Double IPA or San Diego Pale Ale?

so I was(am) buzzed and my roommates went to sleep and I started to look up the history of IPA's and IIPA's via Wikipedia. on their page about IPA they have a small part about double IPA's which linked to an article basically saying how the name makes no sense and should more accurately be called a 'San Diego Pale Ale' crediting the greater San Diego area with creating the Style as (myth, legend, fact?) states that the style was created here.

India Pale Ale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Metro > Peter Rowe -- Some believe bitter brew should be renamed to reflect San Diego roots

what do you guys think? should we keep calling a double IPA? start a movement to call it San Diego Pale Ale (I'm certainly biased on this account) or maybe just do some more research and find out if any of these claims have any sort of factual basis to them?

EDIT: yeah I know the article is really old. but who cares?

GregR said:

so I was(am) buzzed and my roommates went to sleep and I started to look up the history of IPA's and IIPA's via Wikipedia. on their page about IPA they have a small part about double IPA's which linked to an article basically saying how the name makes no sense and should more accurately be called a 'San Diego Pale Ale' crediting the greater San Diego area with creating the Style as (myth, legend, fact?) states that the style was created here.

India Pale Ale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Metro > Peter Rowe -- Some believe bitter brew should be renamed to reflect San Diego roots

what do you guys think? should we keep calling a double IPA? start a movement to call it San Diego Pale Ale (I'm certainly biased on this account) or maybe just do some more research and find out if any of these claims have any sort of factual basis to them?

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Slightly inaccurate, but it is fact despite the inaccuracy. I personally would prefer West Coast Pale. It makes more sense. The style was really brought about by Vinnie C. when he was still at Blind Pig Brewing which was in Temecula, CA, which is just North of SD County. The style has continued to develop in this town beyond what it has anywhere else in the world, and I think the nod to SD is great, but with Russian River being up North, I would prefer it be called a West Coast Pale or a California Pale or something.

So whatever. IIPA is stupid. I disagree with just calling everything bigger "Imperial" because it makes little sense. With the world the way it is, we just get more and more extreme styles, and people feel the need to call it something, and the Imperial label sticks.

I guess I should have read that article. None of that is myth.

it's alright. I'm sure in my druckeness I typed something that isn't coherent and put people on a different path. I agree though that 'west coast' is probably a better or more accurate name. but I can't help but want to give the nod to San Diego.

carnevoodoo said:

So whatever. IIPA is stupid. I disagree with just calling everything bigger "Imperial" because it makes little sense. With the world the way it is, we just get more and more extreme styles, and people feel the need to call it something, and the Imperial label sticks.

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I agree with with this statement wholeheartedly. the whole thing that brought on me checking all this out was I went to my neighborhood liquor store and scored a Sculpin IPA, Dorado Double, and a Victory at Sea Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter. (Carne, just go to the liquor store on University and 30th(?) (right around there) right next to the KFC, they still have about 8 bottles each of Sculpin and Dorado)(just save me one or two)

anyway, I was just so struck by the differences of an IPA and a Double IPA made by the same brewery. really they are so different you cannot fairly compare the two. I was trying to do it tonight and really just stopped because I thought it was unfair to each beer. both are great but sooooo different (regardless of their respective 'styles')

but yeah, I'm rambling . . . IPA and double IPA are really too different to share such a similar name.

If I want Sculpin and Dorado, I will just pick them up when I am at the brewery. The new batch of Sculpin came out last week, so it should be fresh, and that's the best time to get it.

Some IPAs and IIPAs are much more similar. The Sculpin is kind of its own monster, and that's why it sells so damn well. But yes, they are different styles in my opinion, and this whole piggybacking of extra words to define styles is just silly.

new sculpin came out last week!?!?!?!? damnit it has been too long since I've been to the home brew mart! but still they have a lot of Dorado Doulbles at the liquor store.

seriously though, Sculpin really is it's own monster. it's own beautiful, delicious, wonderful, amazing monster. hands down best IPA I've ever had.

GregR said:

new sculpin came out last week!?!?!?!? damnit it has been too long since I've been to the home brew mart! but still they have a lot of Dorado Doulbles at the liquor store.

seriously though, Sculpin really is it's own monster. it's own beautiful, delicious, wonderful, amazing monster. hands down best IPA I've ever had.

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You should make some. I think the recipe at HBM is a little off but it comes out close. I am going to adjust and try something similar. Somewhere between that and the Alesmith IPA.

I've made their "IPA" that they have printed out at the store but as an extract brewer (working diligently to get everything I need to go all grain) didn't even consider what I made to be in the same ball park. I'm about 1/3 ready to go all grain so I'll talk to the guys at HBM and get a good clone for my inaugural batch.