To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we’re cracking open a few American IPAs. The American IPA is a category that includes subsets, such as the West Coast IPA. We’ll be exploring beers from the Alchemist, Tree House, and La Cabra as well as classic takes from Bell’s, Ballast Point, and Stone for this American IPA round-up.
The Alchemist’s Skadoosh and Kiss of Dank
Vermont’s Alchemist provides two excellent entries to our American IPA roundup. Skadoosh is their rotating American IPA series. Although often similar, each batch consists of a different hop variety. Whatever version you get your paws on, it’s simply awesome. Kiss of Dank is another excellent American IPA. It’s often released solely for on-site consumption, but I have once seen it for sale to-go at the brewery. At only 5%, it’s less of a commitment than their bigger beers, but so much hop goodness is fit into this can. Try it; it’s excellent.
La Cabra’s Hipster Catnip
Straight out of Berwyn, PA, this beer is a bit juicy and a bit hoppy. If you find yourself in Eastern Pennsylvania, give it a shot. To top it all off, the “catnip” moniker comes through with a touch of dank.
Tree House’s Alter Ego
Of all my visits to Tree House’s various locations, one beer I had never tried was Alter Ego. The brewery calls it the sister of Julius. To me, it’s slightly less juicy than Julius, with a more pronounced hoppiness. It’s so good, it may be my new favorite Tree House beer. Try it.
Ballast Point’s Sculpin
A few years back, Sculpin was ubiquitous as it could be found in any area package store, even here in New England. Not anymore, but dig hard enough, and it’s there. It’s a classic IPA 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 Sculpin, but the original and the grapefruit are my favorites.
Stone’s IPA
Similar to Ballast Point, 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.
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
Another absolute classic is Bell’s Two-Hearted. The epitome of the American IPA style, it presents a piney West Coast-ish taste that holds up as well in 2026 as it did in 1997 when it started as a winter seasonal at Bell’s Brewery in Michigan. It’s pretty easy to find, so say hello to an old friend.
Smuttynose’s Finestkind IPA
One classic New England beer is actually a West Coast style when you boil it down: Smuttynose’s Finest Kind IPA. This has the maltiness with a slight bite. It’s an OG for sure and is still one of the best New England-brewed IPAs. Finest Kind has a piney quality to it. At Smuttynose, they’ve been brewing this long before there were so many variations of the IPA. All in all, try this classic American IPA.
Maine Beer Company’s Lunch
Lunch just may be the most well-rounded beer there is. It’s crisp, it’s hoppy, it’s piney, and a tad bit malty, making it the perfect beer. Lunch is a beer to savor every sip. This is an East meets West Coast beer, making it a prime example of an American IPA.
Whether you’re at a brewery such as the Alchemist or Tree House and want to try an excellent American IPA, or you’re at the local package store grabbing a six-pack of Ballast Point Sculpin or Bell’s Two Hearted IPA, give these beers in the American IPA roundup a try!
