Top Washington IPAs
Turn it up to 11
By Aubrey Laurence
Washington continues to be a leader in all beers hopped, plus it is one of the largest hop-growing regions in the world, so it’s no surprise that the state is filled with many fine IPAs.
This list of favorites sticks to the classic, American-style IPA, though some of these may also be described as Northwest IPAs or West Coast IPAs.
1. Lucille IPA by Georgetown Brewing Co., Seattle
This palate-awakening, draft-only IPA explodes with hop flavors and aromas reminiscent of fresh fruit, blooming flowers and resinous pine. Its burly bitterness cleaves off the beer’s mild malt sweetness, creating a crisp and snappy finish that is highlighted by lingering notes of grapefruit that keep your mouth watering well into the aftertaste.
2. Interurban IPA by Fremont Brewing Co., Seattle
Balanced, clean, easy-to-drink and incredibly well-made, Interurban offers malt flavors of crackers and light toast, and they’re complemented by a bouquet of citrusy and floral hop notes.
3. Bastard Kat IPA by Kulshan Brewing Co., Bellingham
Crisp and snappy up front, smooth in the middle, and dry in the finish, this is a highly drinkable and flavorful IPA. Hints of caramel, bread dough and white cake provide the foundation for bright and bold hops that shine with grapefruit and pine, minus the harshness you find in many IPAs.
4. Saint Florian IPA by Silver City Brewery, Bremerton
This benevolent beer not only supports firefighters, but it is delicious, with a solid malt backbone and a hoppy mix of juicy citrus, sticky pine and aromatic flowers.
5. Trickster IPA by Black Raven Brewing Co., Redmond
Trickster is crisp and snappy with malt flavors reminiscent of toast, bread dough and light caramel. Hop flavors exude grass, pine, flower petals, grapefruit and lemon. After one taste, you’ll realize why Black Raven has a cult following.
6. Ruud Awakening IPA by Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop
Awaken your palate with this insanely delicious IPA. It has a rich malt base with a caramel sweetness that’s complemented by bold, grassy, floral, piney and citrusy hop notes.
7. Bellevue IPA by Bellevue Brewing, Bellevue
This relative newcomer is clean, balanced and highly quaffable with pleasant notes of herbs, grass, citrus and pine.
8. Diamond Knot IPA by Diamond Knot Brewing Co., Mukilteo
Smooth and very drinkable, this IPA offers subtle malt flavors of cookie dough and bright hop flavors of pine and citrus, plus a resinous nuttiness.
9. Inside Passage Ale (IPA) by Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham
Boundary Bay’s classic Northwest IPA has a wholesome malt backbone that’s balanced by burly hop notes of citrus and pine.
10. Evolutionary (Evo) IPA by Two Beers Brewing Co., Seattle
Evo is an all-around solid IPA with subtle hints of caramel and bread dough along with a healthy dose of hops that leave behind a wake of pine and citrus.
11. The Immortal IPA by Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle
Turning the volume up to 11, the Immortal IPA is wonderfully balanced and extremely sessionable with a smooth, rounded and satisfying bitterness.
Did you know?
- In 1982, Bert Grant opened Yakima Brewing & Malting Co., also known as Grant’s Brewpub, in Yakima, Wash., which was one of the earliest “micro” or “craft” brewpubs to open in the United States after Prohibition. Grant’s IPA was one of the first heavily hopped, American-style IPAs brewed in America, and it paved the way for many more to come. ~AL
- The number of IPA sub-styles has grown substantially in recent years. Beyond English-style IPAs and American-style IPAs, innovative American brewers have created Belgian IPAs, white IPAs, spiced IPAs, fruit IPAs, black IPAs, and double or imperial IPAs. ~AL
Aubrey is a freelance writer who has written about craft beer, hiking and mountain climbing for more than a decade. He has hiked, climbed and tasted beer across the U.S. and in more than a dozen countries on six continents (but not at the same time). He lives in Bellingham with his No. 1 climbing partner (his wife) and their three cats.
(Editor’s Note: OutdoorsNW will feature the top IPA’s from Oregon in its September/October edition on stands Sept. 4).
