What Is IPA Beer? Different Types of IPAs Explained
What is IPA beer? It’s a hop-forward beer style where brewers build the experience around hop aroma and flavor, not only bitterness. You notice it in the first sniff, long before the sip.
IPA stands for India Pale Ale, but the name alone doesn't tell you how it will taste. Some IPAs feel bright, clear, and crisp, with citrus and pine.
Others pour hazy, with a softer taste, fuller mouthfeel, and a “juicy” aroma.
This post gives you a simple map of the main IPA types and how to pick one that fits your palate. We’ll use Coronado Brewing as a real-world reference.
Key Takeaways
- What does IPA stand for? IPA stands for India Pale Ale, a hop-forward beer style built around hop aroma, flavor, and bitterness.
- “Hoppy” can manifest as citrus, tropical fruit, pine, floral notes, or a layered mix, depending on the hop selection and brewing technique.
- A standard IPA often sits in the moderate-strength range, while a double IPA pushes higher, with bigger hop intensity and a bolder finish.
- Hazy IPAs aim for a softer bitterness, a fuller mouthfeel, a “juicier” aroma profile, and that naturally cloudy look.
- There are many types of IPA beer, so the name tells you the family, while the substyle tells you the vibe in the glass.
- Coronado Brewing has deep West Coast roots, which makes it a useful home base for learning classic hop character.
What Is IPA Beer?
IPA refers to India Pale Ale, a beer style that puts hops front and center.
That spotlight is not a single flavor. Depending on hops and timing, an IPA can taste like grapefruit and orange peel, turn tropical like mango, or hit pine and resin. Late dry hopping boosts aroma, while early additions raise bitterness.
Bitterness is part of it, but brewers control the feel through malt balance, yeast choice, and dryness, which is a big part of the IPA and pale ale divide.
That mix of aroma, bitterness, and balance is also why IPA keeps evolving. Styles branch out because drinkers chase different “hop expressions,” whether crisp and clear or soft and hazy.
The Brewers Association reports that American-Style India Pale Ale drew 412 entries at the 2023 World Beer Cup, while Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale drew 374, showing how wide the IPA world has become.
The History of IPA Beer
Most IPA timelines start in 1700s Britain, where pale ales traveled on export routes linked to the East India Company. Britannica Editors' notes British drinkers in India faced voyages lasting at least six months, and familiar porter arrived spoiled.
That travel problem shaped the beer. George Hodgson’s Bow Brewery leaned on “October beer,” a strong, pale, well-hopped brew that could age during the voyage and still taste good on arrival.
With time, versions changed. A paler, weaker strain had spread back in Britain.
Modern IPA comes later. After refrigeration and shipping improved, the old export need mattered less, and IPA faded. American craft brewing brought it back with a new goal: louder hop aroma.
Cascade hops, released publicly in 1972, helped kick off that citrus-forward chapter.
What Makes an IPA an IPA? Key Characteristics
Plenty of beers taste bitter. With IPA, bitterness usually frames hop flavor and aroma, so the bite feels intentional.
Look for these signals:
- Hop aroma leads: citrus, tropical fruit, pine, floral notes, or a resin edge.
- Bitterness runs higher: sharper than many lagers and classic ales, even when the finish stays clean.
- ABV often sits around 5.5%–7.5%: standard IPAs live here, while stronger versions climb.
- Aroma, color, and mouthfeel matter: clear and snappy, or hazy and softer, depending on the style.
Take a moment to smell the beer before you sip. That aroma is a big part of the point.
Why Are IPAs So Popular Today?
IPAs match the way craft beer has grown across the U.S. They give brewers room to experiment, because a tweak in hops, timing, yeast, or water can shift the whole personality.
That variety also helps you learn your taste fast. Maybe you love crisp pine and a clean finish, or you chase tropical aroma with a softer feel. Either way, you can stay inside the IPA family and keep exploring.
Breweries like Coronado keep that West Coast lane alive through fresh takes and seasonal releases.
Different Types of IPA Beer
Here’s your quick decoder for the main types of IPA beer so that you can match labels to flavor, body, and strength.
West Coast IPA
West Coast IPA is the crisp, clear lane of the IPA family. It finishes dry, so hop notes land with definition: citrus, pine, resin edge.
Brewers keep malt low and drive attenuation, which keeps the body light and the bitterness firm. Brewers Association guidelines describe modern examples as highly attenuated, with an assertive hop character and a dry finish.
They place examples around 6.3%–7.5% ABV. You will notice the aroma before the bitterness.
If you enjoy a snap that resets your palate, served cold, it pops right away. It also maps neatly onto Coronado’s Southern California roots.
East Coast IPA
East Coast IPA is a loose label, yet the idea is consistent.
You still get hop aroma and flavor, although the beer often carries a rounder middle.
Compared with a classic West Coast profile, bitterness tends to feel less sharp, and the malt can show up a bit more. That extra body helps the hops read as fruity and floral rather than edgy.
Reach for this style when you want hops without the crisp snap. It’s a comfortable bridge if you like balance, and it sets you up well before you explore hazy or stronger IPA lanes.
Hazy IPA / New England IPA
What is a hazy IPA? It’s an American IPA built for intense fruit-forward hop aroma, a soft body, and a smooth mouthfeel.
The beer often pours opaque, with haze that comes from the grain bill and brewing process, and you’ll see plenty of award-winning Cap’n Surf IPA examples built in that same fruit-forward lane.
Bitterness still exists, but it tends to feel lower because the fuller body and off-dry finish can mask it. BJCP Guidelines describe the style as massively hop-forward, with less perceived bitterness than traditional IPAs, plus a pillowy texture that makes it easy to sip.
Double IPA / Imperial IPA
A double IPA turns the dials up without losing the style's point. You get 7.5%–10% ABV, plus heavier hopping that pushes bigger citrus, ripe fruit, pine, or resin notes.
Even with the extra punch, a well-made DIPA can stay smooth. Brewers often chase a drier finish so the hop intensity feels bold, not syrupy, and the bitterness reads firm rather than rough.
- ABV: usually 7.5%–10%
- Taste: louder hops, bigger aroma, longer finish
Triple IPA
Triple IPA lives in the deep end at 10%+ ABV. It’s built for massive hop aroma and flavor, yet it still aims for balance so the strength doesn't take over.
Because that balancing act is hard, many breweries treat triples as limited or seasonal releases. Craft Beer & Brewing notes that even heavyweight IPAs come down to controlling sweetness, alcohol warmth, and hop bite so the beer still drinks clean.
- ABV: 10%+
- Vibe: intense, saturated, special-release energy
Session IPA
Session IPA keeps the hop character you want, while staying lighter in strength and body.
Most examples sit around 4%–5% ABV, so the beer feels easier to drink without losing aroma.
This is the style for warm weather, long hangs, and “one more” without the weight of a stronger IPA. You still get hops up front, just in a lighter frame.
- ABV: around 4%–5%
- Taste: hop-forward, lighter body, clean finish
Cold IPA
Cold IPA is a newer style that aims for two things at once: punchy hop character and a super clean finish. It often tastes crisp and refreshing, with less sweetness getting in the way of the aroma.
You’ll usually see it land around 6%–7.5% ABV, so it can feel bold without turning heavy. If you like IPA flavor but want a lager-like snap, this is the lane.
- ABV: typically 6%–7.5%
- Vibe: clean, dry, hop-bright
Fruited IPA
Fruited IPA keeps the hop backbone while real fruit additions steer the flavor. Think mango, pineapple, or grapefruit, adding lift and extra juiciness, not candy sweetness.
ABV depends on the base style, yet many sit around 5.5%–8% ABV. Fruited versions work well with hazy IPAs when you want a softer feel, and they also shine in West Coast builds when you want a sharper, citrus-driven edge.
Gluten-Reduced or Specialty IPAs
Specialty IPAs exist to fit how you want the beer in your life, not the other way around.
You’ll see gluten-reduced options, lower-calorie builds, and non-alcoholic versions that still aim for hop aroma.
ABV varies widely. Some sit around 4%–6% ABV in lighter formats, while non-alcoholic IPAs are usually 0.5% ABV or less. The label matters because the process changes, yet the goal stays familiar: hop character, clean balance, and an easy finish.
IPA Flavor Profiles: What You Can Expect
| Flavor neighborhood | What it can taste like | What usually drives it |
| Citrus-forward | Grapefruit, orange peel, lemon zest | Bright, zesty hop character and a drier finish that keeps citrus sharp |
| Tropical-forward | Mango, passion fruit, pineapple | Late hopping and dry hopping that push ripe, juicy aroma |
| Pine and resin | Evergreen, dank, sticky hop oils | “Classic” hop character with deeper, resin-leaning aroma compounds |
| Floral and herbal | Meadowy aromatics, subtle spice | Softer, perfumey hop notes and herbal edges, often with a balanced malt frame |
| “Juicy” and soft | Big aroma, lower bitterness impression, fuller texture | Hazy-style build, heavier aroma focus, and a rounder mouthfeel that smooths the bite |
Bitterness often gets summarized as IBUs, but what you feel depends on body, sweetness, carbonation, and hop compounds.
That’s why two IPAs can show similar IBUs and still drink very differently.
Hops Used in IPA Beer
IPA is a hop showcase, so knowing a few common varieties helps you predict what’s coming before you even pour.
You’ll often see Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, Cascade, and Amarillo on IPA labels, and each one tends to pull the beer in a different direction. Brewers also blend hops on purpose, because a layered aroma reads richer than a single note, especially when you’re pouring a Coronado fresh hop IPA.
- Citra, Mosaic: citrus and tropical fruit energy
- Simcoe: pine, resin, and deeper “dank” edges
- Cascade, Amarillo: bright citrus, floral lift, gentle spice
Coronado Brewing Company’s IPA Selections
Coronado’s IPAs carry West Coast energy: hop aroma up front, a clean finish, and flavor that stays bright, not heavy. Use our lineup as a tasting map, so you learn what “hoppy” means to you. Our Core beers give you solid reference points.
Notice the aroma before the sip, and finish after it. A clear, crisp IPA reads sharper and drier, while a tropical-tilted IPA feels softer through the middle. Pay attention to bitterness; it can feel firm or smooth.
If you want quick reference points, these pours make the differences obvious:
- Aloha Warrior (7.2%): bold hop punch with a resin-citrus edge.
- Weekend Vibes (6.8%): classic West Coast shape, snappy and refreshing.
- Palm Sway (6.5%): fruit-forward, showing how hop aroma can feel juicy.
Which IPA will you pour with confidence?
You now have a clean answer to “what is IPA beer?”
IPA stands for India Pale Ale, a hop-forward style that can run crisp and clear, plush and hazy, light and sessionable, or louder with a double IPA.
The useful shift is to think in terms of cues, not labels. If you want snap and bite, reach for a West Coast lane. If you want a saturated aroma and a softer finish, hazy is a good choice. If you want intensity on purpose, double IPA is the move.
If you’re of legal drinking age and choose to drink, keep it responsible. When you want help picking an IPA that fits your taste, reach out to us. Our team can point you in the right direction.
FAQs
What does IPA stand for?
IPA stands for India Pale Ale. The name signals a pale ale style that emphasizes hop flavor, hop aroma, and bitterness. Modern IPA includes many substyles, so the letters tell you the family, not the exact taste.
What is a hazy IPA supposed to taste like?
A hazy IPA usually tastes aroma-forward, with a softer bitterness impression and a fuller texture. You may get tropical and “juicy” hop notes, even when the beer is not sweet. Style guidance also notes haze can range widely, so the look alone is not the whole story.
How is a double IPA different than a standard India Pale Ale?
A double IPA is a pumped-up India Pale Ale. It usually sits around 7.5%–10% ABV, while many standard IPAs land around 5.5%–7.5% ABV. You can expect heavier hopping, a stronger aroma, and a longer finish.
Good examples still stay balanced, so the extra strength supports the hop character instead of taking over the sip.
Is a double IPA always more bitter?
A double IPA is usually stronger and more intensely hopped, but “more bitter” is not guaranteed.
Some double IPAs focus on saturated aroma and a smoother bitterness perception, while others push a sharper edge. Style guidelines still place imperial or double IPA in higher bitterness and strength ranges than standard IPA.
Which type of IPA should you start with?
If you like crisp finishes and defined hop bite, start with West Coast. If you want softer bitterness and a big aroma, start with hazy. If you want a hop character at lower strength, a session IPA is built for that lane.