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The Best IPAs You Can Find in Vancouver
The city has some excellent and unique IPAs you need to try
Geoff Sharpe
May 25, 2022
If there is one beer style that perfectly encapsulates the innovation of the craft beer movement, it’s India Pale Ale. IPAs became all the rage when American craft brewers took plain old English IPA and cranked up the hops in what would morph into a style we now know as West Coast IPA. When the craft beer scene in BC first caught momentum, it was because of some impressive interpretations of this beloved style.
Since then, we have seen IPAs get juicer, hoppier, hazier, and wilder, with BC breweries making incredibly delicious interpretations of the most popular beer style in the craft beer movement. There is no shortage of IPAs to choose from in BC and in Vancouver, so to help you enjoy the most interesting ones, we put this list together.
We’ve scoured review sites, taste-tested many and done the research with an eye to giving you a variety of IPA styles, including a couple collector's items.
Our review goes beyond just the taste profile. We discuss the types of yeast and ingredients, their effect on the flavour, and the history around the beer.
We’re confident that the list here represents some of the best IPAs Vancouver has to offer
House of Funk - Bootsy
This IPA will take you off the beaten track. Bootsy is fermented with a fruit-forward saison yeast and Brettanomyces before a generous dry-hopping with Mosaic and Simcoe hops. The choice of yeast makes this a farmhouse IPA.
Why have this IPA: To explore the effect of saison yeast and brett on flavour. Much more Belgian, much less West Coast in flavour.
Brewery location: North Vancouver
Container Brewing - Voyager
When brewing beer, the fermentation temperature has a profound impact on the final taste. Ferment too hot and you get a nasty cocktail of off-flavours. When Kveik yeast went mainstream, brewers were given the option to ferment much warmer, as this yeast loves it hot. The effect is a unique fermentation profile flavours. This yeast in this beer is complemented by dry-hopping with Mosaic and Ekuanot hops, balanced with subtle spicy notes from the use of rye in the grain bill.
Why have this IPA: To explore the fruity profile Kveik yeast lends to a beer.
Brewery location: Vancouver
Superflux - Velvetone
Superflux
Yes, Superflux makes a second appearance on this list, but that’s because the first one is not a solo effort. This double IPA is, and deserves its place because it takes you on an adventure. The aroma draws you in with notes of peach, mango, and pineapple. As it warms, the aroma evolves to pull out herbal notes — that’s assuming you wait long enough to let it warm up. The flavour doesn’t disappoint, matching that original aroma with low bitterness and dry finish before leaving you with a peppery aftertaste.
Brassneck - Retrofuturism
This IPA was first brewed in October 2019, so it serves as a compare and contrast to the Red Racer - a contemporary take on the classic West Coast IPA style. In the typical experimental mode of the craft beer movement, Brassneck has evolved its original recipe. In the April 2021 version, the brewery added a new hop (Talus) and changed up the yeast. You could argue it’s a totally different beer now. Regardless, the new version has had rave reviews.
Why have this IPA: To enjoy a modern take on the West Coast IPA style
Brewery location: Vancouver
Boombox - Juicy AF
Boombox Brewing/Instagram
The first hazy IPA on our list, Boombox Juicy AF makes the list for its insane amount of Citra hops and mosaic hops. If you have ever brewed an IPA at home, you’d know that you *almost* guarantee yourself a damn good beer by using Citra alone. It’s an incredible hop and it gets a lot of space to shine in this juicy IPA. Careful though, this one packs a punch at 7.5% ABV!
Why have this IPA: To enjoy a wallop of Citra.
Brewery location: Vancouver
Superflux & Gigantic Brewing - Pretty Much Yeah
Let’s be honest, this list would be incomplete without Superflux. This brewery took the province by storm with its juicy IPAs and has developed an incredibly loyal following for it. In fact, it’s now common to have a discussion among beer lovers in which we ask ourselves, “if we exclude Superflux, what are the best IPAs in BC?” This one is a collaboration between Superflux and Gigantic Brewing and it’s a beautiful thing. Bright orange in colour, soft mouthfeel, and a whole lot of galaxy hops.
What did you think of the list? Any you’d like to see included? Let us know by emailing our team at [email protected]