Double, Triple, Imperial, and what it all means.

evwoller · 01-29-2012, 06:15 PM

Okay so I guess I understand the basics of what is going on. For instance, I get that a double IPA probably has about double the goods in it. However I am a bit confused on the whole as to how IMPERIAL comes into play and what it could be defined as.

Also another thing currently confusing me is that people seem to make Imperial IPA's. With the little bit of reading I have done I gathered I concluded that imperial was a term set aside for increased hops, grains, alcohol, etc to ensure preservation through long shipping periods. So the fact that someone says India Pale Ale, where india means it was being shipped to india (or something like that), seems to imply imperial.

Could someone please explain this to me in a format similar to "A square is always a rectangle but a rectangle is not always a square"?

rynb15 · 01-29-2012, 06:29 PM

I would like to know as well.

**40watt** · 01-29-2012, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evwoller

Okay so I guess I understand the basics of what is going on. For instance, I get that a double IPA probably has about double the goods in it. However I am a bit confused on the whole as to how IMPERIAL comes into play and what it could be defined as.

Also another thing currently confusing me is that people seem to make Imperial IPA's. With the little bit of reading I have done I gathered I concluded that imperial was a term set aside for increased hops, grains, alcohol, etc to ensure preservation through long shipping periods. So the fact that someone says India Pale Ale, where india means it was being shipped to india (or something like that), seems to imply imperial.

Could someone please explain this to me in a format similar to "A square is always a rectangle but a rectangle is not always a square"?

The Imperial comes from the British practice of offering beer to the Czars of Russia. At least that's the most common story. If you consider that British IPAs are traditionally not terribly high in alcohol, nor nearly nearly as overhopped as the American counterpart, then it makes sense. Although, I think that Imperial tag was birthed from the stout/porter styles anyway.

htownbrew12 · 01-29-2012, 06:44 PM

Here are the BJCP Style Guidelines:

IPA
OG: 1.056 – 1.075
IBUs: 40 – 70 FG: 1.010 – 1.018
SRM: 6 – 15 ABV: 5.5 – 7.5%

Imperial IPA = Double IPA
OG: 1.070 – 1.090
IBUs: 60 – 120 FG: 1.010 – 1.020
SRM: 8 – 15 ABV: 7.5 – 10%
History: A recent American innovation reflecting the trend of American craft brewers “pushing the envelope” to satisfy the need of hop aficionados for increasingly intense products. The adjective “Imperial” is arbitrary and simply implies a stronger version of an IPA; “double,” “extra,” “extreme,” or any other variety of adjectives would be equally valid. Bigger than either an English or American IPA in both alcohol strength and overall hop level (bittering and finish).

**beowulf** · 01-29-2012, 06:57 PM

Funny that for IPAs you regularly hear the term "Double IPA" as well as "Imperial IPA". For stouts and porters, however, it's more common to hear "Imperial" and not so much "Double". Perhaps it's just creative license with these terms....all of them meaning stronger/more intense than the original "non-Imperial or non-Double" variety.

Denny · 01-29-2012, 07:03 PM

It's nothing but semantics.

evwoller · 01-29-2012, 07:11 PM

Thank you all for the response! I mean part of me wanted to blame it on marketing, i wanted to first confirm if there was a scientific was of differentiating between double and imperial. Now I am wondering why they use the term double at all. While it is potentially a more accurate way of describing it, imperial sounds more expensive and possibly more classy.

@htownbrew thanks for the actual data/definition

dannypo · 01-29-2012, 07:21 PM

To me the term double IPA always referred to double "I" PA. As in IIPA or Imperial India Pale Ale.