Imperial v double ipa

BJCP classifies American IPA and then a double IPA. Is there a legitimate difference between a double IPA and an imperial IPA? Or is it just semantics?

Exact same thing.

A double IPA and an Imperial IPA (IIPA) are the same thing.

i always understood it to refer to the "I"

Imperial India = double "I"

but now that brewers are calling beers Triple IPA i guess it refers more to the strength

markm2151 said:

BJCP classifies American IPA and then a double IPA. Is there a legitimate difference between a double IPA and an imperial IPA? Or is it just semantics?

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BJCP does not classify a "double IPA." It classifies an "Imperial IPA." Most brewers write it "IIPA", and say it "double IPA", because there are double I's at the start. Straight from the guidelines: "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."



Just part of the brewing vernacular.