If you’ve paid attention to the beer world over the past decade you’ve probably come across the term “dry-hopped” fairly often. Especially if you’re not a fan of overly bitter beers (specifically IPAs) but enjoy the dank, floral flavor of hops. This is the sweet spot where dry-hopped beers thrive.
While most hopping takes place in the brewing kettle, dry-hopping occurs late in the brewing process — typically in the fermentation tanks themselves. The technique introduces aromas and flavor notes without adding any more bitterness into the equation. It’s how brewers craft epic hop-bomb beers that still manage not to pucker your mouth with over-the-top bitterness.
Those bold, hoppy beers are well-suited for any time of year but shine during the warmer months. But with so many breweries dropping dry-hopped beers, it can be difficult to wade through them all. That’s why we asked some pros for help — asking a team of our favorite craft beer experts and brewers to name the best dry-hopped beers to drink right now. You might be surprised to find that not all of their picks are IPAs!
Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale
Eric Boice, senior head brewer at Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant in Atlanta
ABV: 7.1%
Average Price: $7.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
Why This Beer?
Not to be that guy, but I’m going to be that guy. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale is the pinnacle of American IPAs. It boasts huge grapefruit and pine flavors that are on full display in this centennial dry-hopped ale. There’s a reason it’s always listed as one of the best dry-hopped beers.
Off Color Apex Predator Saison
Mike Jacobs, pub brewery innovation manager at Goose Island Brewhouse in Chicago
ABV: 6.5%
Average Price: $9.50 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
Why This Beer?
Apex Predator by Off Color. Although a Saison, Apex Predator has everything I look for in a good IPA. The Saison yeast gives it a juicy ripe pineapple aroma that pairs nicely with the lemon zest of the dry hop. It finishes dry with just enough funkiness to remind you it’s a Saison.
Societe The Pupil IPA
Jeremy Marshall, brewmaster at Lagunitas Brewing in Petaluma, California
ABV: 7.5%
Average Price: $13.99 for a six-pack
Why This Beer?
I hate that I sound so overly West Coast and/or Cali-centric, but this is where I live and in the times of COVID, I haven’t had the pleasures of sampling all the country’s other fine beers to cover. Therefore, I must say Societe’s The Pupil is really one of the best dry-hopped IPAs out there. It’s the perfect balance of resin, spice, tropical fruits, and dank. It’s got the old school hops in there used judiciously against a few newer school hops — a dying art amongst brewers that now so quickly and easily go straight to auto-tuning their beers with Citra and Mosaic, etc.
Calusa Zote IPA
Dan Esperon, owner and brewer at Crazy Dingo Brewing Co in Fort Myers, Florida
ABV: 7.5%
Average Price: $16.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
Why This Beer?
Zote IPA brewed by Calusa Brewing. Juicy, dank, always a good choice. Great IPA with clean and pure tropical aromas and flavor. It’s a great use of dry-hopping to add extra dimension, aroma, and flavor. Try it if you ever get a chance.
Epidemic Ales Patient Zero DIPA
Eric Espinoza, bartender at Signia by Hilton in San Jose, California
ABV: 8.4%
Average Price: $16.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
Why This Beer?
Epidemic Ales Patient Zero DIPA. This one is a meal in a can. It’s a complex dry-hopped DIPA that’s super dank and full of juicy grapefruit. Despite the bigness, it’s somehow refreshing and makes me want to grab a second for dessert.
Weldwerks DDH Juicy Bits
Courtney Servaes, owner of Servaes Brewing Company in Shawnee, Kansas
ABV: 6.7%
Average Price: $18.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
Why This Beer?
Most people don’t realize this, but I didn’t fall in love with IPAs until I had been drinking craft beer for several years. Now, IPAs are my go-to beer style whenever I am at a brewery. One of the first IPAs I ever fell in love with is WeldWerk’s Brewing Co.’s DDH Juicy Bits. With juicy notes of Mosaic, Citra and El Dorado hops, it is such an approachable IPA to drink all year long – but especially during the summer months.
Tilted Barn Libby Blonde Ale
Justin Tisdale, head brewer at Rejects Brewing Co. in Middletown, Rhode Island
ABV: 5%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
The market tends to be fairly flooded in dry-hopped IPAs as of the last few years, so I’m admittedly a little jaded and burned out on the hazier side of things. That being said, my buddy Luke over at Tilted Barn in Exeter Rhode Island is cranking out some amazing stuff. Literally, last night while fishing, he treated me to a new dry-hopped blonde they released with a boatload of Bravo hops. Something a little unconventional for the style, that I admittedly never imagined would work well, but somehow, they did it.
Loads of fresh berry and melon flavor without the typical palette killing hop burn are associated with most examples that share that amount of hops.
Other Half DDH Broccoli
Nancy Lopetegui, taproom general manager at Wynwood Brewing in Miami
ABV: 7.9%
Average Price: $24.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
Why This Beer?
DDH Broccoli by Other Half Brewing. For being double-dry-hopped, this beer has a light creaminess mouthfeel and a beautiful color. It gets its memorable flavor from the addition of Cascade, Hallertau Blanc, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops as well as Mosaic Lupulin powder, oats, and wheat. Perfect for summer.
Rising Tide Mountainside IPA
Mike Kelly, senior brewer at Harpoon Brewery in Boston
ABV: 6%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Rising Tide Mountainside is a heavily dry-hopped IPA that packs a huge hop aroma and flavor of bright citrus and tropical fruits. The exotic aroma paired with the pillowy soft mouthfeel makes this IPA worth seeking out.
Fort Hill Fresh Pick IPA
Dan Lipke, head brewer at Clown Shoes Beer in Boston
ABV: 7%
Average Price: $8.99 for a six-pack
Why This Beer?
Fort Hill Brewery’s Fresh Pick is a great dry-hopped IPA with a delicious mix of tropical and piney flavors. Easy drinking for 7% ABV it’s plenty hoppy without being overdone. Lighter malts, a good balance of hop flavors, and a refreshing bitterness at the finish make it a local favorite.
Civil Society Fresh IPA
Marshall Hendrickson, co-founder and head of operations at Veza Sur Brewing Co. in Miami
ABV: 6.2%
Average Price: $16.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
Why This Beer?
Civil Society Fresh is my go-to. Fresh is packed with all of the amazing citrus fruit flavors for IPA lovers. Even before your first sip, the aroma hits you hard with full grapefruit, lemon, and lime aromas. This beer is truly one of my favorites, so delicious.
Green Cheek Swimmin’ In The Tropics IPA
Adam Hall, brand manager at Boulevard Brewing in Kansas City
ABV: 10.2%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
Green Cheek Beer Co. Swimmin’ In the Tropics (DDH Hazy TIPA). If I had unlimited time and funds, I would spend it all at Green Cheek Beer Co. in Orange County to learn more about the process behind this equatorial delight. Based on the recipe of another one of their beers, they employ the use of freeze-dried skins of Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Bursting with tropical fruit on the nose and delivering on that aromatic promise with triple doses of kiwi, pineapple, and muscat grape.
Using innovative techniques and ingredients, Green Cheek has put a spin on a style that I continue to skip over, and I’m incredibly happy that I didn’t pass on this one.
