Double IPA

The Double IPA, also called the Imperial IPA or DIPA, is the American IPA scaled up: 8–10% ABV, intensified hopping, and a malt base built to carry the extra weight without becoming sweet or heavy. It is a study in controlled excess, where the brewer's craft lies in making a very strong beer taste dangerously drinkable.

#Origins

The Double IPA was born in California in the mid-1990s. Its origin story is told in Origins of the Double IPA, with Russian River's Pliny the Elder the most-cited landmark. It formalized "imperial" as a strength tier within the American IPA family and became a craft-beer status symbol.

#The Brewing Challenge

A Double IPA is not merely "an IPA with more of everything." Its difficulty lies in three balancing acts:

1. Hot alcohol vs. drinkability. Too much crystal malt or under-attenuation leaves a cloying, boozy beer. Brewers often add simple sugar to boost ABV while keeping the body lean (see Recipe Formulation).
2. Bitterness vs. harshness. Huge bittering charges can turn coarse; careful timing and whirlpool additions shift emphasis toward flavor and aroma.
3. Hop saturation vs. cost. Double IPAs use enormous quantities of hops, raising both cost and the risk of hop creep.

#Hazy vs. Clear DIPAs

The style now splits along the same haze axis as the standard IPA:

See West Coast IPA and New England IPA for the parent expressions.

#Sensory Profile

• Aroma: intense and layered citrus, tropical fruit, resin, dank.
• Flavor: concentrated hop flavor; bitterness firm but not punishing.
• Mouthfeel: medium to full with a gentle alcohol warmth.
• Finish: dry, despite the strength.

#Continue Reading

• Triple IPA: the next strength tier
• Origins of the Double IPA: the history
• Double IPA Recipe: a worked brewing recipe
• American IPA: the parent style
• Best Double IPAs: recommended examples