But what makes a good IPA? The Brewers Association recognizes only two types of IPA, the flagship style of the American craft beer movement: American IPA and imperial IPA (or double IPA, abbreviated DIPA), each brewed with American-grown hops known for their citrusy, bitter, piney aromas. In South Florida, a number of breweries offer their own takes on the craft creations. From sour and hazy, to brut- and milkshake-inspired, here are the ten best IPAs from Palm Beach to Broward County.
1. Visual Chaos New England-style IPA, Devour Brewing Company. In Palm Beach County, Devour Brewing Company head brewer and owner Chip Breighner is producing a number of IPAs that stand as some of the best in the tri-county area. Among the hop heads, Devour is especially well-known for its Northeast-style IPAs with a lineup that includes hazy offerings such as his Woolbright Pale Ale, Visual Chaos IPA, and Shadow Walker double IPA. What sets Devour IPAs apart from others: a full-bodied mouthfeel, fragrant hop aroma, well-balanced flavor, little hop bitterness, and a beautiful opaque milky-golden haze that just won't quit. Of course, fans love his mango IPA and new Lu's Brew Session New England IPA, too (the second brewed especially for Papa's Raw Bar in Lighthouse Point). It's the Visual Chaos IPA, however, that's most popular: brewed with hops in the whirlpool, then dry-hopped with a combination of Citrus, Mosaic, and Belma hops. 1500 SW 30th Ave., #4, Boynton Beach; 561-806-6011; devourbrewing.com.
2. Neon White IPA, MIA Beer Company. Neon was first brewed in September 2016 by MIA's former head brewer Mike
3. Juice Imperial IPA, Civil Society Brewing Company. Any self-respecting South Florida hop-head knows where to find the region's best IPAs: Civil Society Brewing Company in Jupiter. Though the brewery is best known for its flagship IPA, Fresh, fans most covet its one-offs, such as the brewery's experimental Subject Series and its frequent collaborations with both local and nationally recognized brewers. For those who want something a little more accessible, however, try Juice. Head brewer Karl Volstad says he's been making Juice since his early homebrew days, and not much has changed since then. Brewing its IPA with flaked oats for a hazy body and a combination of Colombus, Amarillo, and Mosaic hops, the Civil team has changed the recipe only once by adding lupulin powder — a purified concentration of the resin compounds and aromatic oils in whole hop flowers — to create a more complex flavor profile. 1200 Town Center Dr., #101, Jupiter; 561-855-6680; civilsocietybrewing.com.
4. OJ Session IPA, Bangin' Banjo Brewing Company. Sometimes you just want an easy-drinking beer, that's also an IPA, and if you drink an entire six-pack by yourself, won't put you into a hop-induced coma. That's what you'll get with Bangin' Banjo's OJ Session IPA. Although it's a little lower in ABV and IBUs than the typical American IPA, that's also what makes it a true session beer: it's much easier to drink than most IPAs. The secret ingredient here is the sweet orange peel owner and brewer Adam Feingold adds to the beer during the boil to enhance the citrusy flavor while adding a touch of sweet. A supporting cast of orange, pine, and citrus notes pair perfectly with a medium-light mouthfeel, and finishes dry, making this beer super smooth and easy-drinking. 3200 NW 23rd Ave., Pompano Beach; 954-978-3113; banginbanjobrewing.com.
5. Florida Haze New England IPA, Mathew's Brewing Company. Lake Worth's first brewery, Mathew's Brewing Co. offers up a large selection of core beers from a cream ale to Irish dry stout on nitro — even a full lineup of traditional British-style cask ales. But those close to
6. Jaxson's Milkshake IPA #2, Invasive Species Brewing. If you like tons of flavor and a creamy mouthfeel, this IPA's for you. One of the latest entries into the IPA family of beers, the milkshake IPA — brewed with lactose for a full body and dose of fruit or vanilla as key flavoring ingredients — has officially made its way to South Florida. While the first-ever milkshake IPA is often attributed to Sweden-based Omnipollo, there have been dozens of breweries stateside that have experimented with their own milkshake mashup. Locally, that includes Fort Lauderdale's Invasive Species Brewing, which has brewed two variations of the style. While the first was fruit infused, the most recent batch offers a taste of Chinese Keemun black tea along with the usual vanilla and milk sugar, then double dry-hopped with Citra hops. 726 NE Second Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 754-666-2687; invasivespeciesbrewing.com.
7. Puckerface Sour IPA, 26 Degree Brewing Company. In Pompano Beach, Greg Lieberman and
8. What's My Haze Again New England DIPA, NOBO Brewing
9. Brut IPA, Holy Mackerel. Always one to set trends or explore new styles — especially since the creation of his Weed Reaper Experiment line of beers — Holy Mackerel brewer/owner Bobby Gordash was among the first in the tri-county area to offer his own take on the brut IPA. If you love champagne, you'll like this new style of beer that's made its way from the West Coast to South Florida. California's Social Brewing is credited with pioneering the brut IPA Puttin' on the Spritz, created by using an amylase enzyme that helps yeast break down any residual sugars left during the brewing process. This, along with dry-hopping to avoid bitterness while also focusing the hop aroma, is what causes the brut IPAs' signature, effervescent mouthfeel
10. Nuestra DIPA, the Tank Brewing Company. When the Tank opened in April 2016, brewer Moh