Avery Maharaja IPA 6Pk is a 10% ABV Imperial India Pale Ale brewed by Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, Colorado, sold in a six-pack format. Scoring 94 out of 100 on BeerAdvocate across nearly 6,000 ratings, Maharaja stands as one of the most respected American Imperial IPAs on the market — a relentless collision of hop intensity and caramel malt backbone built around 102 IBUs.

Quick Facts: ABV: 10%  |  IBUs: 102  |  Origin: Boulder, Colorado, USA  |  Style: Imperial India Pale Ale  |  Brewery: Avery Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Avery Brewing Company, founded in Boulder, Colorado, created Maharaja as the second installment in its Dictator Series — a lineup of aggressively flavored beers that push style boundaries. The grain bill is anchored by two-row barley, Victory malt, and Caramel 120, providing a rich, toffee-sweet foundation substantial enough to stand toe-to-toe with the massive hop charge. Four bittering and flavoring hop varieties — Columbus, Centennial, Chinook, and Simcoe — are layered across multiple additions during the boil, while a separate dry hop addition of Idaho 7, Vic Secret, and Simcoe introduces a second wave of aromatic complexity. This dual-hop strategy — splitting bittering hops from aromatic dry hops with different varietals — distinguishes Maharaja from most Imperial IPAs in its tier.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Resinous pine and grapefruit peel hit first, followed by layers of floral hops and thick citrus oil. As the beer warms in the glass, a faint sticky-sweet caramel undertone emerges alongside hints of mango and nectarine pit.

Taste: The entry is lush and malt-forward — heavy caramel and toffee-like sweetness that quickly gives way to bitter marmalade and buckets of pine resin at the mid-palate. Overripe mango and peach weave through a strongly astringent hop core, while medium-kilned malt and floral notes create a constant push-and-pull between sweetness and bitterness. The mouthfeel is full, creamy, and a touch boozy, with the 10% alcohol held remarkably in balance.

Finish: Long and warming, with spreading pine and citrus bitterness that lingers well after the swallow. The caramel malt reasserts itself at the tail end, keeping the finish from tipping into pure hop aggression.

How to Drink Maharaja

Maharaja is best enjoyed at 50–55°F in a tulip glass or snifter, which concentrates the aromatic hop oils and allows the malt complexity to unfold. A straight pour with no garnish lets the beer speak for itself. For food-adjacent drinking, consider these cocktail-adjacent beer applications: use Maharaja as a float atop a citrus shandy for an Imperial twist on a summer staple; blend it half-and-half with a rich stout for a Black & Tan variation that balances roast against hop bitterness; or pair it alongside a bourbon cocktail as a hoppy sidecar — the pine and citrus notes mirror the oak and vanilla in aged whiskey.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who gravitates toward aggressive hop-forward styles
• Pairing with bold, spicy food at a backyard barbecue or taco night
• Sharing among experienced beer drinkers during a tasting flight of Imperial IPAs
• Stocking a curated beer fridge for winter evening sipping

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Maharaja taste like? Maharaja delivers a full-bodied wave of pine resin, grapefruit, and overripe mango set against a chewy caramel and toffee malt backbone. At 102 IBUs the bitterness is pronounced but never unbalanced, thanks to the beer's substantial 10% ABV and rich grain bill.

How does Maharaja compare to Pliny the Elder? Both are elite American hop showcases, but Maharaja runs hotter at 10% ABV versus Pliny the Elder's 8% and leans harder into caramel malt sweetness, making it fuller-bodied and more warming. Pliny tends toward a drier, more drinkable profile, while Maharaja embraces the Imperial category's heavier side with greater malt presence and a higher IBU count.

Is Maharaja good for sipping neat? Absolutely — Maharaja is designed to be sipped slowly at cellar temperature, where its layered hop aromatics and malt depth reveal themselves over time. The elevated ABV rewards a patient pour rather than quick consumption.

Where is Maharaja made? Maharaja is brewed by Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, Colorado. The brewery produces the beer as part of its Dictator Series, a lineup of bold, boundary-pushing ales.

What foods pair well with Maharaja? Thai green curry works well, as the beer's bitterness cuts through coconut-milk richness. Aged cheddar or Gruyère mirrors the caramel malt sweetness. Smoked brisket or pulled pork stands up to the hop intensity. Spicy buffalo wings find a counterpoint in the beer's citrus and pine character. Dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao echoes the beer's toffee and resinous finish.

What sizes does Maharaja come in? Maharaja is commonly available in six-packs of 12-ounce cans or bottles, and may also be found in individual cans depending on market availability.

Is Maharaja worth the price? Maharaja positions as a premium craft Imperial IPA, and its 94-point BeerAdvocate score and complex dual-hop recipe place it among the best-regarded beers in the style. For drinkers who appreciate hop-forward intensity backed by serious malt structure, it delivers strong value within the Imperial IPA category.

Why Maharaja?

Maharaja earns its place among top-tier American Imperial IPAs through a production approach most competitors don't attempt — splitting the hop program into a four-variety bittering schedule and a three-variety dry hop addition using entirely different cultivars. The result, validated by a 94-point BeerAdvocate consensus and a 91 from Craft Beer & Brewing, is a beer that Wine Enthusiast called "an intense, robust and masterfully crafted full-flavored beer that doesn't go too far over the top." At 10% ABV and 102 IBUs, Maharaja occupies a space where most beers collapse under their own weight — yet its Caramel 120 and Victory malt backbone holds everything together with uncommon poise.