The Top Imperial IPAs (which I actually drank) in 2013

By Dan Culver aka The Hopfather

Everyone loves lists right? No more is that evident than in the craft beer world. So once again it’s that time of year when all the media publications and blogs put out their “top whatever” lists, so here at BREWPUBLIC we figured we’d again do the same. With some difficulty I have compiled a list of what I feel were the top 50 or so Imperial IPAs during this past year.

In order to have made this list a beer has to have an ABV (alcohol by volume) of  ~8% or more and/or categorized as an Imperial/Double IPA on ratebeer.com or beeradvocate.com. As you can see, the beers are not ranked, but rather they are in tiered categories. Narrowing it down close to 50 was work enough, to rank these individually would end up being pure tedium. One last note, if there is a world-class IIPA which is not on this list it is probably because I have not had the privilege of trying it, or at least did not do so during 2013. I do my best to try as many IIPAs as I can, but getting a chance to try all of them is not exactly an easy task to accomplish throughout the year. If you feel a beer has been left out and would surely make this list, feel free to contact me to make arrangements to send me said beer. This would assure it a chance to make next year’s list.

So, with out further ado, I give you the Top Imperial IPAs of 2013 (I tried to include a photo with as many as I could).  Cheers!

 

 

Honorable Mentions:
And now to begin with the  top IIPAs of the year we will start with what I will label the “Honorable Mention” category. This is by no means a group that should be ignored, they are all great beers which were enjoyed very much and I’m sure can be considered tops in the category by some.

 

 

17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung – Stone Brewing

 

 

 17th Anniversary Specialty Ale – Coronado Brewing

 

Arctic Panzer Wolf – Three Floyds Brewing

 

 

Batch 250 Imperial IPA – Tioga Sequoia Brewing

 

 

Contentment – Grateful Hands Brewing

 

 

Dayman Coffee IPA – Ale Man / Two Brothers / Stone

 

 

 

Denogginizer – Drakes Brewing

 

 

Elevation Triple IPA – Renegade Brewing

 

 

Founders Double Trouble – Founders Brewing

 

 

Green Bullet – Green Flash Brewing

 

 

Hop Sails: Beer Junction’s 3rd Anniversary Double IPA – Schooner Exact Brewing

 

 

Hop Shortage Triple IPA – Knee Deep Brewing

 

 

Hopslam Ale – Bells Brewery

 

 

 Hoptologist DIPA – Knee Deep Brewing

 

 

Hoptometrist Double IPA – Rough Tail Brewing

 

 

Imperial IPA for Autism – Central City Brewing

 

 

Loud Lady IPA – Airways Brewing

 

 

Molotov Cocktail – Evil Twin Brewing

 

 

North VII – Fort George Brewery

 

 

On the Wings of Armageddon Imperial IPA – DC Brau Brewing

 

 

Pure Hoppiness – Alpine Beer

 

 

Resin – Six Point Brewery

 

 

Sock Knocker Imperial IPA – Coronado Brewing

 

 

Twenty – Avery Brewing

 

 

Runners-Up:

Now we step up to the second tier or runners-up.  These are what I call “Very, very, very good but not quite the very best.” These are all exceptional beers of course, and all are very close to being in the top-tier category.

 

 

Apocalypse Cow – Three Floyds Brewing

 

 

Big Mother – Mother Earth Brew

 

 

Citra Ninja – Pipeworks Brewing

 

 

Dorado Double IPA – Ballast Point Brewing

 

 

DUB Double IPA– 10 Barrel Brewing

 

 

 

Hop Venom – Boneyard Beer

 

 

Hopocalypse Double IPA (White Label) – Drakes Brewing

 

 

The Imperial IPA – Flathead Lake Brewing

 

 

Knuckle Sandwich – Bootlegger’s Brewery

 

 

Lagunitas Sucks – Lagunitas Brewing

 

 

Molten Lava – Double Mountain Brewery

 

 

Mongo IPA – Port Brewing

 

 

Notorious IPA3 – Boneyard Beer

 

 

Pliny the Elder – Russian River Brewing

 

 

 

Poor Man’s IPA – Pizza Port Brewing (Carlsbad)

 

 

Sticky Hands (multiple versions) – Block 15 Brewery

 

 

 

 The Sister Imperial IPA– Fremont Brewing

 

 

War Dog Imperial IPA – Big Dog’s Brewing

 

 

All-World:

Here we are, the top-tier. These are what I consider the very top IIPAs and what I classify as “All-World.”  In other words, the cream of the crop, the best of the best, the ones you’d sell your soul for if you are a true hop-head,  etc.

 

 

Abrasive Ale – Surly Brewing

 

Bad Boy – Alpine Beer

 

 

Citra Double IPA – Kern River Brewing

 

 

 

Dreadnaught IPA – Three Floyds Brewing

 

 

Double Dose IPA – Otter Creek Brewing / Lawson’s Finest Liquids

 

 

Enjoy By IPA (multiple dates) – Stone Brewing

 

 

Heady Topper – The Alchemist Brewery

 

 

 Keene Idea – Alpine Beer

 

 

Megafauna – Laurelwood Brewing

 

 

Ninja vs. Unicorn Double IPA – Pipeworks Brewing

 

 

Palate Wrecker – Green Flash Brewing

 

 

 Pliny the Younger – Russian River Brewing

 

 

Ruin Ten IPA – Stone Brewing

 

 

Simtra Triple IPA – Knee Deep Brewing

 

 

Snake Handler – Good People Brewing

 

 

 

Wisdom Seeker Double IPA – Black Raven Brewing

 

 

And there you have it! Thanks to Dan @TheHopfather for ruining his perfectly fine palate on some of the best hopped up beers on the planet. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram to see what he’s most recently tasting. Cheers!