What is a double IPA?

In all my homebrewing books I can't find a definition of double IPA. Many double IPAs are too sweet for me, but I can't resist a good, super-hoppy double. So is there a technique that is unique to double IPAs? What the difference between an IPA and a Double IPA?

Roughly: double the hops, double the ABV.

You need a maltier beer to do a DIPA because of the higher ABV. You might want to look at a higher attenuating yeast to dry it out.

Or you might consider an IPA "extra" where you maybe increase the ABV by 50% and double the hops.

Its also known as "Imperial IPA". Its basically a stronger, hoppier version of an IPA. American brewers "pushing the evelope" of an IPA. IPA stops around the 7.5% range. IIPA continues on up to around 10.5%. One of the biggest challenges of Imperial IPAs are to keep them dry and drinkable. Not an easy task with all that malt! Some people will use some table sugar to raise the ABV while keeping the FG low.

mmm...hopslam!

http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style14.php#1c

Moylan's Hopsickle IMO is one of the best.

The word "double" is not to be taken literally. A double IPA is merely an IPA with the ABV higher than normal for the style. To say that you double everything is often inaccurate. The only true commercial double I am aware of is Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree, which some describe as a triple IPA. When thinking double it is best to think imperial in this instance.

DIPA's can range from very sweet to dry and bitter. It sounds like you would prefer the bitter side of the spectrum, sugar can be added to help dry out the beer making for a less sweet more bitter final product.

I second the sugar suggestion, something like ~10% table sugar by extract is what I usually aim for. I also like to keep the crystal/caramel malt to a minimum to further reduce the sweetness. I don't go too high with the gravity, mid-low 1.070s is plenty, more than that and it may need too much time and you miss the fresh hoppy window and it starts tasting like a barleywine.

I like a bit of gypsum in the water/wort to up the sulfate content. Then just load in your favorite hops, ~100+ IBUs to bitter, a few ounce at flame out and a few ounces for dry hops usually does it (my last 5 gallon batch had 1 lb of hops). I like Simoce/Amarillo/Columbus, but there are loads of hops out there to try.

Ferment with a clean yeast like 001/1056 in the mid-60s, and force carbonate if you can (the sooner you are drinking it and the less oxygen exposure the better).

How did your last batch turn out? A pound of hops for a five gallon batch sounds a bit intense.

MULE said:

How did your last batch turn out? A pound of hops for a five gallon batch sounds a bit intense.

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I got the chance to drink it side-by-side with a growler of Pliny the Younger, and the nose was nearly identical. The gravity/body was more along the lines of Pliny the Elder though, pretty drinkable for an 8% ABV beer. The problem is that it only stayed at that level for 2 months before the hops really start to fade (and that's considering the fact that there were hops in the keg).

Here is the recipe for anyone interested: http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2010/02/big-ipa-recipe-1-lb-of-hops.html

Adding table sugar to reduce sweetness? I see I still have a LOT to learn!

Thanks for the responses. Is dogfishhead 90 considered a double IPA and 120 considered a triple? 120 is way too sweet for me but 90 min is one of my favorite brews.

Thanks for sharing. I've been apprehensive about using more than eight to nine ounces in a five gallon batch.

Oldsock said:

I like a bit of gypsum in the water/wort to up the sulfate content.

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This will help a lot. Gypsum enhances (or maybe merely alters...I've heard different takes) the hop character and bitterness, which can help to mask some of the residual sweetness.

aMillionDreams said:

Adding table sugar to reduce sweetness? I see I still have a LOT to learn!

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It sounds counter-intuitive, but think about it this way: malt water/extract isn't completely fermentable. There are plenty of things the yeasts leave behind, including complex sugars that add to body and sweetness. Sugar, on the other hand, is completely fermented out, so only alcohol is left behind. Alcohol is perceived as being "dry" in taste (think of taking a shot of vodka), so not only are you boosting the gravity without adding unfermentables, but the extra alcohol may indeed increase the perception of dryness.

The 120 is not a "Triple IPA". It's just a 20% ABV monster that defies classification. Even the 90 is a bit sweet to me.

I like a "Double IPA" at around 8-9% ABV and 100 IBU with liberal late hop additions including two or three ounces dry hopped.