IPA Lot When I Drink

Let’s be honest. Nobody orders an IPA because they’re trying to cut weight before swimsuit season. You order one because you want a beer that kicks your taste buds in the teeth with hops, has a name like “Citra Explosion 9000,” and probably comes in a can that looks like a lost panel from a graphic novel. But here’s the twist, that bold, piney, hazy deliciousness? It comes with a pretty bold calorie count too.

IPA LOT

Now, I’m not here to guilt-trip anyone. This isn’t CrossFit. This is beer. But if you’ve ever said “I’ll just have one IPA” and then looked down and realized your glass is basically a liquid loaf of bread, you’re not alone.

So let’s take a friendly little stroll through a couple popular IPAs out there and see what kind of caloric company they’re keeping.

Let's start with many calories are in a 12oz Sierra Nevada’s Hazy Little Thing. About 214. Not too wild, but definitely more than your basic lager.

How many calories in a Lagunitas IPA? Sitting pretty at around 190. Honestly not terrible for the punch it packs, but again, this ain’t Michelob Ultra.

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA? That one also clocks in around 190 calories. Respectable bitterness, sneaky IPA calorie stack.

And Stone IPA? 210. Which, for a beer that could strip wallpaper with its hop profile, feels about right.

And then there’s Imperial or Double IPAs, which are basically the protein bars of the beer world, marketed like fuel, but you’re still not entirely sure if this is helping or hurting. One of those bad boys can creep past 250 or 300 calories easy. Looking at you, Hopslam and 90 Minute IPA!

Now, none of this is to say you shouldn’t enjoy your IPA. Far from it. But maybe that IPA you're sipping on after a long day isn't quite exactly the same as “just one beer” when it comes to your waistline. It’s more like “just one-and-a-half sandwiches,” if we’re being real.

Still, it’s not about swearing off hops forever. It’s about knowing what you’re signing up for when you reach for the tall can with the wizard on it. And maybe not chasing it with two more unless you’re planning to hike a mountain or wrestle a bear afterward.

Drink what you like. Just know what’s in the glass.

Cheers, friend. Here's to beers that are worth every dang calorie.