Double IPA versus Imperial IPA

I've heard several people recently discuss Imperial and Double IPA's as separate beers. Is this true? I always assumed the double (IIPA) meant the first "I" was for Imperial. Is this true? Or are they different styles? If so, what is different?

 

Yes double I means IIPA.

 

Honestly,

They are the same thing.
It is all a matter of dialect, or location in this country.

 

glad to here those people were wrong. I always knew I was right

 

You were right. Until you tried to spell "hear".

 

Its the same thing.

Whether IIPA means Imperial IPA or it means literally double IPA as in (double I)+PA since IIPA has two I's. I like the latter, though many abbreviate double IPA as DIPA, also valid.

 

No, the "double" doesn't mean two "I's". The "dubbel" has been used since Belgian Westmalle began using it to indicate a stronger version of their ale.

In germany, "doppel" (double) is used to indicate the same stronger beer (i.e., doppelbock).

So, double simply means the same as imperial: a "stronger" version. Of course, the original "Imperials" were meant for the royalty of tsarist Russia, but that is another story.

 

Let me start by saying that I absolutely love the product that is put out by the brewery I'm about to speak of. In fact, my love of their product is actually the basis for this story. The product of topic is Northwest Brewery's Crazy Bitch Double IPA, an amped-up version of their Hoppy Bitch IPA. A year or so ago you could only acquire it within a very narrow window as they were running small, trial batches of it at the time. Since then, they've been keeping it on tap pretty consistently. The trial, apparently, was a success. Knowing this, just last night, I walked in there with an empty growler and a smile on may face and asked the person behind the counter if they "still have your imperial IPA on tap." Of course they did! It's some of the best hoppy beer in the hoppiest of beer regions in Beerdom!

"No."

Ummm, excuse me? She said "No, you can only get that at (such-and-such), and we only brew it for (such-and-such), but don't sell it here." Obviously, I'm paraphrasing, but the implication here was that, well, put simply -- I'm crazy. (...or buzzed, which is likely to have been the case.)

Desperately, I whipped my head around left and right for some indication that at least at one point they had supplied delicious pints of my beloved Crazy Bitch. There it was: a magnificent poster adorned in red and black. Crazy Bitch Double IPA. There! There it was. Validation, at last.

"Or do you mean Crazy Bitch?" she inquired, sensing my desperation and thirst.

"Yes, yes that. My bad." NOT my bad! They're the same thing. Right? Imperial versus Double? That's how I happened upon this thread, see. I just HAD to know. You all have confirmed my suspicion, which is that they are in fact one and the same. UNLESS. That is, unless a particular brewery has chosen to brew one of the two for a third party, then brew one for themselves as well. AHA!!! Another case of "same thing only different.

 

They are the same thing. If anyone tries to debate this with you, they are dumb or trolling you.

 

I got trolled by a waitress then. Sad statement.

 

As far as style is concerned they mean the same thing, but if a brewery makes a "Crazy Bitch Double IPA" and also makes (enter name here) Imperial IPA then it makes sense that when you ask for the imperial they give you that one and when you ask for the double they give you that one.

I don't think she trolled you. She thought you were asking for their super special limited release seasonal IIPA.

 

Gameface, I agree 100%, and I am filing it away in my "Lesson Learned" category which is becoming quite full.

 

I'm sure someone once tried to tell me a Double IPA was when a brewery takes their IPA recipe and just doubles the hops and malt bill

 

I've been told a double IPA is something like 7.5 to 8.5% and an imperial is something like 8.5+. (This is how a local brewery explained their classification to me. I'm sure it's not universal) I never worry too much about it either way, but if it's 10% I know I'll call it an imperial.

 

For reference:
BJCP Style guidelines = 14C. Imperial IPA
BA Style guidlines = Imperial or Double India Pale Ale
WBC Style guidelines = 88.Imperial India Pale Ale
GABF Style guidelines = 53.Imperial India Pale Ale

I for one agree with the statement that the style was originally coined as Imperial IPA or IIPA and the DIPA came from the ease of saying double I P A rather than I I P A.

 

In the 10% range a lot of breweries start calling it a "Triple IPA." It's all semantics. What one brewery calls a double, others call an imperial, and some others call a triple.

 

So can i get the Imperial Double India Pale Ale please???? no????
OK, what about the Double Imperial India Pale Ale????? no?????
ummmm.... the Imperial Imperial India Pale Ale... hold on, is that just the DIIPA... wait a minute am I ordeing a baby nappy now... What is wrong with the world

 

Good point. I've seen a couple triples (Founders Devil Dancer is very nice), and I'm sure a quadruple IPA will be at my local beer store next summer. It'll be an arms race, like the way razor companies fight to fit the most blades into their disposables.

 

Imperial just sounds better...


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What about the random "Extra IPA"? I had assumed it was the same as well. Can someone confirm?

 

Of course it's not. Extra IPA is an intermediate between a regular IPA and an Imperial/Double. But really it's just Sierra Nevada marketing speak for their Torpedo.

 

Over 10% is barelywine status


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Huh? Joking? Barleywine is a completely different category to IIPA/IIIPA

 

This guy is literally posting on every thread with wrong info and ridiculous comments

 

I was wondering if you were talking about me or the other guy !

 

Lol the other guy, apparently no one should bother making beer under 6%

 

The story sounds like Hale's Ales, which has multiple IPAs and IIPAs on tap at their beer bar.


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Hopinsta ur a clown go make ur 4% beer u fool


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You're^ your^ you^ FTFY

 

Ur so cool dude


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Thank you

 

You're*

 

Oh it gets better. Many of the so called "triple IPAs" actually conform to Amercian Barleywine guidelines better then IIPA guidelines.

Anyway, I'm off to brew my Double Imperial India Barleywine Pale Ale...

Edit: I see this has become a debate too. LOL..I'm OUT of here!