Complete IPA: The Guide to Your Favorite Craft Beer

by Joshua M. Bernstein

Everybody’s drinking IPAs! Josh Bernstein, author of the critically acclaimed The   Complete Beer Course , tells you everything you need to know about your favorite brew. 
India Pale Ales have captured the hearts and taste buds of beer lovers like no other brew, and brewmasters are using it to unlock new dimensions of flavor, turning IPAs into the top-selling craft beer style. But not all beers are created equal. Beer expert Josh Bernstein takes you on a tangy tour of the world’s finest IPAs, from easy-drinking session ales to bitter brews gone wild. Complete IPA showcases the best choices in each category, profiles the brewers who helped innovate the sub-categories, and highlights emerging IPA styles and the most exceptional breweries making them right now. With this definitive guide, you’ll be drinking the best beers and cutting-edge brews in no time.

304 pages, Hardcover

Published September 13, 2016

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book never pretends to be anything more than a list of IPAs. But that's pretty much the biggest problem as well. It's just a list of IPAs the author has tried in various sub categories of the style. There doesn't seem to be any real method to the madness. Just beers he's had. I'm not saying it's a bad book. I think I've just progressed beyond the point of these types of beer books. If you are new to the beer scene and don't know where to start a book like this may be helpful. If anything you'll have an idea of some beers you should try. But if you've been around the block a few times, do yourself a favor and skip this one.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for a more in-depth discussion of IPAs than this book provided. It is more like a very long magazine article than a complete look at IPAs. It is an attractive little hardcover, well illustrated with photos of beer bottles, and it contains descriptions of a wide range of IPAs that are available. Some of the writing is a little too cute for my taste. I hope to come across a more informative book on IPAs at some point.

[Jim Razinha · Rating 3 out of 5]

So...this is a catalog of IPAs. A well researched and documented catalog, but a catalog. A far from “complete” because that would be near impossible, but whatever... I question some of his choices, noted many for future tasting if I ever travel out there to where they are, but he lost every shred of credibility when at the end he said Guinness Nitro IPA was “pretty tasty”. He also says lagers are “bubbly, crisp, crowd-pleasing, innocuous, [and] ubiquitous”, so I questioned his tastes before that heinous Guinness embarrassment. That and he had a whole section on wheat IPAs, and another on the faddishly dumb “session” IPAs (I had no idea some idiots are brewing IPAs below 2%! So I did learn one thing.) Abominations aside...for newbies, it’s a decent resource. For beer book readers, it has no revelations, and for IPA aficionados, you’ll nod, mentally check “had it”, and chuckle occasionally.

[Ashley Mireles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great intro to craft beers. I am someone who really doesn't care for IPAs. I have friends who wait in line for hours for new releases from local breweries but I have never really understood why or what the fuss was about. This book really breaks down the different types of beers available and how they are created. It has helped me learn to avoid the bitter brews and find flavors I actually enjoy. If you are someone who already has an extensive knowledge of craft beers and IPAs this may be lacking for you. As a true novice it is a great resource to have on hand.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable travel through, mostly, American IPA's but the author does include others from various countries. I really liked the way that he included newer styles such as spiced, sour and coffee IPA's. Very well put together, lovely paper and pictures of the various bottle art as well as some introductions to breweries and brewers. Needless to say have your favourite IPA at hand while reading.