You might assume that the chilly November weather, when winter beers start to flourish, isn’t right for the citrus, resinous, floral notes of your favorite IPAs. But beer has always been like Walt Whitman — it contains multitudes. Who says you can’t savor a slightly bitter West Coast IPA or a hazy New England-style juice bomb on a crisp fall day? Not us!
In fact, IPAs might just be the perfect seasonal choice for anyone who isn’t ready to admit that it’s getting dark at 5 p.m. these days. Or those of us who want to wait until at least Thanksgiving before the barrel-aged stouts and rich, chocolatey porters start flowing. And especially the lucky few who live where the temperature never dives below 60.
In our unending quest to make your selection process easier every time you hit the beer aisle, we asked a handful of our favorite bartenders to tell us their go-to IPAs to drink this November. Check out their answers below!
Sierra Nevada Celebration
Seth Falvo, bartender at The Hotel Zamora in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Sierra Nevada Celebration IPA is perfect for fall. Brewed in honor of the hop harvest, the sweet malty base contrasts beautifully with the layers of citrus and pine provided by the hops. Plus, it’s widely available — making it a great last-minute six-pack to pick up from the gas station on your way to Thanksgiving dinner.
Dock Street King Juice
Alex Clark, bartender at Square 1682 in Philadelphia
I definitely recommend the King Juice from Dock Street Brewery. This beer is brewed right up the street from my house in South Philly and it’s one of my favorites to pick up. It’s a hazy double IPA and comes in around 8.5% ABV, so you really only need to have one or two, and the flavors and hops that come out in this beer are truly amazing.
This is about as “juicy” as an IPA can get, so it stays true to the name.
Elysian Contact Haze
De’Ann Wellwerts, beverage director at City Works Eatery & Pour House in Pittsburgh
Elysian Contact Haze. This is a very mild hazy IPA. It has such a refreshing taste with a bright citrus flavor, a pronounced hop scent without being too bitter. This is a year-round beer, but I think this is a great option for the fall, since I enjoy so many heavier darker beers, this can bring some lightness and a summery feel even in the cold winter.
Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere
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Roberto Berdecia, bartender at La Factoria in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest is a perfect fall beer. It’s brewed in celebration of the seasonal hop harvest. It’s a wet hop IPA, bursting with floral and piney hop flavors perfect for crisp November days.
Earthbound Thai Basil IPA
Andy Printy, beverage director at Chao Baan in St. Louis
Earthbound Brewery in St. Louis now has their Thai Basil IPA. It has loads of Thai basil for an herbaceous front that balances out with jaggery date syrup and that dry-hopped goodness.
Darwin Juicy Dayze
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Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami
Juicy Dayze is another new classic from Darwin Brewing. The can says it all — with its heady logo and description: fruit juice, citrus, and stone fruit. Just tart enough and the hops make it an easy rider. Perfect for all those moments missing a beer.
Peak Autumn IPA
Can Coskunkal, director of operations at Street Guys Hospitality in Washington, DC
Peak Autumn IPA is pretty good and specially crafted for this time of year. Peachy, citrusy, and easy on the palate in the not-so-cold fall season.
Toppling Goliath King Sue
Michaela Todd-Milner, general manager of Coastal County Brewing Company in Pensacola, Florida
The best new IPA that I’ve had this year is probably — and it is new to my region — Toppling Goliath King Sue. This double IPA is massively citrusy and just delightful. It has a punch in the ABV department but is still crushable or ready to just be enjoyed by a fire.
Writer’s Picks:
Cigar City Fancy Papers
You probably already know that the humid, hot summer days are perfect for hazy IPAs. Well, so are the dry, chilly fall days. Made with Strata, Sabro, and Idaho 7 hops, this pick is a sweet and juicy. A nice respite from the dark winter days ahead.
Founders All Day IPA
If you’re looking for a great, refreshing IPA to drink in between your 12 percent ABV bourbon barrel-aged stouts this fall, make it a Founders All Day IPA. It might only be 4.7 percent ABV, but it’s complex, fresh, and filled with bright hop flavors.
Troegs Perpetual IPA
This 7.5 percent offering checks all of the IPA boxes. It’s dry-hopped and a great mix of fresh, juicy fruit flavors along with bitter, resinous hops. A great back porch sipper on a cool-but-not-bone-cold November night.
