Oct 02, 2025

90 Minute IPA

🍺 Style: Imperial IPA (Double IPA)
📊 ABV & IBU: 9.0% ABV – 90 IBU
🕰️ Brewing Particularity: Continuous hopping for 90 minutes (innovative Dogfish Head method)
🌑 Appearance: Golden amber color, persistent beige head
👃 Aromas: Pine resin, citrus (grapefruit, orange), malty caramel, candied fruits
👅 Flavors: Balanced malt/hops, sweet notes (honey, biscuit, candied fruits) counterbalanced by sharp, citrusy bitterness
🔥 Finish: Dry, clean, with slight fruity and caramelized persistence
🏛️ History: Created in 2000 by Sam Calagione, pioneer of continuous hopping; voted “Best IPA in America” by Esquire
⭐ UNTAPPD Rating: 4.04 / 5 (-> here)

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA: A Worldwide Reputation

Introduction

The 90 Minute IPA is an Imperial India Pale Ale (Double IPA) with 9% ABV. Its key originality lies in the continuous hopping technique applied for 90 minutes during the boil, using a homemade “vibrating football game” device invented by Sam Calagione. This groundbreaking process allows massive amounts of hops (Amarillo, Simcoe, Centennial) to be added continuously without creating excessive bitterness. In practice, the 90 Minute IPA clocks in at 9.0% ABV and 90 IBU. Its deep golden-amber color and powerful aroma evoke pine and citrus, balanced by hints of candied fruit.

Glass of amber 90 Minute IPA with creamy foam alongside a red illustrated Dogfish Head can, placed on a wooden table.

Beer History

Born around 2000 at Dogfish Head Brewery (Delaware), founded in 1995 by Sam Calagione, the 90 Minute IPA was the result of true experimentation. In 1999, Calagione saw on a cooking show that sprinkling pepper in small doses created more complexity than adding it all at once. He applied the same logic to hops: instead of manually dosing for 90 minutes during the boil, he improvised a continuous system (using an old vibrating football game) to drop small amounts of hops steadily into the kettle. The beer’s very name reflects both the method and the result: 90 minutes of intensive boiling (9% ABV and 90 IBU).

The launch first made waves: the beer, bottled in 750 mL “champagne” bottles with a provocative label, shocked some distributors (who returned it for being “too bitter”), while hardcore enthusiasts snapped it up in secret. Word of mouth spread quickly thanks to the Internet: BeerAdvocate soon ranked the 90 Minute IPA as the best beer on its site. Its crowning moment came in 2000, when Esquire named it the “Best IPA in America” in a blind tasting. Commercial success followed, leading to larger-scale production and a switch from large bottles to the standard 12 oz (35.5 cL) format.

Over the years, the 90 Minute IPA became the centerpiece of a continuous lineup: the 60 Minute IPA (continuous hopping for 60 minutes, 6% ABV) and the 120 Minute IPA (up to 18% ABV) both expanded on the same concept. It also inspired special editions (75 Minute IPA, aged 120 Minute, etc.), but remains the original and emblematic recipe of the brewery.

Glass of amber 90 Minute IPA with dense foam next to a Dogfish Head can, staged in a cosmic setting with floating gears and hops.

Tasting Notes

The 90 Minute IPA is best enjoyed in a tulip glass or a snifter to concentrate its aromas. On the nose, it delivers a powerful bouquet: pine resin, intense citrus (grapefruit, orange), and spicy hints, all framed by sweet, malty smoothness (toasted bread, caramel). On the palate, it strikes a balance between malt roundness and a sharp yet well-measured bitterness. The malt brings notes of candied fruit, honey, and caramel biscuit, while the hops provide a fruity, citrus-driven bitterness with herbal undertones and tropical citrus hints (lemongrass, jackfruit). The finish is dry and clean, with a light lingering sweetness of caramel and candied fruit.

Enthusiasts highlight the overall impression of complexity and balance. One passionate taster calls it “the gold standard of IPAs”: “a masterful, bold, and drinkable IPA. You forget it’s 9% because its malty body supports all the hops.” Another notes: “amber color, nice malty flavor with a clean, refreshing finish.” On the other hand, some long-time aficionados feel it is less “explosive” today than in its early years, describing it as “simply typical” of the modern style. Overall, it remains valued for its aromatic power and surprising drinkability despite its high strength, standing as a flagship choice for fans of strong IPAs.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA can and foamy amber beer glass placed on a wooden picnic table by a river surrounded by trees and wildflowers.

Reputation

The 90 Minute IPA enjoys an excellent reputation on specialized platforms. On Untappd, it holds around 4.04/5 (nearly 369,000 ratings). On BeerAdvocate, it averages 4.27/5 (score 95/100, “World-Class”) based on thousands of reviews. RateBeer even awarded it a perfect 100/100. Overall feedback is highly positive: evaluations highlight its aromatic intensity and strong malt–hop balance. For example, one drinker calls it “a big Imperial IPA, rich in flavor, bold, yet very drinkable.” Conversely, a few nostalgic voices argue that, amid today’s flood of IPAs, the 90 Minute no longer surprises as much. One reviewer noted that it “doesn’t stand out anymore, resembling industrial IPAs.” Despite such critiques, the 90 Minute IPA remains widely regarded as an essential classic and a benchmark of what an American Double IPA can deliver.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA can and overflowing amber beer glass staged in a fantastical mountain landscape at sunset with giant hops.