Search for Lehigh Valley's Best IPAs
Hoppy. Fruity. Malty. Bitter. Dank. Boozey. Delicious. IPAs take up lots of space on the “On Tap” chalkboards across Lehigh Valley due to their popularity and broad beer profile.
With so many sub-styles of IPAs, it’s unfair to your taste buds to think they’re all the same.
With the goal of visiting a 12-pack of Lehigh Valley’s best breweries, we set off on a journey to taste as many IPAs as possible to help point you in the right direction, and hopefully find a new favorite.
Threehigh
McCall Collective Brewing Company
102 E Susquehanna Street, Allentown & 7743 Hamilton Blvd.
The search for Lehigh Valley’s best IPA started off with a bang at McCall! The highest alcohol beer of the entire journey, this 10.6% ABV triple-hopped IPA doesn’t taste that potent (in a good way)! For that strong a beer, it’s surprisingly smooth, too!
Threehigh (10.6% ABV / 40 IBU / 4.2 rating on Untappd)
Winter Dreamz
Brü Daddy’s Brewing Company
732 Hamilton Street, Allentown
The only IPA on tap when I stopped in Brü Daddy’s, this traditional hazy gives winter vibes like a light, pillowy pile of snow on your tongue. Perfect pre-game drink before going across the street to PPL Center for a Lehigh Valley Phantoms game. (Pro tip: their 50-cent wing nights on Mondays may be the best deal in the Valley.)
Winter Dreamz (6.3% ABV / N/A IBU /3.91 rating on Untappd)
Take the Black & 50th Session IPAs
Yergey Brewing
235 Main Street, Emmaus
The only Black IPA on this list, Take The Black is a smooth hybrid of a dark beer and IPA, with the best aspects of both. It might help you transition from one style to the other, as both varieties are acquired tastes. I also decided to sample their 50th Session IPA, a milestone in Yergey's awesome, rotating Session IPA series! It was very flowery with a hint of tropical citrus, and barely bitter.
Take The Black (6.1% ABV / 64 IBU / 3.72 rating on Untappd)
50th Session IPA (4.9% ABV / 40 IBU / 3.32 rating on Untappd)
Citrus & 365 IPAs
Funk Brewing
18 Bank Street, Emmaus
As its name suggests, Citrus is grapefruit forward and a nice day-drinking IPA without the super bitter taste. 365 is based on the first beer Funk Brewing ever brewed, and the only Rye IPA on the journey. My guest, who doesn’t typically like IPAs, liked this one, so it’s a pleasant surprise!
Citrus (6.1% ABV / 70 IBU / 3.84 rating on Untappd)
365 (6.2% ABV / N/A IBU / 3.95 rating on Untappd)
Parity Bloom & That Loud IPAs
Bonn Place Brewing Company
310-14 Taylor Street, Bethlehem
Parity Bloom is true parity as a well-balanced, hazy, fruity, smooth, and refreshing double IPA. That Loud was the epitome of bang-for-your-buck, turning up the volume to 10% ABV. Hints of a coffee flavor and goes down with a creamy, bitter finish. Bonn Place doesn’t have any TVs, so the room invites conversation between both friends and strangers.
Parity Bloom (6.6% ABV / N/A IBU / 4.0 rating on Untappd)
That Loud (10.0% ABV / N/A IBU / 4.08 rating on Untappd)
Hop Explosion
Fegley's Allentown Brew Works & Bethlehem Brew Works
812 Hamilton Street, Allentown59 Main Street, Bethlehem
As a Mug Club member, Fegley’s Allentown location has long been one of my favorite places to unwind after a Phantoms game, with IPAs that are top notch. The go-to Hop Explosion has an initial grapefruit taste, balanced with a malty body and final smack of bitterness.
Hop Explosion (7.0% ABV / 70 IBU / 3.57 rating on Untappd)
Double Simcoe
Weyerbacher Brewing
905 Line Street, Suite G, Easton
Great news: Weyerbacher is back open! Even better news, under new management, their beer still rules. Double Simcoe was my favorite of the tour. It’s everything I love in an IPA: a little fruit, a bunch of hoppyness, and a mighty 9.0% ABV. (Dogs are allowed in the taproom, too, so the vibe is also perfect.)
Double Simcoe 9.0% ABV / 90 IBU / 3.8 rating on Untappd
What. A. Quest. But the best news? This is only half of the Lehigh Valley Brewers’ Guild breweries to visit! Plus, all the places listed above have other great IPA varieties to sample. So as the IPA-loving journey continues, and we hope to see you at the bar, supporting local breweries that stand toe-to-toe with the best in the country!
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