Britain names the style — the "I" in IPA stands for the pale ales originally exported from Burton-on-Trent to British India in the 19th century — but for most of the modern craft era Britain ceded the category to the United States. That reversed hard in the mid-2010s. Verdant Brewing (Cornwall), Cloudwater (Manchester), Deya (Cheltenham), Beak (Sussex), and Wylam (Newcastle) built a distinctly British hazy IPA movement, borrowing New England technique but developing a softer, less aggressively-sweet expression that has since become a global reference.
Currently leading the ranking: Green Devil IPA (Oakham Ales), Black Mass (Abbeydale Brewery) and Oakham Citra.
How this ranking works
The hopIQ Score judges every beer against its style first: it rewards medals from competitions that judge within style categories and deducts points where a beer measurably deviates from its style reference. Community ratings add to that. Non-alcoholic excluded. No paid placement — order follows the data alone. Ranking spans 729 beers from 168 breweries.
Top 5 of 50
ABV
6.0%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Colour
golden 8
Launched in 2011 as the stronger sibling of Citra, Green Devil is a golden IPA double-hopped with the same single variety and matured in cask for at least six weeks. The aroma is intense: passion fruit, pineapple and mango, with grapefruit…Launched in 2011 as the stronger sibling of Citra, Green Devil is a golden IPA double-hopped with the same single variety and matured in cask for at least six weeks. The aroma is intense: passion fruit, pineapple and mango, with grapefruit behind. On the palate the tropical fruit is joined by a citrus bitterness, the pale malt stays unobtrusive, and the finish is crisp and dry. At 6.0 % it sits well above the other permanent beers.
Black Mass#146 worldwide
ABV
6.7%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Colour
dark 30
Bitter chocolate, fruitcake and raisins in the glass, with coffee, pine and burnt toast in the aroma. Six malts, chocolate and roasted barley among them, meet Cascade and Green Bullet at 6.66 % ABV. First brewed on 6 November 1996, it…Bitter chocolate, fruitcake and raisins in the glass, with coffee, pine and burnt toast in the aroma. Six malts, chocolate and roasted barley among them, meet Cascade and Green Bullet at 6.66 % ABV. First brewed on 6 November 1996, it predates the name: the label Black IPA only entered the beer vocabulary around 2008, and the brewery believes Black Mass may be the UK's first. National Overall Champion in Bottle & Can at SIBA 2023.
ABV
4.2%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Colour
golden 6
A pale gold session IPA hopped only with Citra, first brewed in November 2009 and a permanent beer since 2011. Grapefruit, lychee and gooseberry lead the aroma, followed by lemon-and-lime zest and passion fruit over a light base of Maris…A pale gold session IPA hopped only with Citra, first brewed in November 2009 and a permanent beer since 2011. Grapefruit, lychee and gooseberry lead the aroma, followed by lemon-and-lime zest and passion fruit over a light base of Maris Otter and wheat malt. The body stays lean, the bitterness is firm and the finish dry and pithy. On cask it is 4.2 %, while the bottled version is 4.6 %. It has since become the brewery's main beer.
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Proper Job#166 worldwide
ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Colour
golden 8
Bold citrus character, with grapefruit, pineapple and zesty orange, powerfully hopped over a solid malty backbone and ending in a crisp, satisfyingly bitter finish. Cascade, Chinook and Willamette hops sit on Maris Otter, and the beer…Bold citrus character, with grapefruit, pineapple and zesty orange, powerfully hopped over a solid malty backbone and ending in a crisp, satisfyingly bitter finish. Cascade, Chinook and Willamette hops sit on Maris Otter, and the beer pours gold. It runs at 4.5% in cask and 5.5% in bottle and can; the bottled version was named Champion Bottled Beer of Britain in 2025.
5
Shepherd Neame India Pale Ale#168 worldwide
ABV
6.1%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Colour
golden 8
Spiced fruit notes meet a heavily hopped bitterness that generous pale ale malt keeps in balance, in a deep golden ale. Target and Fuggles do the hopping, the Fuggles grown locally. This India Pale Ale (40 IBU) is 6.1% in the bottle but…Spiced fruit notes meet a heavily hopped bitterness that generous pale ale malt keeps in balance, in a deep golden ale. Target and Fuggles do the hopping, the Fuggles grown locally. This India Pale Ale (40 IBU) is 6.1% in the bottle but 4.5% on cask. At the World Beer Awards 2024 it won Gold and the England Country Winner title in the English-style IPA class.
Ranks 6–10
6
Hobgoblin IPA#169 worldwide
Pale gold with orange glints, this 5 % IPA is hopped with Chinook, Cascade and Citra. The nose is fresh and fruity, with tropical fruit, citrus and orange. On the palate it turns juicy and zesty, with grapefruit to the fore and a hint of…Pale gold with orange glints, this 5 % IPA is hopped with Chinook, Cascade and Citra. The nose is fresh and fruity, with tropical fruit, citrus and orange. On the palate it turns juicy and zesty, with grapefruit to the fore and a hint of honey underneath. A firm, juicy bitterness carries the finish.
7
Big Job#237 worldwide
Tropical grapefruit and juicy blackcurrant lead, with lemony hop aroma, deep malty sweetness, a smooth, warming body and a crisp finish. Centennial, Citra and Cascade hops are packed onto Maris Otter, and the beer pours burnished gold at…Tropical grapefruit and juicy blackcurrant lead, with lemony hop aroma, deep malty sweetness, a smooth, warming body and a crisp finish. Centennial, Citra and Cascade hops are packed onto Maris Otter, and the beer pours burnished gold at 7.2%. The punchier sibling of Proper Job was crowned Champion Bottled Beer of Britain in 2017.
8
IKAT#304 worldwide
Tropical fruit and citrus lead the aroma, then guava, mango, passion fruit and lychee, followed by mellow honey notes and a smooth but surprisingly bold finish. IKAT is a full-bodied, double dry hopped 8% double IPA with Amarillo, Citra…Tropical fruit and citrus lead the aroma, then guava, mango, passion fruit and lychee, followed by mellow honey notes and a smooth but surprisingly bold finish. IKAT is a full-bodied, double dry hopped 8% double IPA with Amarillo, Citra and Mosaic. It is named after the Indonesian craft of dyeing yarn before weaving, and won gold and category champion at the 2025 SIBA North East awards.
9
Anspach & Hobday IPA#312 worldwide
One of the first beers Anspach & Hobday brewed, The IPA follows the West Coast of America with British malt and the hops Summit, Ekuanot and Enigma. Summit brings pithy citrus and a touch of dankness, Enigma adds over-ripe mango and melon,…One of the first beers Anspach & Hobday brewed, The IPA follows the West Coast of America with British malt and the hops Summit, Ekuanot and Enigma. Summit brings pithy citrus and a touch of dankness, Enigma adds over-ripe mango and melon, and a firm bitterness holds it together. Munich malt takes the place of crystal, which keeps the beer clean and bright. In 2024 it was CAMRA's Champion Beer of London and, nationally, won the IPA category and overall silver.
10
Screech Owl#313 worldwide
Golden American-style IPA with a fresh, distinctive hop nose; sweet and citrusy on the palate, with a fresh bitterness right up front and a long hop finish. Cascade and Centennial, well hopped over Maris Otter and lager malt, brewed to…Golden American-style IPA with a fresh, distinctive hop nose; sweet and citrusy on the palate, with a fresh bitterness right up front and a long hop finish. Cascade and Centennial, well hopped over Maris Otter and lager malt, brewed to export strength at 5.5 %. Competitions first judged it a Strong Bitter (East Midlands Gold in 2013 and 2016), later an IPA: Gold in that category in 2024, Silver at the national Champion Beer of Britain in 2025. Cask and bottle.
The taste landscape
Of the 50 top beers, 2 lean malt-forward and 45 lean hop-forward.