The best New Zealand IPA of 2024 was announced last month at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. We have already covered best brewery, best stoutsand more in the competition. Now it’s time to take a closer look at New Zealand IPAs. New Zealand IPAs have grown in popularity in recent years, and this year more than 100 U.S.-brewed New Zealand IPAs were entered into the Great American Beer Festival, one of the two or three most prestigious beer competitions in the world.

More Than A Zealand, from Cannonball Creek Brewing Co. in Colorado, came out on top in this crowded field of competition, winning the gold medal and the award for best New Zealand-style IPA. But before we talk more about the best beers and silver and bronze medal winners, let’s discuss what exactly a New Zealand IPA is. The style is inspired by the fruity and floral flavors of New Zealand hop varieties such as Nelson Sauvin hops, a personal favorite, although other hop varieties that mimic these flavors can also be used. The Great American Beer Festival’s style guide New Zealand imposes no specific hop requirements for IPAs. Instead, the guidelines call for low to medium intensity malt aroma, a dry finish, and high hop aroma with citrus, floral, fruity, and grassy characteristics, among other things.

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However, these characteristics are not unique to New Zealand IPAs, so the lines between different beer styles can be quite blurry. It is common for a beer that can meet New Zealand IPA requirements to be billed as an American or West Coast IPA. Not one of the winning beers below is billed as a New Zealand IPA. Now that we’ve cleared that up, or perhaps made things more confusing, let’s take a look at the outstanding beers that the Great American Beer Festival judges considered the best New Zealand IPAs.

Golden New Zealand IPA: More Than a Zealand, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Tasting notes for Cannonball Creek Brewing Co.’s flagship New Zealand IPA at the Great American Beer Festival point to a dry finish and flavors of papaya, peach and tangerine. The brewery also won a silver medal in the pale ale category at the Great American Beer Festival with its Featherweight beer. “We are so excited and honored to win two GABF medals this year!” The brewery said in an Instagram post: The awards were announced shortly after. “We also congratulate our winners! Cheers to another great GABF weekend!

Silver New Zealand IPA: Wannabe Wallaby, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA

This beer is designed to mimic the flavors of New Zealand and Southern Hemisphere hops with North American varieties. So instead of Nelson Sauvin or Motueka hops, this beer uses HBC586 and Mosaic to create all the citrus flavors you expect from a New Zealand IPA. No stranger to beer competition success, Wannabe Wallaby has taken home gold before at the 2024 World Beer Cup and Riip Beer Co. Won other awards this year.

Bronze: Wastelandia, Grains of Wrath, Camas, WA

Billed as a West Coast IPA but meeting the characteristics of a New Zealand IPA, Wastelandia features notes of strawberry, grapefruit, cherry and peach. Another New Zealand IPA accustomed to competitive success, Wastelandia had previously won the silver medal At the 2024 World Beer Cup.