Over 326 hazy IPAs were entered into this year’s World Beer Cup. Below are the judges’ top three selections. The World Beer Cup is highly regarded in the craft beer community, particularly for its juicy or hazy IPA category. This year, over 326 hazy and hoppy IPAs competed. From these, only three were awarded medals, with one claiming the gold.

This unfiltered beer variety is true to its name, featuring a hazy, cloudy look. Hazy IPAs are famed for their intense hop aroma and minimal bitterness, alongside a smooth, pillowy texture and vibrant, juicy tropical tastes. This style has dominated the industry over the last decade, although it’s challenging to perfect. Since hazy IPAs are unfiltered, they must be consumed promptly to maintain their peak flavor, which can quickly decline. Moreover, poorly crafted variants may retain excess yeast, causing an undesirable “yeast burn” flavor. Despite my numerous disappointing experiences with this type, leading me to generally avoid it when the brewery is unknown, a well-crafted hazy IPA remains a remarkable find, like the award-winners mentioned below.

This particular IPA, brewed with Citra and Mosaic hops, features a 6.9% ABV and 45 IBU. It’s not just a World Beer Cup winner; it also claimed gold at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival. While it isn’t available for nationwide shipping, it’s certainly worth a visit to Chicago to try.

This California brewery is “Inspired by a spirit of adventure, creative thinking and a healthy respect for the great outdoors.” The beer list is constantly rotating, so you may not be able to find Art Isn’t Real but there are other hazy options always available on tap and beers from the brewery have won previous accolades. If you live in California, you can have MadeWest beers shipped directly to your house.

According to the brewery, “This Hazy IPA hits all the notes with a nice soft body, easy bitterness, and [is] bursting with tropical fruit.” It has a 7.2 ABV and features Sultana, Simcoe, HBC 586, and HBC 630 Citra, hops. The beer’s name is based on fun brewery lore: the brewery’s unofficial mascot is King Lupu and Queen Lupu is a follow-up a King Lupu beer that was previously brewed.

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