For this West Coast IPA roundup, we’re focusing on beers that you can get here in New England. Additionally, they have to be actually from the West Coast, not brewed here in the Northeast. We’re starting with an all-time favorite and then sampling four others that are easy to find and still hit all of those West Coast flavor notes that you crave.
Russian River – Pliny the Elder
The jewel in the West Coast IPA crown, Pliny the Elder, continues to be one of the most sought-after beers nationwide. Luckily for us in New England, it is distributed to the great state of Maine from time to time. This beer is all you want it to be: clean, hoppy, crisp, piney. All these flavors are present without any of them overwhelming. It’s a perfect, well-rounded beer. What a way to start our West Coast IPA round-up!
Ballast Point – Sculpin
A few years back, Sculpin was ubiquitous as it could be found in any area package store. Not anymore, but dig hard enough, and it’s there. It’s a West Coast that’s full of hoppy flavor. Being harder to find, reward yourself with this excellent IPA when you discover it. There are many varieties of Sculpins, but the original and the grapefruit are my favorites.
Lagunitas IPA
Tried and true, the Lagunitas IPA never disappoints. It’s full-bodied with that malty/hoppy combo. A bit of a throwback, the nostalgia may creep back to a time when OG IPAs were all you could find. It’s a reminder that there’s life beyond the haze. Sometimes it’s good to come back home.
Stone IPA
Similar to Lagunitas, Stone is an OG. Stone, always known for pushing the boundaries, always hits just right. It’s easy to forget how great a beer this is. Piney and robust, bring it toe to toe, or sip to sip, with any fashionable beer of the moment. The flavor is at the crossroads of being very drinkable and packing a punch at the same time.
Elysian Brewing Company – Space Dust
Coming out of the Pacific Northwest, Space Dust has a dank West Coast thang going on. Although owned by InBev and easy to find, it’s got a remarkable flavor profile. There’s a lot of taste in every sip, but instead of some hop or juice bombs, it remains easy to drink.
This West Coast IPA roundup is a reminder that while the hazy IPA trend continues to dominate, there’s nothing quite like a clean, crisp, and aggressively hopped classic. These five selections—from the highly sought-after Pliny to the easily accessible Stone IPA—prove that the West Coast style is still relevant, delicious, and well worth seeking out in New England. Cheers to life beyond the haze!
