21. Ale

Milkshake IPA

Milkshake IPA beer style — watercolor illustration
OG 1.060-1.080
FG 1.014-1.024
IBU 20-45
SRM
5.5 Gold
ABV 6.75%

Description

A hazy, sweet, full-bodied IPA with lactose, fruit, and vanilla additions creating a dessert-like, creamy mouthfeel. The hop character emphasizes tropical fruit.

Aroma

Intense tropical fruit, citrus, and creamy vanilla aroma from lactose and adjuncts. Juicy hop character. Low to moderate sweet malt. Rich and dessert-like, reminiscent of a milkshake or smoothie.

Appearance

Pale gold to yellow, often with haze from lactose and fruit. White to off-white head with good retention. Cloudy, dessert-like appearance.

Flavor

Sweet, creamy tropical fruit flavor from lactose, fruit, and vanilla additions. Moderate hop bitterness softened by sweetness. Rich, smooth, dessert-like finish. Indulgent and distinctive.

Mouthfeel

Full body with low to moderate carbonation. Thick, creamy texture from lactose. Smooth and rich. Dessert-like in weight.

History

A polarizing American craft innovation of the late 2010s, building on the New England IPA foundation by adding lactose, fruit purées, and vanilla. Inspired by dessert culture and the craft milkshake/smoothie trend. Tired Hands Brewing and a wave of New England breweries popularized it. Controversial in traditional beer circles for its sweetness and low bitterness.

Commercial Examples

Tired Hands Brewing Milkshake IPA Omnipollo Anagram Blueberry Cheesecake Milkshake IPA Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Milkshake IPA beer?
Milkshake IPA — a sweet, creamy, dessert-like hazy IPA with lactose and fruit additions.
What is the ABV of Milkshake IPA?
Milkshake IPA has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 5.5-8.0%.
How bitter is Milkshake IPA beer?
Milkshake IPA measures 20-45 IBU (International Bitterness Units).
What are some examples of Milkshake IPA beers?
Tired Hands Brewing Milkshake IPA, Omnipollo Anagram Blueberry Cheesecake Milkshake IPA, Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin

Embed on your site — BeerFYI

Add the widget to any webpage using a script tag.

<div data-beerfyi="style" data-slug="milkshake-ipa"></div>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/beerfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>

Embed using a standard iframe — works in any CMS.

<iframe src="https://beerfyi.com/iframe/style/milkshake-ipa/" width="100%" height="480" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" title="BeerFYI style widget"></iframe>

Paste the URL into WordPress, Medium, or any oEmbed-aware editor.

https://beerfyi.com/styles/milkshake-ipa/

Add a badge linking back to BeerFYI.

<a href="https://beerfyi.com/styles/milkshake-ipa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  <img src="https://beerfyi.com/badge/site.svg" alt="BeerFYI" height="20">
</a>
Preview: BeerFYI

Use the BeerFYI WordPress plugin shortcode.

[drinkfyi-style site="beerfyi" slug="milkshake-ipa"]

Use as a native HTML custom element in modern browsers.

<beerfyi-style slug="milkshake-ipa" theme="light"></beerfyi-style>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/beerfyi-embed@1/dist/embed.min.js" defer></script>

Powered by BeerFYI

Docs →