Winter IPAs are here for the cold season, and these are some of the best

Anyone who tells you that you can’t drink an IPA during the winter months is flat out wrong. First of all, they shouldn’t tell anyone what they can and can’t drink. Also, only drinking darker, malty, and sometimes barrel-aged stouts, porters, Scotch ales, and barleywines in winter really limits your beer drinking. Not only is a piney, hoppy IPA a great respite from the colder season, but some breweries even craft winter-specific IPAs.

What is a winter IPA?

While you can sip a classic West Coast IPA or even a juicy, tropical fruit-filled hazy IPA on a chilly winter night, there is a specific IPA style for the winter. It’s aptly called the Winter IPA and, as expected, it scratches your wintery hop itch with dank pine and bright citrus flavors. But it’s also generally higher in alcohol than some of its other IPA counterparts. Often landing in 6% ABV range and above. This adds a little extra boozy warmth to this hop-centric brew.

In my years of writing about (and drinking) beer, I’ve had my fair share of winter IPAs. On top of the above definition, winter IPAs fit a broad spectrum of IPA styles from New England-style IPAs to Cold IPAs (made similarly to lagers), and everything in between.

The best winter IPAs to drink this year

Now that you’ve learned a little bit about the appeal of winter IPAs, it’s time to find some to add to your refrigerator instead of your usual aggressively hoppy, summer West Coast IPA. Below, you’ll find some of the best examples of winter IPAs that were brewed specifically to be imbibed on the coldest days of the year. Keep scrolling to see our favorites.

Sierra Nevada Celebration

If you only try one winter IPA on this list, make it the iconic Sierra Nevada Celebration. This “fresh hop” IPA is a seasonal favorite brewed with Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook hops. While not high in alcohol, it’s a warming yet crushable 6.8% ABV IPA that also features a nice malt base of two-row and Caramel malts. The result is a balanced, memorable IPA that opens with aromas of caramel malts, citrus peels, and floral, piney hops. Sipping it reveals notes of caramel malts, lemon peels, grapefruit, and dank, resinous pine. The finish is dry, gently bitter, and finishes with a pine needle essence. There’s a reason this is an annual favorite.

$11.99

Half Acre Tend

If you’ve never tried a beer from Half Acre before, start with Half Acre Tend. This winter IPA is brewed with a range of specialty malts and Mosaic and Simcoe hops. The result is a well-balanced IPA with a great malt backbone. On the nose, you’ll find notes of candied orange peels, grapefruit, lemongrass, caramel malts, and dank pine needles. The palate is centered on ripe grapefruit, citrus zest, caramel malt, and resinous, floral pine. The finish is pleasantly piney and gently bitter. Add this beer to your winter must-try list.

$12.99

Upslope Spruce Tip IPA

There’s no IPA that tastes more like winter than Upslope Spruce Trip IPA. This 7.5% ABV winter seasonal is brewed with select American malts and Cascade and Simcoe hops. It gets its unique, piney flavor from the addition of hand-picked Colorado spruce tips. It all begins with a nose of candied orange peels, ripe grapefruit, and a ton of pine needle aroma. Sipping it reveals notes of toffee malt, tangerine, grapefruit, and a ton of dank, resinous pine. The finish is as piney as it gets with a gentle bitterness that leaves you craving more. Fans of pine should stock up on this beer right now.

$12.49

Troegs Blizzard of Hops

A popular seasonal release, this 6.4% ABV winter IPA is brewed with Pilsner, unmalted wheat, white wheat, and ale yeast. It gets its over-the-top hop aroma and flavor from the liberal use of Centennial, Chinook, El Dorado, and Galaxy hops. This annual favorite begins with a nose of ripe pineapple, tangerine, lemongrass, and earthy, floral, piney hops. The palate features notes of grapefruit, candied orange peels, wet grass, caramel malts, and dank, pine needles. The finish is dry, crisp, prickly, bitter, and highly memorable. Seek this beer out while you still can.

$12.49

New Belgium Accumulation IPA

This 6.5% ABV winter IPA was crafted to be enjoyed after a long day of skiing. It’s brewed with specialty malts and London III yeast. The addition of Mosaic, Lotus, Strata, and El Dorado hops gives it balanced piney aromas and flavors. Before your first sip, you’ll be met with a nose of mango, ripe pineapple, grapefruit, orange peels, and dank, resinous pine needles. The palate is centered on notes of lemon zest, tangerine, grapefruit, juicy pineapple, bready malts, toffee, and pine needle tips. The finish is dry, refreshing, and loaded with pleasantly bitter, memorable pine. This is the kind of beer you’ll want to drink now until the eventual spring thaw.

$11.49