Based in Oxford, Ohio, the U.S. Open Beer Championship is one of the biggest beer festivals in the U.S. This year, the competition received more than 8,000 entries from breweries across the globe, and U.S. IPAs are among its most popular categories, just like at any beer competition. But U.S. Open Beer Championship embraces IPA diversity more than other major beer competitions by featuring more than a dozen IPA subcategories. As such, this year’s lineup of gold medal-winning IPAs at the U.S. Open Beer Championship is particularly diverse. You’ll see classic IPA varieties like the British-style IPA alongside new styles like the New Zealand IPA, Brut IPA and even the divisive Milkshake IPA. The Imperial Hazy IPA is another category the competition introduced in recent years in its attempt to keep up with the latest and greatest brewing trends.
Even though the U.S. Open Beer Championship does not snub its nose at new-school styles the way some beer competitions have traditionally, the judges are noted beer experts who rigorously taste each entry. The vast majority of beers entered in the competition do come from the U.S. because it is the competition’s home base. Even so, this year a Montreal brewery took home the top prize for best non-alcoholic IPA. The rest of the IPA medal winners hailed from the U.S. Ohio, North Carolina, and California breweries had a strong showing, with three gold medals for IPAs being awarded to breweries from each state. Breweries from Nevada, Iowa, and Oregon also took home gold medals in IPA categories. Here are the winners for 2025 in all the IPA categories assessed at this year’s U.S. Open Beer Championship. Not included are IPAs that won awards in non-IPA categories and closely related styles such as pale ale variants.
The Best IPAs of 2025
British-Style IPA
Castillo, Alaro Craft Brewery, California
Imperial IPA
25th Anniversary XX IPA, Half Moon Bay Brewing Co., California
Triple IPA
Dr. Lupulin, Revision Brewing Co., Nevada
Session IPA
Gentle Giant, Primal Brewery, North Carolina
Brut IPA
Poppin’ Bottles, Flix Brewhouse, Iowa
Fruit IPA
Mastiff, Boss Dog Brewing, Ohio
West Coast Style IPA
Rave at the Roxbury, Sunriver Brewing Co., Oregon
New Zealand IPA
Muka Laka Hiki, Hop Dogma Brewing Co., California
New England/Juicy IPA
Planet Pulp, Triple C Brewing Co., North Carolina
New England/Juicy DIPA
Indistinguishable From Magic, Triptych Brewing, Illinois
Experimental IPA
Lil’ SLURP, NoDa Brewing Co., North Carolina
Milkshake IPA
Jelly Brain, Third Eye Brewing, Ohio
Single Hop IPA
Gold Top, Brink Brewing, Ohio
Non-Alcoholic IPA
Hazy DDH IPA, Sober Carpenter, Quebec
Finding Award-Winning IPAs
The IPA award winners listed above are primarily from regional breweries with only limited distribution channels—that’s often part of what makes finding a great craft beer—be it an IPA or another variety—so special. You can contact the award-winning breweries or check if they offer interstate shipping. Depending on which state you live in, this can be an option. Finally, here are some other great IPA options, including award winners at other recent competitions and some personal favorites: