what's the difference

[hopsgrinder]

What the difference between a IPA and double IPA and what's the difference between ESB and IPA

 

[ArcaneXor]

They are different styles of beer. You can read all about them at http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/catdex.php. ESB is a type of English Pale Ale.

 

[hopsgrinder]

That site didn't tell me what a double IPA was. It did tell what an empirel IPA is

 

[foltster]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_style

DIPA is sort of a made up style.

 

[foltster]

and DIPA is pretty much the same thing as imperial ipa anyway.

 

[Beer-lord]

A big difference between the IPA and ESB is the hops. Many, many British beers use Kent Goldings either a large part or exclusively.
I'm making a ESB this weekend and the ONLY hops I'm using this time is Kent Goldings. When I make my 'standard' IPA, like many of those made in the U.S. I use no Kent at all and mostly Cascade, Cintra, Centennial or Fuggles.

 

[hopsgrinder]

What's the alfa% of the Kent goldings

 

[scottland]

DIPA is sort of a made up style.

What?!? Double IPA isn't a 'made up' style. It's definitely a style. The Brewer's association, and the BJCP recognize it as a style, and there are hundreds of commercial examples. It's often called an Imperial IPA if that helps.

Yes it's a newer style of beer that was created recently. But it's not 'made up'

To the original poster:

-An IPA is typically between 6% ABV and 7.5% ABV. It has a bracing bitterness and is very hoppy.
-A DIPA (or Imperial IPA) is between 7.5% and 10%+ ABV. It is exceptionally bitter, and exceptionally hoppy. The style is basically a showcase for hops, almost always of the American variety.
-An ESB is an Extra Strong Bitter with an ABV between ~ 5% and 6%. It will have a moderate bitterness with moderate hop character, usually one of the english varieties of hops. Unlike an IPA, there is a strong malt character to the beer that balances the hops very well. A fairly strong caramel malt character is almost always there.

The typical alpha acid % of EKG is around 5%

 

[hopsgrinder]

Wow only a 5% for Kent goldings alpha rating I figured it would be a but higher for an ESB. I thought I use some warrior hops its like 15-17% but I'm still new to the whole thing only been brewing for a year.

 

[scottland]

Alpha acids % refers to the bittering potential of the hop. You can make up for that by adding more of a lower alpha hop.

So 3oz of 5% EKG will impart the same bitterness as 1oz of 15% Warrior. Make sense?

 

[Beer-lord]

What's the alfa% of the Kent goldings

According to Beer Advocate, alpha acid: 4.0-6.0% / beta acid: 2.0-3.0%

 

[Yooper]

Wow only a 5% for Kent goldings alpha rating I figured it would be a but higher for an ESB. I thought I use some warrior hops its like 15-17% but I'm still new to the whole thing only been brewing for a year.

ESBs aren't bitter, as they are simply a "bigger" version of a regular bitter. And a "bitter" isn't bitter, actually. Sort of weird, but an "bitter" in Britain is simply a pale ale. ESB is a version of a bitter with a bit more alcohol. There are ordinary bitters, best bitters and extra special bitter. But not of them are actually bitter tasting.

A good ESB will have English hops, caramelly malt sweetness, and will be about 4.5-6.2% ABV with IBUs of 30-50.

Warrior is probably too harsh and too high of AAUs for a British bitter.