Founders Brewing Co.
Founders All Day IPA
The beer that established session IPA as an American category, and the clearest statement of what the format is trying to do.
- Strength
- 4.7% ABV
- Style
- Session IPA
- Brewery
- Founders Brewing Co.
Also called All Day IPA.
Session IPA is an American answer to a British question. British brewing had spent a century working out how to make a beer interesting at low strength; American brewing arrived at the same problem from the other end, having built its identity on hops, and asked how much of that could survive at under 5%.
The answer this beer gives is: the aroma survives, the bitterness has to come down, and the body is the thing to worry about. It reads noticeably lighter than an IPA and keeps most of the citrus, which is the trade the category is built on.
What it tastes like
Inherited from Session IPA, because this beer sits within the normal range for it. BeerHQ’s comparative scale, not a measurement.
Why BeerHQ carries this beer
| Reason | Carried as a reference example of its style |
|---|---|
| Strength | 4.7% ABV — checked 2026-08-19. Strengths differ by market and change without announcement, so this is dated rather than absolute. |
| Record stability | Moderate — some details are expected to drift and should be re-checked periodically. |
BeerHQ records no recipe, hop bill, malt bill, yeast strain, IBU or calorie figure for any commercial beer unless it is sourced. Nothing on this page is inferred from what the beer tastes like.
What is distinctive about it
- Established session IPA as a category in the United States rather than as an outlier
- Keeps hop aroma while lowering bitterness and body, which is the trade the format depends on
If you like Founders All Day IPA
Worked out from what this beer actually tastes like rather than from what its style typically does. Three kinds of move, because “what should I try next” is three different questions.
Closest to it
Very similar in structure and flavour. Safe ground rather than discovery.
American IPA — try Sierra Nevada Torpedo or BrewDog Punk IPA
A close structural match for Founders All Day IPA — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly more bread & biscuit (none–trace → low).
May not suit: Very close to Founders All Day IPA; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
A close structural match for Founders All Day IPA — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly more alcohol warmth (none–trace → low).
May not suit: Very close to Founders All Day IPA; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
British golden ale — try Oakham Citra or St Austell Tribute
A close structural match for Founders All Day IPA — a likely fit if you want more of the same.
Different: slightly less carbonation (moderate → low).
May not suit: Very close to Founders All Day IPA; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Similar, but different
Keeps what you probably like about it and changes one or two things. Usually the most useful answer.
West Coast IPA — try Stone IPA
Keeps most of what Founders All Day IPA does and shifts resin & pine.
Different: noticeably more resin & pine (low → high–very high).
May not suit: Noticeably more resin & pine than Founders All Day IPA.
American pale ale — try Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Little Creatures Pale Ale
Keeps most of what Founders All Day IPA does and shifts sweetness.
Different: slightly more sweetness (trace → low).
May not suit: Very close to Founders All Day IPA; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
Keeps most of what Founders All Day IPA does and shifts tropical fruit.
Different: slightly less tropical fruit (low–moderate → none–trace).
May not suit: Very close to Founders All Day IPA; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
A bigger jump
Genuinely different, but connected by something specific — the shared trait is named so you can judge whether the bridge holds.
India pale lager — try Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Founders All Day IPA.
Different: slightly more bread & biscuit (none–trace → low).
May not suit: Very close to Founders All Day IPA; if you wanted a change, this is not it.
German Pils — try Rothaus Tannenzäpfle or Jever Pilsener
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Founders All Day IPA.
Different: noticeably less citrus (moderate–high → none–trace).
May not suit: Noticeably less citrus than Founders All Day IPA.
Czech premium pale lager — try Pilsner Urquell or Budweiser Budvar
Both carry real hop aroma, which is the thread to follow if that is what you like about Founders All Day IPA.
Different: noticeably more bread & biscuit (none–trace → moderate–high).
May not suit: Noticeably more bread & biscuit than Founders All Day IPA.
Likely fits rather than promises. Taste varies, and a recommendation engine that claims certainty is claiming something it cannot know.
What to eat with it
Inherited from Session IPA. BeerHQ does not duplicate pairings onto individual products unless the product genuinely differs from its style.
- Dim sum
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
- Feta
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
- Fresh cheese
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
- Goat's cheese
Bitterness, carbonation and a dry finish scrub the fat off the palate, so each mouthful of food tastes as good as the first.
Keeping it
Session IPA shows best within 1–2 months of packaging. After that it declines in quality rather than becoming unsafe.
Drink fresh. Buy it as young as you can and drink it soon. What makes this beer worth drinking is the first thing to leave it.
Derived from Session IPA. See storage and freshness for the full model.
BeerHQ carries a small set of reference beers to anchor styles, not a catalogue. There is no rating here and there will not be one. Last reviewed 2026-08-19.