Globally, the world’s largest consumers of beer tend to also be the world’s largest producers of the beverage. But these countries don’t necessarily make the best beers, at least when it comes to India Pale Ales, a hoppy style of beer. 

To compile a list of the best IPA beers in the world, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the 2020 World Beer Awards, presented by TheDrinksReport.com, an online resource for drinks professionals. 

IPAs tend to be characterized by their bitter taste and high alcohol levels. This, however, depends on the style of IPA, and while some contain less than 4% of alcohol, others indeed contain more than 10%.

Half of the beers on the list of best IPAs in the world are American style, which is often bitter and has a fruity and citrus-like hop flavor. Though the American style is among the most well-liked, it appears that Ireland, Canada, and the United Kingdom make the best American style IPAs in the world, not the U.S. 

The country with the most entries on the list of best beers in the world, perhaps unsurprisingly to some, is Ireland with a total of eight different beers winning awards in various IPA categories. Brazil is second with six entries, followed by the United Kingdom, France, and Canada with five each. The U.S. has two. 

According to a 2019 Gallup poll, some 63% of American adults drink alcohol — and the favored beverage among them is beer. Some 42% of American drinkers prefer beer, and these are the best beers in every state and D.C.

Click here to see the best IPAs in the world

To compile a list of the best IPA beers in the world, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the 2020 World Beer Awards, presented by TheDrinksReport.com, an online resource for drinks professionals. We looked at the results by country. We then selected the beers that were awarded a gold medal, were the country winner, or won the title of the world’s best IPA in each of the six types of beer included in the awards. Information on alcohol by volume and bitterness came from Untappd, a beer rating app.