Best-selling IPAs

According to the mid-year figures from IRI (research firm - which are only for off-premise retailers and so are not exact nor definitive w/o on premise sales, but are still a sort of industry standard), the Top 9 IPA's out of the top 30 "craft" beers, in order:

1. SIERRA NEVADA TORPEDO
2. LAGUNITAS INDIA PALE ALE
3. SAMUEL ADAMS REBEL IPA
4. NEW BELGIUM RANGER IPA
5. REDHOOK LONG HAMMER
6. STONE INDIA PALE ALE
7. HARPOON INDIA PALE ALE
8. BELLS TWO HEARTED ALE
9. DOGFISH HEAD 60 MIN IPA

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A quick review of the best selling craft "packages" would seem to suggest that Sweetwater IPA might be #10.

 

Rebel IPA #3? Must be because its everywhere. That beer is absolutely terrible.

 

I would agree with your line of thought that it's because it's everywhere. The mainstream know Sam Adams and they think they are drinking a bit "upscale" when the dine out and order a SA seasonal. Then, something might happen as happened to me. I hadn't been to AppleBees in years but after a 3 hour drive I was starving and it was the nearest place. They had no better selections so I asked for a SA winter ale. They said they didn't have that but that the only SA they had was an IPA. I was surprised and said ok let me have that. That type of availability and the recognizable, closest to BMC name is what I think puts it at # while DFH is at 9

 

Only 3 of 9 on that list I would actually buy. Torpedo has been a huge success, it's not my favorite, but it is damn good, and the price point makes it a winner. And SN Distro is tremendous.

 

Is Redhook really that popular? They sell a little bit in NH and New England in general, but I would guess Harpoon, Sam Adams, Magic Hat, Sierra Nevada (maybe shipyard, lagunitas, smuttynose) all outsell it in New England.

Must be the generic IPA in many places in Washington/Oregon area to make the top 5.

 

It wasn't that long ago - 2009 year end IRI stats - that Redhook Long Hammer was the best selling IPA in the country, and the only one in the Top Ten "Craft" beers at #9. They obviously benefited from being the most widely distributed IPA at the time, thanks to CBA's deal with minority owner AB to be distributed via their extensive national wholesale network.(Obviously, IRI does not follow the Brewers Association's "Craft" criteria.)

I guess you'd have to take that up IRI.

 

I can't freakin' believe Redhook Long Hammer sells that well. It is, without question, one of the poorest IPA's I've ever had. After drinking excellent IPA's and then giving this one a shot, it's just so incredibly bland all the way around. It's certainly no IPA in my book. Seriously, give one a shot for yourself and witness a flavorless, bad IPA, just for giggles and maybe to put things in perspective (gain a new appreciation for beers you considered pedestrian before).

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, the best selling and most popular beers are still the worst (BMC of course).

 

Redhook IPA is just plain awful IMO. Harpoon not far behind. Other 8 are all solid IPAs and worthy to be on the top 10 list.

 

I'd have to throw Sam Adam's Rebel on that terrible list as well.

 

No surprises here. My favorite on the list is Two Hearted but I think BBC actually did a better job of Rebel than a lot of people want to admit.

I think Tony was not far off in that BBC was trying to peg LAG IPA. There are still a lot of places that don't branch out past Sam Adams and the Rebel is a welcomed site over the Boston Lager for me.

 

I actually thought rebel ipa was a good beer. It wasn't mind blowing, nor a west coast style ipa, but I have had had bottles and draft and wasn't disappointed with either. Plus you can get a twelve pack on the cheap around here.

 

I love Sierra Nevada Torpedo, great price point as well, locally Church Brew Works, Thunder Hop is awesome, available and affordable, not sure how widely it's know outside the Burg
Nebbie

 

It's not that terrible, it's just not really an IPA.....

 

If Rebel was labeled as simply a pale, I'd have no issue. It's just not an ipa, let alone a west coast ipa. The ibu's are at 45...compared to SNPA at 37 and Mirror Pond at 40. It's a brawny pale at best.

 

It's an IPA. We've been conditioned by over hopped DIPAs and other more extreme IPAs to expect something else. Remember, IPA as used here includes English IPAs as a style. Harpoon is a damned good English IPA. Rebel is the best Sam has done yet, I a guarantee is would be rated higher blind tasted than most BAs would admit. Torpedo is decent, but it find it overrated by BAs.

 

DFH is solid

 

You are correct. I'd rather drink a Rebel IPA while shooting pool/bowling than order a Bahstan Lagah!

 

It amazes me the consistent snobbery and hate for Sam adams beers on BA. I think rebel IPA is a damn fine beer