This page is dedicated to informing you a bit about IPAs and IIPAs of all kinds, as well as providing links to the reviews I have done for some IPAs.
To start, let's break down IPAs and IIPAs down into several distinct categories; each with their own characteristics: American IPA, English IPA, Belgian IPA, and American Double IPA (IIPA).
American IPA: so the American version of an English IPA (yes, the English had the original), with typically more bitterness and less malt. Also, the hops typically used here are American hops and are usually floral or citric in taste/aroma. Colors typical range from gold to amber with these beers. American IPAs are usually light-medium to medium bodied, have a nice malt taste holding the beer together, and sport a typical ABV in the neighborhood of 5 - 7.5% Examples: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, Sierra Nevada Torpedo, Bell's Two-Hearted Ale, Dogfishhead 60 Minute IPA, Victory's HopDevil Ale, etc.
English IPA: English IPAs are typically a bit more malty than their American brethren, but share most of the same other characteristics. Apparently, when looking up some information, I found out that due to taxation most English IPAs have dropped their ABV considerably. The other characteristics should hold, but English IPAs will typically be between 4.5 - 6.5% ABV. Examples: Goose Island IPA, Brooklyn East India Pale Ale, Great Lakes Commodore Perry's IPA, etc.
Belgian IPA: just because we Americans love hops (and thus created American IPA and the American Double IPA) the Belgians finally caught on and, in an effort to compete in the American beer market, began developing a Belgian IPA. As such, most of the same American hops are used, but the beer is fermented using Belgian yeast strains. This should basically taste like an American IPA and a Belgian Tripel had a baby. You will get a more clean (rather than grating) bitter finish to the beer, but it will tend to be a bit drier than the American IPA. These beers are typically more towards the orange/amber color, are typically quite hazy, and sport a BIG ABV between 6 - 12%. Examples: Flying Dog's Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA, Victory's Wild Devil, Duvel Tripel Hop, and Ale Asylum's Bedlam!
American Double IPA: so I grudgingly have to give props to the West Coast brewers, as they are mainly responsible for this lovely style of beer. American IIPAs will basically be bigger, maltier, and hoppier than your typical American IPA. The bitterness of the hop profile will most likely turn away all but the most devoted hop heads, which results from a long long long hop boil. These are not for the faint of heart boys and girls; the American IIPA typically boasts an intense ABV between 7 and 14%! Examples: Bell's Hopslam! (Cannot wait until the winter so I can have this bad boy again and review it this time), Dogfishhead 90 Minute IPA, Victory's Hop Wallop (review forthcoming), New Glarus' Thumbprint IIPA, and Flying Dog's Double Dog.
So there you have it - a review of the basic styles of IPA and IIPAs. Now here are the beers I've reviewed so far with their respective grades:
IIPA - New Glarus: A- (American IIPA)
Texas Speedbump IPA - Great Dane: B- (American IPA)
Snake Hollow IPA - Potosi Brewing Co: C+/B- (American IPA)
Double Dog - Flying Dog Brewery: A- (American IIPA)
Scurvy - Tyranena Brewing Co: B (American IPA)
HopDevil Ale - Victory Brewing Co: B+ (American IPA)
Lilja's Hop-Nest Monster - Pangaea Brewing: B- (American IPA)
Kiss the Lips IPA - Lake Louie Brewing Co: C (American IPA)
Dankenstein IPA - Pearl Street Brewing: B (American IPA, but tastes more like an English IPA)
Two-Hearted Ale - Bell's Brewing: A- (American IPA)
Dreadnaught - Three Floyds Brewing: A+ (American IIPA)
Hop Wallop - Victory Brewing: B (American IIPA)
Bitter Woman IPA - Tyranena Brewing: B- (American IPA)
Hop Rising - Squatter's Pub Brewery: A- (American IIPA)
Aprihop - Dogfish Head Brewery: B+ (American IPA)
White Hawk Select IPA - Mendocino Brewing Company: B- (American IPA)
Arctic Panzer Wolf - Three Floyds Brewing: B+ (American IIPA)
Stone IPA - Stone Brewery: A (American IPA)
Torpedo - Sierra Nevada : B+ (American IPA)
Ranger - New Belgium: A- (American IPA)
Centennial IPA - Founder's: B+ (American IPA)
Enjoy!
Cheers,
Hurls
Editors note: Thanks to BeerAdvocate.com for some help with the characteristics/descriptions.
