French craft IPA came late. In a country whose beer identity centres on Bière de Garde, Belgian-adjacent farmhouse ales, and Alsatian lager, the American-style IPA had no obvious home for most of the modern craft era. That began to change in the mid-2010s as Paris-based producers like Fauve Craft Bière, Bordeaux Beer Factory, and the Alsatian Brasserie Perle built dedicated IPA lines. The scene remains smaller than Italy's or Spain's and shows less sub-style diversity — 16 of the 22 French IPAs on this ranking are American IPA, with Session, Double, and Hazy variants each appearing only in single-digit counts.
The hopIQ ranking captures what exists honestly: a real French IPA scene concentrated around Paris and Bordeaux, with regional outliers like Brasserie Pietra on Corsica (whose IPA draws on the same brewery that made bay-leaf beer famous), Le Grizzly in Charente, and La Perle Toulousaine in the south. French IPA in 2026 is real but early — the story is more about producers making their case than about a settled national style.
How this ranking works
The hopIQ Score weights style authenticity (80%), user engagement (10%), notability (10%), and award history. Active, in-production beers only — non-alcoholic excluded. No paid placement — order follows the data alone. Ranking spans 22 beers from 17 breweries.
Top 5 of 22
1
Pietra IPABest Overall
Brasserie Pietra · American IPA · France
BitternessStrongly bitter
Pietra's modern IPA entry — aromatic and floral with tropical fruit notes and an assertive but clean bitterness. Brewed with Corsican barley and Alsace hops, it represents the island's take on the global craft IPA movement while staying… Ranked here for style-fit against the IPA reference and award history in IPA-specific categories.
2
Planier Equinox
Zoumaï · Session IPA · France
BitternessNoticeably bitter
Named after the Planier lighthouse island guarding Marseille's bay. A single malt, single hop Session IPA brewed entirely with Equinox hops. Double Gold medalist at France Bière Challenge 2020 — clean, aromatic, and refreshing with… Ranked here for style-fit against the IPA reference and award history in IPA-specific categories.
3
BDX Session IPA
Bordeaux Beer Factory · Session IPA · France
BitternessNoticeably bitter
Brewed around the Mosaic hop — chosen for its powerful bitterness and exuberant aromas. An accessible, sessionable IPA that bridges the gap between wine drinkers and hop lovers in France's most celebrated wine city. Ranked here for style-fit against the IPA reference and award history in IPA-specific categories.
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Coreff IPA
Brasserie Coreff · American IPA · France
BitternessStrongly bitter
Created to mark Coreff's 30th anniversary, reviving the historical IPA style that British settlers used for long maritime journeys to the East Indies. A high-fermentation IPA brewed with selected citrus and aromatic hops. Available in… Ranked here for style-fit against the IPA reference and award history in IPA-specific categories.
5
Metz Coast IPA
Brasserie Bon Poison · American IPA · France
BitternessStrongly bitter
Bon Poison's flagship — a West Coast-style IPA named after the Metz coastline (a playful nod for a landlocked city). Rated 3.6 on Untappd with 198 ratings. Brewed with British-inspired technique and a French personality, combining hoppy… Ranked here for style-fit against the IPA reference and award history in IPA-specific categories.
Ranks 6–10
6
Perle IPA
Brasserie Perle · American IPA · France
Perle's modern IPA — built on a malty backbone with resinous and tropical aromatic hops. Notes of peach, mandarin, and tropical fruit on a cereal base, finishing dry and refreshing. 5,027+ Untappd ratings, rated 3.6. The IPA that brought… Ranked here for style-fit against the IPA reference and award history in IPA-specific categories.
7
Big Mountain IPA
Big Mountain Brewing Co. · American IPA · France
The flagship and founding beer of Big Mountain Brewing Co. — juicy, tropical, and filled with Simcoe and Centennial hops. The IPA that launched Chamonix's craft beer scene and turned mountain guides into craft beer lovers. 4,391+ Untappd… Ranked here for style-fit against the IPA reference and award history in IPA-specific categories.
8
Maïre
Zoumaï · American IPA · France
Named after the Île Maïre, a rugged island off the Marseille coastline. A bold rye IPA with a punchy, spicy malt backbone and vibrant American hop character. One of Zoumaï's core flagships and widely considered one of the finest craft… Ranked here for style-fit against the IPA reference and award history in IPA-specific categories.
9
BAPBAP IPA
BAPBAP · American IPA · France
BAPBAP's flagship IPA — aromatic with Magnum, Summit, and Sorachi Ace hops for a caramel-auburn beer with expressive hop character. The Sorachi Ace adds a distinctive lemon-dill note that makes this IPA unmistakably Parisian in character. Ranked here for style-fit against the IPA reference and award history in IPA-specific categories.
10
Anosteké IPA
Brasserie du Pays Flamand · American IPA · France
Brewed with 3 American hops for a light, fresh IPA with pleasant taste complexity. Silver Medal at Barcelona Beer Challenge. Anosteké's modern hop-forward entry — the beer that shows Flanders can brew American styles as well as it brews… Ranked here for style-fit against the IPA reference and award history in IPA-specific categories.
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11
IPA Série Simcoe/Centennial
La Brasserie du Mont Salève·American IPA · 6%·Strongly bitter·amber 9
12
La Filature IPA
Brewpub La Filature·American IPA · 6%·Strongly bitter·golden 7
13
Bilange IPA
Brasserie au Bilange·American IPA · 6%·Strongly bitter·golden 7
14
Nautile IPA
Brasserie Nautile·American IPA · 6%·Strongly bitter·golden 5
15
Hot Rod IPA
La Perle Toulousaine·American IPA · 6.5%·Strongly bitter·golden 7
16
BDX IPA
Bordeaux Beer Factory·American IPA · 6.5%·Strongly bitter·golden 5
17
Oregon IPA
Skumenn·American IPA · 6.5%·Strongly bitter·golden 7
18
Cyberdrunk
Brasserie Nautile·Hazy IPA · 6.5%·Strongly bitter·pale gold 3
19
Grizzly IPA
Microbrasserie Le Grizzly·American IPA · 6.5%·Strongly bitter·golden 5
20
Tropical Smoothie IPA
Big Mountain Brewing Co.·Hazy IPA · 6%·Strongly bitter·golden 5
21
Perle DIPA
Brasserie Perle·Double IPA · 8.5%·Very bitter·amber 10
22
Regard Complice
Fauve Craft Bière·Double IPA · 8.5%·Very bitter·golden 7
The taste landscape
Of the 22 top beers, 0 lean malt-forward and 22 lean hop-forward.
