Maybe stupid question, but what makes a beer a "double" or "triple" beer?

[damdaman]

I see double reds, double and triple IPAs, etc. What specifically makes these styles different? Higher original gravity? Then why not just call it an Imperial? Confused...

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

It's all a means to the same marketing schema. Make a higher gravity product and give it a kitchy name so it will be marketable.

the mere necessity for everything to be Imperialized these days is rediculous.

 

[maida7]

You can call it imperial if you prefer. It's basically the same thing. Just a stronger version of the style

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

It past due that marketers step out of the box and get really creative with these names.

Russian Commodious Stout
Prodigious Porter
Double Voluminous Pale Ale
Capacious Wit

 

[carnevoodoo]

I see double reds, double and triple IPAs, etc. What specifically makes these styles different? Higher original gravity? Then why not just call it an Imperial? Confused...

Well, the would "double" in that sense came from the Imperial India Pale Ale, or IIPA, with the double 'I' making that term stick. The Belgians also used the terms dubbel and tripel (and much later quad) as a benchmark indicating strength.

 

[BendBrewer]

Well, the would "double" in that sense came from the Imperial India Pale Ale, or IIPA, with the double 'I' making that term stick. The Belgians also used the terms dubbel and tripel (and much later quad) as a benchmark indicating strength.

I had an idea for a brewery based on these. Call it the Cycle Brewery.

Make 6-7 standard styles of beers, in 4 degrees of potency but keeping the essence of the SINGLE.

So you would have a Single Pale Ale at 4% or so with an appropriate level of bitterness and hop flavors and aromas.

The Double PA would come in at 8%, the Triple at 12% and the Home Run coming in at 16% and hoppy as a rabbit on extacy.

Then have Man vs. Food come in and 'Hit for the Cycle'

But then I came down a little and laughed at myself.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I'm waiting for an Imperial Miller Light.

 

[damdaman]

Well, the would "double" in that sense came from the Imperial India Pale Ale, or IIPA, with the double 'I' making that term stick. The Belgians also used the terms dubbel and tripel (and much later quad) as a benchmark indicating strength.

Ahh yes, that makes sense. Thanks.

 

[DilvishTheDamned]

I'm waiting for an Imperial Miller Light.

I think that's like multiplying by zero, water doubled is still water......

 

[Eisendrath]

I think that's like multiplying by zero, water doubled is still water......

LOL!

 

[MeatyPortion]

It's based on what your vision becomes when you drink one.

 

[Native302]

I'm waiting for an Imperial Miller Light.

lol...........I can't stop laughing!

 

[ericd]

I always figured it was based on the amount of ingredients you used. So like to do a double pale ale you'd take a pale ale recipe and double the amounts of the ingredients.

 

[Fritobandito]

I think that's like multiplying by zero, water doubled is still water......

Oh man I laughed at that. WITTY

 

[TromboneGuy]

It past due that marketers step out of the box and get really creative with these names.

Russian Commodious Stout
Prodigious Porter
Double Voluminous Pale Ale
Capacious Wit

Right now I think I have more of a Rapacious Wit in bottles. Nearly 6.5% ABV and more hoppy than usual.

 

[GySgtLynn]

I'm waiting for an Imperial Miller Light.

Will that be quadruple hopped?

 

[Qhrumphf]

Playing devils advocate here...

I've heard folks reference a difference between a "Double IPA" and an "Imperial IPA". Not saying I agree with a difference, but some folks think its there. Something along the lines of a moderate increase in malt and strength with outrageous hop increases for a DIPA, with a much lager malt increases and balanced hop increases. Basically IPA- bitter, DIPA- slightly stronger even more bitter, IIPA- a lot stronger but the same relative bitterness as a regular IPA.

I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like splitting hairs to me. Call it whatever you want to call it

 

[dfc]

Playing devils advocate here...

I've heard folks reference a difference between a "Double IPA" and an "Imperial IPA". Not saying I agree with a difference, but some folks think its there. Something along the lines of a moderate increase in malt and strength with outrageous hop increases for a DIPA, with a much lager malt increases and balanced hop increases. Basically IPA- bitter, DIPA- slightly stronger even more bitter, IIPA- a lot stronger but the same relative bitterness as a regular IPA.

I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like splitting hairs to me. Call it whatever you want to call it

How many people on here do you think get that you have a skinhead title?

BTW, I just want to clarify for those reading this that are unaware of skinhead culture. Most skinheads are not racist...

 

[emjay]

I'm waiting for an Imperial Miller Light.

Hell yeah... would that be sextuple- or nonuple-hopped?

 

[Homercidal]

The stronger beers were reserved for the nobility, and they were called "Imperial". For example, Russian Imperial Stout was exported to the russian court.

While making and India Pale Ale stronger, it became an Imperial India Pale Ale, or IIPA. The name was shortened to Double IPA.

Since it was stronger, people started using the term "Double" to imply a stronger beer. Not be outdone, others started using triple to indicate and even more extreme beer!

And this is not related to the Dubbel and Trippel beers, which are different.

 

[Qhrumphf]

How many people on here do you think get that you have a skinhead title?

BTW, I just want to clarify for those reading this that are unaware of skinhead culture. Most skinheads are not racist...

Not to get off topic, but I have no idea how many people get the reference.

And for those who are curious, "SHARP" indicates explicitly anti-racist.

Now back on topic...

The stronger beers were reserved for the nobility, and they were called "Imperial". For example, Russian Imperial Stout was exported to the russian court.

While making and India Pale Ale stronger, it became an Imperial India Pale Ale, or IIPA. The name was shortened to Double IPA.

Since it was stronger, people started using the term "Double" to imply a stronger beer. Not be outdone, others started using triple to indicate and even more extreme beer!

And this is not related to the Dubbel and Trippel beers, which are different.

I know there's different theories on the origin of Dubbel, Tripel, Quadrupel, etc, but I thought one of the dominant theories was one of strength of the beer. Not the same as IPA vs. Double IPA, but a similar process.

 

[Rossnaree]

...and hovering suspiciously near the undefined realm of division by zero.....

 

[Bob]

It's all a means to the same marketing schema. Make a higher gravity product and give it a kitchy name so it will be marketable.

the mere necessity for everything to be Imperialized these days is rediculous.

But lucrative. Extremely lucrative.

Because beer geeks are drawn like moths to a flame for anything that's over the top and, as you say, ridiculous.

I can picture it now, probably because I was THERE: Prepping a cask for Firkin night at the brewpub. Head brewer says to assistant brewer, who's racking IPA into the cask:

"Dude, let's throw some more hops in this thing, see what kind of ******* will actually drink it."

8 ounces of pellets, each of a different variety of hops, went into that cask. It smelled awful.

We broached it on the bar in the pub a week later. The beer geeks LOVED IT. They positively raved about this tooth-enamel-dissolving, incredibly bitter, damn near green from all the hops absolute swill. We just looked at each other. Had they no taste buds? Were they really, really drunk at the time? Nope. They just wanted biggerfasterLOUDERMORE instead of excellent, well-balanced, artfully constructed beer. They didn't want that; they wanted beer a monkey could brew merely by overwhelming it with hops.

We found ourselves devising 15bbl recipes for it, and it became the brewery's flagship brand. We brewed as much of that brand as the rest of the portfolio combined - 12-14 styles.

The telling thing was this: At the end of every bottling run we had several cases of "shorts" - bottles which were perfectly drinkable, but either too full, not full enough, or hand-capped. These shorts were swag for those who worked the bottling line that day; helped seal case boxes? Take a case of shorts. Shorts of the hoppy swill would go wanting for weeks; I'd end up dumping them. Shorts of tamer beers like ESB or Scotch Ale or Brown Ale would be fought over. You do the math.

Summary: I am philosophically opposed to Imperial Double Massive ELEVENTY Everything. Brew me a session-strength, well-balanced beer. Please. I'm beggin' ya.



Bob

 

[emjay]

I agree. I really like hops, and don't mind bitterness. Unaweetened grapefruit juice was always my favorite, even as a kid.

But I can't stand most IIPAs. Not because of the bitterness, but because of the flavor. It's almost like no thought whatsoever is put into the particular combination of ingredients - the hop flavors meld together to form a unpalatable overall taste, and the concept of "balance" is disgustingly misapplied, tending to be far too malty to actually be drinkable, often doppelbock-like underneath all those hops. I think this is a large reason why Pliny is so particularly renowned, not just for a decent blend of hops, but mostly because it has an unconventially small grain bill - on the lowest end of the BJCP's guidelines for gravity/ABV ranges, but way at the top of the IBU guideline.

But with the vast majority of IIPAs... I WANT to like them, but, if I'm being honest with myself, I really can't. And yet they are so wildly successful and coveted, that I really can't help but wonder if most of the people paying top dollar for such unpleasant swill are actually being honest with THEMSELVES.

On a totally different note though, there's really no merit to the idea that hoppy beers are particularly teeth-rotting/enamel-eroding, yet even some of the most knowledgeable brewers are constantly referring to the notion as fact.

 

[Bob]

But with the vast majority of IIPAs... I WANT to like them, but, if I'm being honest with myself, I really can't. And yet they are so wildly successful and coveted, that I really can't help but wonder if most of the people paying top dollar for such unpleasant swill are actually being honest with THEMSELVES.

I'm convinced most of the IIPA disciples are, at core, a bunch of tin-tongued charlatans who would happily beat their chests and Ook Ook Ook about some other Big Butch Manly Thing if they didn't have IIPA. Motorcycles or guns or some such drivel. They're drinking the beer not at all for the sensory input; they're drinking it for the status they believe is accorded to someone who drinks it. "It's twice the strength, five times the hops and twice the price! I am a Real Man! Look at me! Ook! I have a shiny red bottom! Ook!"

Whatevs.

Yeah, that's pretty damned harsh. Sue me. I feel okay being that harsh for two reasons:

1. When I mention I don't like beers that could be used as tactical nuclear weapons, I usually get called a word that starts with P and ends with USSY. So referring to them as knuckle-dragging poseurs who couldn't even use taste to tell sh!t from shinola doesn't bother me one bit.
2. The tin-tongued competitors for Beer Drinking Alpha Male are driving classic, tasty, wonderful but normal-strength craft beers out of the market.

Please note, if you actually like that stuff for some reason, more power to you. Don't be a ******-canoe about it and we'll get along fine!

On a totally different note though, there's really no merit to the idea that hoppy beers are particularly teeth-rotting/enamel-eroding, yet even some of the most knowledgeable brewers are constantly referring to the notion as fact.

That's true. IBUs won't rot your teeth. It just feels like they're dissolving; the last time I drank an IIPA my mouth and teeth felt clean - like I'd just gargled with an overpoweringly bitter antiseptic.

I say they'll dissolve your teeth to drive home a point through exaggeration.

Cheers!

Bob

 

[BrewPilot74]

I like IPAs. Don't think I ever had a double. I'm thinking of brewing up a clone of Green Flash soon. I had some at a great bar in San Diego last spring. It was suggested by a very cute little bartender so I tried it. Haven't been able to get it out of my mind ever since. I don't think I'm a Neanderthall but I guess I could be wrong. I do say Ook Ook Ook a lot.

 

[maida7]

I like IPAs. Don't think I ever had a double. I'm thinking of brewing up a clone of Green Flash soon. I had some at a great bar in San Diego last spring. It was suggested by a very cute little bartender so I tried it. Haven't been able to get it out of my mind ever since. I don't think I'm a Neanderthall but I guess I could be wrong. I do say Ook Ook Ook a lot.

The "Can You Brew It" recipe is flawless. I've tasted it blind side by side with West Coast IPA and it's dead on cloned. Only difference is the home brew is fresher.

 

[lou2row]

I'm convinced most of the IIPA disciples are, at core, a bunch of tin-tongued charlatans who would happily beat their chests and Ook Ook Ook about some other Big Butch Manly Thing if they didn't have IIPA. Motorcycles or guns or some such drivel. They're drinking the beer not at all for the sensory input; they're drinking it for the status they believe is accorded to someone who drinks it. "It's twice the strength, five times the hops and twice the price! I am a Real Man! Look at me! Ook! I have a shiny red bottom! Ook!"

Whatevs.


Bob

+1
Watch this happen all the time.
-"chili isn't real chili unless it makes my butthole bleed for three days. I have blisters on the back of my tongue, that's how you know it's good."
-"These new limited edition cigars by Pete are all that. The never ending blast of pepper that curls my nose hairs makes all other cigars pale in comparison."

When I got into drinking different beers it took a while to even like IPAs. Now I enjoy a few, but to take it to extremes is not my thing. I like bigger full flavored beers, but not over the top test the boundries of decency type things.

 

[Piratwolf]

I like almost every kind of beer. I've not only enjoyed commercial IIPAs, I've made two of my own & loved 'em. And my hairy chest & red bottom are tastefully hidden beneath civilized human clothing.

That being said, I do hope the current trend of "bigger/crazier is better" will go away soon. Mostly b/c, as I said, I like almost every kind of beer and want to taste them all before they get crowded off the shelf by Palate-Raper Quadruple XIPA!

Hooray, beer!

 

[Waynep005]

Who new people had such strong feeling agaist IIPAs. I do hav to give Bob props for the very eloquent rant against the evils of the IIPA.