Introduction: Craft beer sales are dominated by IPAs – the hop-forward India Pale Ales that beer lovers can’t get enough of. In fact, IPAs make up nearly 40% of the craft beer market by volume. As one beer manager aptly said, “IPAs dominate the craft beer space… People love them”. From classic West Coast brews to juicy New England hazies, the best IPA beers drive foot traffic and repeat sales in liquor stores. Stocking the top-selling craft beers, especially IPAs, is a smart strategy for any bottle shop owner looking to boost profits and satisfy customer demand. Below we highlight 12 of the best IPAs for liquor stores to carry – a mix of nationwide bestsellers and high-potential emerging brands – with insights into why each IPA is so popular.
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale is a craft beer icon that often tops “best beer” lists. Brewed in Michigan with 100% Centennial hops, Two Hearted is celebrated for its balanced floral and pine hop profile and malt backbone. It has a devoted following, and was voted the #1 beer in America four years in a row by the American Homebrewers Association’s Zymurgy Magazine. This IPA’s reputation for quality and consistency makes it a must-carry for any store catering to craft enthusiasts. Liquor retailers consistently find that Two Hearted Ale sells briskly – it’s a beer that pleases both IPA newcomers and long-time hopheads alike.
New Belgium’s Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA is currently the #1 selling IPA in the U.S. retail market. This 9% ABV Imperial IPA delivers bold notes of citrus and pine and has struck gold with consumers seeking a big, flavorful IPA. The Voodoo Ranger lineup (recognizable by the skeleton mascot on its labels) has exploded in popularity – it constituted 83% of New Belgium’s beer sales in chain stores by early 2023. Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA’s rise was so tremendous that New Belgium launched spin-offs like “Juice Force” Hazy Imperial IPA, which became the biggest craft beer launch of 2022. Bottle shop owners report that anything with “Voodoo Ranger” on it tends to sell out quickly, as the brand has nationwide recognition among IPA drinkers.
Sierra Nevada’s Hazy Little Thing IPA is a juicy, unfiltered IPA that has become a staple hazy IPA from a legacy brewery. Launched in 2018 as one of the first nationally distributed hazy IPAs, Hazy Little Thing quickly “caught fire” with consumers. In 2022 it even surpassed the famous Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in sales, becoming Sierra Nevada’s #1 product. Today, Hazy Little Thing is the best-selling hazy IPA in the country and the #2 overall IPA by sales (trailing only Voodoo Ranger). Its appeal lies in a silky, fruit-forward profile – think orange, pineapple, and mango notes – with modest bitterness. For liquor stores, this hazy IPA is a top-selling craft beer that attracts IPA fans and hazy newcomers alike, especially younger customers drawn to New England style IPAs.
A list of top-selling IPAs wouldn’t be complete without Lagunitas IPA. This is the classic West Coast IPA that helped introduce many beer drinkers to craft IPA over the past two decades. With a 6.2% ABV and a hop bill delivering grapefruit and pine notes, Lagunitas IPA hits that easy-drinking, well-rounded sweet spot. It remains one of the best-selling craft beers by volume; despite increased competition, it’s a “highly drinkable” IPA that continues to hold its own. Now backed by Heineken’s distribution, Lagunitas IPA enjoys near nationwide availability – making it an accessible choice for any bottle shop. Its iconic status and consistent quality mean customers recognize it and often grab it as a reliable go-to IPA.
Founders All Day IPA essentially created the Session IPA category and continues to dominate it. At 4.7% ABV, All Day IPA delivers the hoppy aroma and flavor of an IPA in a lighter, more “all-day” drinkable package. This formula has been wildly successful – Founders sells All Day IPA in 15-pack cans, targeting volume sales for outdoor and casual drinking occasions. It’s America’s #1 selling session IPA by far, accounting for nearly 70% of all session IPA sales on the market. For liquor stores, All Day IPA is a must-carry because it attracts customers who want craft flavor without high alcohol, expanding the IPA audience. It’s not unusual for a store to sell through multiple cases of All Day during summer weekends, thanks to its approachable profile and value pricing.
Stone IPA, first brewed in 1997, is a West Coast IPA legend that remains a top seller in craft-centric bottle shops. Bursting with classic “C hops” (Cascade, Centennial, etc.), Stone IPA is known for its aggressive bitterness, bold piney, citrus flavors, and 6.9% ABV punch. This beer helped define the West Coast IPA style and put Stone Brewing on the map. Even as trends evolve, Stone IPA’s reputation for intensity and quality keeps it in demand – it’s often the benchmark against which hopheads measure other IPAs. For liquor stores, Stone IPA adds craft credibility to the shelf. It’s a beer that serious IPA fans seek out, and one that still wins new converts who want to taste a definitive example of the style.
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA is a pioneering IPA from Delaware that remains extremely popular, especially on the East Coast. Its name comes from Dogfish Head’s unique technique of continuously hopping the beer for the entire 60-minute boil, leading to a nuanced hop flavor. At 6% ABV, 60 Minute IPA is balanced and approachable, with notes of grassy citrus hops and a snappy finish. It’s the long-standing flagship beer of Dogfish Head, which itself is a craft trailblazer now under the Boston Beer Co. umbrella. Liquor stores report that Dogfish Head 60 Minute has a loyal following—customers who have been buying it for years as their “house” IPA. It also benefits from the brewery’s creative reputation (e.g. the stronger 90 Minute IPA, the rare 120 Minute IPA), drawing curious shoppers.
Elysian Space Dust IPA has rapidly become a national hit, especially after Elysian Brewing (Seattle-based) was acquired by Anheuser-Busch. Space Dust is an 8.2% ABV hop powerhouse that somehow manages to be deceptively smooth and fruity. It features abundant late hopping with Citra and Amarillo hops, giving flavors of orange peel, mango, and a touch of “dank” herbaceousness, balanced by a medium malt body. The playful name and label (a cartoon hop spitting out space dust) catch the eye, but it’s the beer’s quality that keeps it selling. Many bottle shops credit Space Dust with converting macro beer drinkers into craft IPA fans – its slight sweetness and huge aroma make that first sip memorable. Moreover, Space Dust enjoys the benefit of AB-InBev’s distribution, so it’s often priced competitively and stocked widely, leading to high sales volumes.
Ballast Point Sculpin IPA is often regarded as a benchmark of quality in IPAs, known for its bright tropical fruit hop aroma (mango, peach, grapefruit) and a crisp, dry finish. Hailing from San Diego, Sculpin made waves by winning gold at major beer competitions and then achieving commercial success despite a higher price point than typical six-packs. For many craft drinkers, Sculpin was the first $15 IPA six-pack they were willing to splurge on – and that speaks to its reputation. It’s a multi-award-winning IPA that comes in sought-after variants like Grapefruit Sculpin and Habanero Sculpin, which further drive interest. Bottle shops that carry Sculpin signal that they carry the “good stuff.” Even after Ballast Point’s well-known $1 billion sale and subsequent changes, Sculpin IPA continues to sell well due to its strong brand loyalty and top-notch flavor.
Florida’s famous Jai Alai IPA by Cigar City Brewing has grown from a regional favorite to a nationwide craft contender in recent years. This 7.5% ABV IPA showcases the sunny citrus flavors of American hops against a malt base with a hint of caramel, creating a bold yet smooth profile. Jai Alai (named after the fast-paced ball sport popular in Florida) was long revered in the Southeast and East Coast; after Cigar City joined a larger brewing collective, distribution spread across the U.S. Now, Jai Alai IPA is one of the best IPAs for liquor stores to consider, often appearing in craft mix packs and grabbing shelf space next to legacy brands. Its vibe is tropical and fun, but the beer is seriously good – it has earned top ratings and a spot in the rotation of many IPA aficionados. In fact, hazy IPA fans also enjoy Jai Alai’s unfiltered, juicy character (though it’s technically a clear IPA, it carries a huge hop aroma). By stocking Jai Alai, a bottle shop offers customers a taste of a beer that’s hugely popular in Florida and making waves everywhere else.
Deschutes Brewery’s Fresh Squeezed IPA is an Oregon-born brew that has achieved national acclaim. True to its name, Fresh Squeezed bursts with juicy citrus and grapefruit flavors, as if hops were squeezed like an orange. It’s a 6.4% ABV IPA with a focus on Citra and Mosaic hops, giving it a tropical twist that’s incredibly appealing even to those who shy away from very bitter IPAs. Since its introduction, Fresh Squeezed quickly became Deschutes’ flagship IPA and a top seller wherever it’s distributed. Many liquor store owners love this beer because it’s a palate pleaser – at tastings or samplings, it consistently wins over customers (leading to solid sales). It straddles the line between a classic IPA and the modern juicy style, which means it complements a range of other IPAs on the shelf rather than directly competing.
Goose Island IPA is a well-known classic that helped popularize IPAs in America. First brewed in Chicago in the 1990s, this English-style meets American-style IPA (5.9% ABV) features citrusy hops and a balanced malt profile. It became a ubiquitous craft IPA, eventually leading Goose Island to join Anheuser-Busch for expanded distribution. Most liquor stores have stocked Goose Island IPA at some point – it’s widely recognizable, reasonably priced, and still garners decent sales as a gateway IPA for many drinkers. While craft connoisseurs today might opt for newer options, Goose Island IPA’s legacy ensures a steady baseline of customers who grab it for its familiarity.
In recent years, Goose Island has also innovated with its “Beer Hug” IPA series (Tropical Beer Hug, Neon Beer Hug, etc.), capitalizing on the hazy and imperial IPA trends. These offerings, like the 9.9% ABV Tropical Beer Hug Double IPA, have seen impressive growth (+48% volume in 2023) and signal that Goose Island is still very relevant in the IPA game. For a liquor store, carrying Goose Island IPA covers the classic segment, and adding a Beer Hug variant can capture the attention of modern IPA seekers. Together, they ensure the Goose Island brand appeals to multiple IPA customer profiles.
IPAs are the engine driving craft beer sales – they bring in enthusiasts, fill up mix-pack selections, and create buzz that draws customers into stores. By stocking these 12 top-selling IPAs, liquor store owners can cater to a wide range of tastes while riding the wave of IPA popularity. From multi-award-winning classics to trendsetting hazy and imperial IPAs, each of these beers has proven its ability to move off the shelf quickly. They’ve won over consumers through flavor, awards, and sheer reputation, translating into reliable sales for retailers.
However, simply carrying great beers isn’t always enough – marketing them is key. Engaging displays, beer tastings, and social media shout-outs about new arrivals can all help maximize sales of your IPA lineup. This is where effective digital marketing comes in. Ready to boost your liquor store’s craft beer sales? Visit Intentionally Creative’s homepage to learn how our expert liquor store marketing services can help you attract more customers and keep those registers ringing. We specialize in helping liquor stores shine online and in-store – from promoting your best IPAs for liquor stores to running campaigns that put your shop on the map. Contact Intentionally Creative today and let’s tap into higher sales together!
