Spanish craft IPA is disproportionately hazy. Of the 48 Spanish IPAs on this ranking, 10 are Hazy IPAs and another 5 are Doubles — a sub-style distribution weighted toward soft, juice-forward hop expression rather than the West-Coast bitterness that defined earlier Spanish craft experiments. Caleya (Asturias, north coast), SOMA Beer (Galicia), Cordobeer (Cordoba), and Solpor Brewing (Galicia again) are the names driving that direction, alongside Barcelona-based producers who have anchored Spanish craft since the mid-2010s.
Currently leading the ranking: Mistral (Cervezas Althaia), Mediterranean IPA and Complot IPA (Damm). Cervezas Althaia places 3 of the top 10.
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 81 beers from 37 breweries.
Top 5 of 50
ABV
8.7%
Bitterness
Very bitter
Colour
amber 9
Mistral is named after the boat of an oceanographer who, stranded by a storm on a Bermuda islet, repaired it alone and sailed on; the brewery says the story is a nod to co-founder Mayte Pardo. This double IPA pours a brilliant orange amber…Mistral is named after the boat of an oceanographer who, stranded by a storm on a Bermuda islet, repaired it alone and sailed on; the brewery says the story is a nod to co-founder Mayte Pardo. This double IPA pours a brilliant orange amber under a compact white head. The nose is loaded with fresh hops: grapefruit and mandarin, exotic passion fruit and a resinous backbone. On the palate it is intense and powerfully bitter, carried by a solid malt base, and ends dry and very long.
ABV
6.5%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Colour
golden 8
Together with a blonde and a brown ale, this IPA was one of Althaia's first three recipes and remains its second best-seller. It pours a brilliant honey colour under a compact, long-lasting white head. Dry hopping gives an intensely fresh…Together with a blonde and a brown ale, this IPA was one of Althaia's first three recipes and remains its second best-seller. It pours a brilliant honey colour under a compact, long-lasting white head. Dry hopping gives an intensely fresh aroma of tropical fruit and citrus, and the palate is fresh, tropical and resinous, with American hops balanced by a blend of selected malts. The brewery calls it an American IPA with a Mediterranean spirit; it was named Spain's best IPA at the Madrid Brew Competition 2019.
ABV
6.6%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Colour
golden 8
Complot IPA was Damm's first top-fermented beer when it launched in 2018. It is built around Nugget hops grown in Prades, Tarragona, where the brewery has trialled hop cultivation since 2014, joined by Summit, Willamette, Citra,…Complot IPA was Damm's first top-fermented beer when it launched in 2018. It is built around Nugget hops grown in Prades, Tarragona, where the brewery has trialled hop cultivation since 2014, joined by Summit, Willamette, Citra, Centennial, Simcoe, Amarillo and Mosaic added at different stages of the brew. The beer is amber with copper and orange hints. Ripe fruit, tropical fruit and citrus lead the aroma, with pine, a herbal-spicy edge and light earthy, floral touches, over a lean pale-malt base and a firm, clean bitterness.
Which of these beers fits your taste?
Build your Beer DNA and see which of these top beers fit your taste — free, in two minutes.
Build my Beer DNA4
ABV
7.0%
Bitterness
Very bitter
Colour
dark 30
Mascarat is named after the mountain pass between Altea and Calpe, where local legend places a masked highwayman who ambushed travellers. It is a black IPA brewed with rye malt. It pours jet black with mahogany highlights under a compact…Mascarat is named after the mountain pass between Altea and Calpe, where local legend places a masked highwayman who ambushed travellers. It is a black IPA brewed with rye malt. It pours jet black with mahogany highlights under a compact beige head. The nose combines roast and chocolate from dark malts with resinous, citrus and pine notes from American hops. Rye gives a silky body and a gentle spiciness, while a strong, clean bitterness from hops and roasted malt balances cocoa before a dry, resinous finish.
5
Ambar IPAMost Distinctive
ABV
5.9%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Colour
golden 8
La Zaragozana's modern IPA entry — hoppy and aromatic, bringing the historic Ambar brand into the craft era. Barcelona Beer Challenge Silver. Well-hopped with tropical and citrus notes and a clean bitter finish. Ranked on fit to the IPA reference, award history in style-judged competitions and community ratings.
Ranks 6–10
6
The little sister of SanFrutos' Super-DIPAs. Hazy, light and low-alcohol, but big in flavor and aroma. Fresh cannabic-tropical notes from Ekuanot, Centennial and Citra. Ranked on fit to the IPA reference, award history in style-judged competitions and community ratings.
7
Named after the iconic Spanish ham stand (jamonero) — a bold IPA brewed with American hops for citrus, pine, and tropical notes. The craft IPA designed for a market that still loves its Mahou but is ready for something more. Ranked on fit to the IPA reference, award history in style-judged competitions and community ratings.
8
A limited-edition Session IPA — hop-forward at low alcohol, brewed for long drinking. Ranked on fit to the IPA reference, award history in style-judged competitions and community ratings.
9
Caleya's first Triple IPA — a 'hoppy milkshake' with silky texture. Brewed with Cryo Azacca, Mosaic, and Bru-1 hops. 9.6% ABV with an intensely tropical, smooth body and a velvety finish. Proof that Asturias can brew world-class extreme…Caleya's first Triple IPA — a 'hoppy milkshake' with silky texture. Brewed with Cryo Azacca, Mosaic, and Bru-1 hops. 9.6% ABV with an intensely tropical, smooth body and a velvety finish. Proof that Asturias can brew world-class extreme hop-forward beers.
10
A New England DIPA — velvet on the palate, a field of flowers on the nose. Hop blend of Mandarina Bavaria, Mosaic, Talus and El Dorado for big aroma intensity. Ranked on fit to the IPA reference, award history in style-judged competitions and community ratings.
The taste landscape
Of the 50 top beers, 0 lean malt-forward and 50 lean hop-forward.