What makes it Imperial?

I've noticed that there a lot of styles that have imperial versions. What exactly makes a beer imperial as compared to a normal beer of the same style?

as far as I know, it's an increase in alcohol.

There probably will be more alcohol but not neccesarily. It is usually a bigger and bolder flavor. Example...IPA=hoppy...Imperial IPA=SUPER hoppy

what about a imperial pilsner?

I also would like to know hte criteria for this title. I too thought it was higher alcohol but didn't know what % qualified it as Imperial if any at all.

IMHO, more or less it's a hoppier (usually) and stronger version of an existing style.

Pretty much increase the base malt, then increase hopping rates accordingly.

I'm drinking an Imperial pumpkin ale and have had an imperial stout. not much hops but a bunch of alcohol. I think its more alcohol then hops. In IIPAs the hops balance the alcohol.

I'm fairly certain that it's a misnomer unless actually talking about RIS.

Recently BobNQ3X had this in his sig. I think it discusses the topic well.

It's when the beer is so good that the Queen of England gives it a special title. (joke)

Sorry, I thought this was in the General Chit Chat, ignore this answer.

Thanks for the info. BobNQ3X's blog post was especially informative.

Oi! My ears are burnin'!

What makes a beer "Imperial"? Making a certain style, then modifying the recipe to make it bigger FASTER LOUDER MORE. Brewing an IPA that should start at 1.060 to start at 1.090, ratcheting from 45 to 90 IBU - that's going "Imperial", as the term is bandied about by kids these days.

As you've probably read in my blog post, I don't like the term, either as a term of art or a style descriptor, 'cos I think it's an inappropriate use of the word as well as a brainless shortcut. YMMV, and you can always tell me to go boil my head.

Cheers!

Bob

Nice write up BobNQ3X.
What does that stand for anyway?

IrregularPulse said:

Nice write up BobNQ3X.
What does that stand for anyway?

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I'm guessing Amateur radio callsign.

mmb said:

I'm guessing Amateur radio callsign.

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Or maybe aircraft N number?

BTW, enjoyed the 'Imperial' blog, Bob. Now what the hell do I call my IIPA that is almost ready??

isn't an ipa already imperial? why an iipa?

It's an India Pale Ale.

They beers I see most people calling "Imperials" aren't. I'd say they are Americanized.

uglygoat said:

isn't an ipa already imperial? why an iipa?

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India Pale Ale isn't imperial to begin with, I'm pretty sure. But I have been wrong before - just ask my ex!

EDIT: I 'm not sure if it's a true imperial based on the discussions in this thread, but the recipe is from Jamil Z and John Palmer's book Brewing Classic Styles, and they called it an Imperial IPA

It's the "accepted" term used instead of "Double" or "WTF was I thinking" when something is scaled "bigger" than what BJCP style dictates.

GABF style guide from beertown.org has 75 distinct styles with multiple subcategories in many of the styles. BJCP has 28 with subcategories. Maybe there isn't enough catagories from the BJCP to shoehorn the BIGGER, FASTER, MORE mentality?

mrfocus said:

It's when the beer is so good that the Queen of England gives it a special title. (joke)

Sorry, I thought this was in the General Chit Chat, ignore this answer.

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Actually Imperial was given the title because Queen Cathrine of Russia liked the beer she got from England and a new style was born. Like with IPA they would load it up with more alcohol so that it would survive the long and cold voyage to Mother Russia

From wikipedia about Imperial Stout:

Imperial stout, also known as "Russian Imperial Stout" or "Imperial Russian Stout," is a strong dark beer or stout that was originally brewed by Thrale's brewery in London, England for export to the court of Catherine II of Russia, as "Thrale's Entire Porter".[4] It has a high alcohol content - nine or ten percent abv is common. Imperial stout exhibits very strong malt flavours, hints of dark fruits, and is often quite rich, resembling a chocolate dessert.

There's a subsection of beer nerds that are trying to get the IIPA changed to the San Diego pale ale. the origins are actually just North of here, but the style really grew from here.

I agree that adding "Imperial" to everything is kind of ridiculous, but it is an easy way to say "hey I made a really big beer that doesn't fit in any style at all." People feel the need to classify their beers to give a basic identification of what it is.

I think the most exciting part of all of this is that we're going through a period where new styles are being formed, anything that can be tried will be, and we're going to see some amazingg beer out of it all, regardless of what it is called.

orfy said:

It's an India Pale Ale.

They beers I see most people calling "Imperials" aren't. I'd say they are Americanized.

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But there's already an English and an American IPA. Even then, you'd have to say the American IPA is bordering on unoriginality in a way.

thanks orfy, i knew ipa was india, don't know why it didn't click, well i do, but that's another story.

india pale ale, the beer that built an empire...wouldn't it have to be stored in a pitch lined barrel, and jostled on a sailing ship to be an ipa?

uglygoat said:

india pale ale, the beer that built an empire...wouldn't it have to be stored in a pitch lined barrel, and jostled on a sailing ship to be an ipa?

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Why don't you work on that for yourself and we'll continue to drink our bastardized styles?

i need a ship....

I know that both the BJCP and the GABF style guidelines specifically have IIPA listed, so I guess I'll still call mine IIPA - at least until it gets changed to SDPA

Jester369 said:

I know that both the BJCP and the GABF style guidelines specifically have IIPA listed, so I guess I'll still call mine IIPA - at least until it gets changed to SDPA

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Or you could just do what I do. "What kind of beer is that?"

"It's beer."

"oh."

carnevoodoo said:

Or you could just do what I do. "What kind of beer is that?"

"It's beer."

"oh."

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If I labeled all seven taps on my Keezer 'Beer', someone expecting a pale ale is gonna be darn surprised when they pull a pint of stout!

carnevoodoo said:

Or you could just do what I do. "What kind of beer is that?"

"It's beer."

"oh."

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That's crazy! It's like saying thats meat. well is it chicken or beef or pork???

Jester369 said:

If I labeled all seven taps on my Keezer 'Beer', someone expecting a pale ale is gonna be darn surprised when they pull a pint of stout!

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Hilarious!!!! Things would get complicated if you wanted to have people over for a tasting.

Sample A is "beer"
Sample B is "beer"
Sample C is "beer"


"oh"

King of Cascade said:

That's crazy! It's like saying thats meat. well is it chicken or beef or pork???

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Eh, you can tell by color. Maybe call it "brown beer" or "black beer" or even yellow.

carnevoodoo said:

Eh, you can tell by color. Maybe call it "brown beer" or "black beer" or even yellow.

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or malty beer or hoppy beer or pale hoppy beer or brown malty beer???????????//

Why not just call it what it is. Imperial IPA, Scoth Ale, Russian Imperial Stout...

For the OP:
Imperial is commonly used to be bigger. Usually higher OG, more alcohol and often hoppier.

Russian Imperial Stout and Imperial IPA are the only styles listed in the BCJP guide with imperial in the name. RIS is the original Imperial as mentioned, and it is a bigger, bolder stout. I guess when IPAs started going over the top they decided to name the bigger ones Imperial. And now Imperial is used by many brewers to describe their big bold beers.

Double IPA actually means 2 -I's, P, A or Imperial Indian Pale Ale. Ofcourse other brewers have started using Double as a term to describe over sized beers. And some old world styles do have similar names like Dubble and Dobblebock.

With the exception of RIS "Americanized", is probably a good description of the beers labeled Imperial. There are no real rules for when a beer is Imperial, its all just marketing.

Craig

One thing that you shouldn't forget when It comes to homebrew.
It's your beer. Brew it how you want and call it what you want.

I personally don't like narrow definitions. Although it can be helpful to describe a beer to others. I'm a little selfish so I don't care too much if I can't describe a beer to others.

I may soon have the opportunity to brew commercially and thankfully in the UK a beer will sell without too tight a category label.

orfy said:

One thing that you shouldn't forget when It comes to homebrew.
It's your beer. Brew it how you want and call it what you want.

I personally don't like narrow definitions. Although it can be helpful to describe a beer to others. I'm a little selfish so I don't care too much if I can't describe a beer to others.

I may soon have the opportunity to brew commercially and thankfully in the UK a beer will sell without too tight a category label.

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I don't brew to style most of the time, so I just make up names too. If I want an IPA, most of the time a Pliny from the bar will do me just fine. I like to experiment more than anything.

IrregularPulse said:

Nice write up BobNQ3X.
What does that stand for anyway?

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MMB had it right - NQ3X is my amateur radio callsign.

Everyone else:

I'm inclined to turn a blind eye to "Imperial IPA" because the place to which IPA was shipped was the Jewel of the Empire, after all. At least there was an Empire involved in the genesis of the style from which the "Imperialized"* version sprang.

It's just that trying to call it "Imperial Oatmeal Coffee Stout" drives me nuts. Just call it "Gerald" or something, fer Crissake! It works for Dogfish Head and bunches of other breweries. If someone asks what style it is, explain. Otherwise, give it a goofy name, hand 'em a glass and tell 'em - with a smile - "Sit down, shut up and hang on, 'cos this here's Tonto, and he's gonna kick your scrawny white nerd tuchus!".

(Note: if you brew an oatmeal stout to RIS levels, guess what? It's already an Imperial Stout! If you knew the style, you'd know that one of the hallmarks of the RIS breed is a much more complicated grist than, say, Dry Stout. Which you don't, so you suck. So there. Silly a$s-cactus. )

Cheers,

Bob

* I broke out in itches just typing that.

carnevoodoo said:

Eh, you can tell by color. Maybe call it "brown beer" or "black beer" or even yellow.

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Don't let him fool you. I know Carne is one of the more experienced drinkers here.

I agree Imperialized is silly. I like to label my BIG beers something easier to understand and less snob like. Something like "The Grandly Hopped and Thricewise Malted Barleywein of the Ages".

Boerderij Kabouter said:

Don't let him fool you. I know Carne is one of the more experienced drinkers here.

I agree Imperialized is silly. I like to label my BIG beers something easier to understand and less snob like. Something like "The Grandly Hopped and Thricewise Malted Barleywein of the Ages".

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My favorite:

Haandbryggeriet Dark Force - HaandBryggeriet - BeerAdvocate

"Double Extreme Imperial Wheat Stout"

Such a great label. And a great beer, at that.

carnevoodoo said:

My favorite:

Haandbryggeriet Dark Force - HaandBryggeriet - BeerAdvocate

"Double Extreme Imperial Wheat Stout"

Such a great label. And a great beer, at that.

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On the list it goes! Thanks

Boerderij Kabouter said:

On the list it goes! Thanks

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It'll cost you a bit. I think it was 12 bucks when I got it, but it is a great beer. They're a funny little brewery. They only brew when they feel like it.

i should make an "Imperial Cruiser Ale"

that'll throw 'em off.