California, it is the passion project of its founder Garrett Carroll that took nine years to come to fruition. It opened in 2019 and, to this day, is a small operation that focuses on brewing great beer for its local community; you can only get its beer onsite. I am betting that it’s a bit more crowded these days. That’s because its Professional Human Being, made with three hops varieties, took home the Gold Medal in the Juicy and Hazy IPA category at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival. Ambitious Ales scored a victory for the little guy everywhere by winning the biggest category at the event.

5. The Alchemist Brewery Heady Topper

As a long-time craft beer lover who has covered the industry for decades and routinely searches out new and exciting brews when traveling, I figured I deserve the right to add a brew to this list. I was skeptical when I had my first sip of Heady Topper over a decade ago; it was the holy grail of beer that one had heard about but rarely experienced. When I inhaled its sweet floral scents, I knew my trip to its home, The Alchemist Brewery in Stowe, Vermont, was worth the effort.

As one of the pioneers of the New England IPA movement, Alchemist helped redefine the IPA category when it opened its doors in 2010. Their fresh, unfiltered IPAs were more floral and less piney than the West Coast IPAs dominating the market at the time and offered layered flavors. These days, there are still lines of people outside the brewery waiting for each Heady Topper release. It still draws people from around the globe in search of a beer that, to this day, is called one of the most coveted beers in America.

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