Is Double IPA an extreme beer?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Brianhophead, Dec 16, 2013.

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  1. Brianhophead

    Brianhophead Initiate (0) May 16, 2007 Canada (AB)

    Ten years or so ago I started noticing the trend of breweries making "extreme beers." Back then, that included double IPAs coming in at 8% abv and above. Today, double IPAs have become so commonplace as to become a style of beer in their own right. Bearing that in mind, can we still consider double IPAs an extreme beer as compared to regular IPA, or do we consider them to be just their own style of beer?
     
  2. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Both at the same time. The two are not mutually exclusive.
     
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  3. otispdriftwood

    otispdriftwood Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2011 Colorado

    Hell when SNPA first came out, it was considered extreme, as in hoppy. The limits of extreme are always going to be a fuzzy line that keeps getting pushed further and further up the scale. And to me, DIPA is not extreme. But then again, I personally consider anything under 6% abv a light/session beer.
     
  4. Brianhophead

    Brianhophead Initiate (0) May 16, 2007 Canada (AB)

    I'm kind of the same way. I often seek out as many beers as possible above 7% abv for my beer tastings.
     
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  5. tkdchampxi

    tkdchampxi Pooh-Bah (2,473) Oct 19, 2010 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    I've decided that water is what makes beers less extreme - the more water it has, the less extreme it is.

    I can't wait until my beers are brewed from the beginning with vodka (we'd need a really resistant yeast strain), or my chocolate stout is brewed from the beginning with hot cocoa.

    And don't forget, my OIPA (Octuple IPA) had better be made with squeezed hop juice in place of water.
     
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  6. D-Nice

    D-Nice Initiate (0) Nov 22, 2013 Illinois

    DIPAs are a pretty broad category with any number of potential outcomes.
    To most outside of the BA crowd, a DIPA would be "extreme" on its face, even without trying it.

    But, around here, I don't think DIPA = automatically extreme. Though many would probably opine that there are certainly some extreme DIPAs, while others are not that extreme.
     
  7. Imacopyouidiot

    Imacopyouidiot Initiate (0) Oct 1, 2012 Illinois

    TO THE MAX!!!
     
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  8. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,157) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    In Memoriam Pooh-Bah Trader

    I would say they are pretty extreme when compared to what was around when they first came out. Viewed against what has been brewed in the history of hops usage, or alcohol content, not really that extreme at all.
     
  9. sfoley333

    sfoley333 Pundit (799) Oct 26, 2006 Brazil

    10 years ago ruination would have been considered an extreme beer by everyone but now unless a DIPA is over 10% alcohol or has 1000 ibus, I doubt it would be considered extreme by many BAs.
     
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  10. otispdriftwood

    otispdriftwood Initiate (0) Dec 9, 2011 Colorado

    I don't seek them out, it just kinds of happens naturally. Maybe it's because you usually get more bang for your buck.
     
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  11. slangtruth

    slangtruth Initiate (0) Jan 8, 2012 Kentucky

    Check the Bros' 2000 review of SN Celebration, where they warn you that this 6.8 ABV brew will kick your ass.
     
  12. MPSTARR

    MPSTARR Initiate (0) Apr 28, 2013 Florida

    Crime And Punishment certainly fits the description in my book as a extreme beer. I still have not built up enough courage to open a bottle yet.
     
  13. carteravebrew

    carteravebrew Initiate (0) Jan 21, 2010 Colorado

    Extreme? Depends on the audience.

    Strongly-flavored?...yes, usually DIPA's are that.
     
  14. JoeyJoeJoeJrShabadoo

    JoeyJoeJoeJrShabadoo Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2013 California

    On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being not so extreme and 10 being extremely extreme, I give DIPAs a 9.5!!!
     
  15. beergoot

    beergoot Grand High Pooh-Bah (9,310) Oct 11, 2010 Colorado
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    What...??? Extreme. WTF!!!

    A frickin' "extreme" beer is not something that outclasses our parent's Blatz and Schlitz and Ballantine Ale...but it certainly isn't today's highly charged IPAs.

    No, sir. In my opinion, an extreme beer is something that uses gimmicks and other tricks to create "beers" that are beyond the usual capability of yeast to ferment under traditional conditions. Say beers in the 30%, 40%, 50%, etc. ABV levels. These brews ain't natural...

    And I suppose beers brewed with so many new and unusual adjuncts (e.g., civet produced beer by-products) may qualify, but if the ABV is within "normal", naturally brewed parameters, then I'd probably just consider them as "unusual" beers, but not extreme.

    Well, hell. I suppose "extreme" is within the prejudices of the imbiber. Unnatural ABV's are my threshold for an extreme beers, and DIPAs don't meet that criteria. A bold, new take on "traditional" beers, but not extreme...
     
    #15 beergoot, Dec 16, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2013
  16. beergoot

    beergoot Grand High Pooh-Bah (9,310) Oct 11, 2010 Colorado
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Interesting, and Todd put a bottle of River North Brewery's Barrel-Aged (ABV 9.3%) in my trembling mitts when I lurched out of the after-hours stop on the first-ever BA Winter Warmer Pub Crawl: Denver-Style pub crawl 12/07/13, where the theme was "big beers" (and there were many, many tasty ones available that evening)...yet one of the highlights was our first stop where BA split a 12 oz. bottle of Avery's Uncle Jacob's Stout (ABV 17.42%) between eight of us, and many were 'stunned' at it's potency, but I still wouldn't consider this 'extreme'. High ABV, but not extreme...
     
  17. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,242) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Society Pooh-Bah

    It still will. The effect of a 6.8% abv beer on your body hasn't changed because the IPA's popularity has increased in the last 13 years.
     
  18. Greywulfken

    Greywulfken Grand Pooh-Bah (5,815) Aug 25, 2010 New York
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    DIPA is a recognized style (now), and it doesn't necessarily mean "extreme."

    In my experience, it seems to go like this:
    IPA up to/including 7% --> DIPA up to/including 12% --> barleywine 13% and over

    Some DIPAs are pretty extreme, like DFH 120 Minute or Double Crooked Tree, but without being branded as barleywines. I think they're both at 12% (but I didn't check, so don't quote me there).
    But most of the best "true" DIPAs tend to be more reasonable/less extreme, like Heady or Pliny at 8%.

    People enjoy getting more bang for their buck, and that can translate to alcohol content in a beer. I wouldn't be surprised to see a trend where 8% becomes an IPA abv, and DIPAs and American barleywines become even less distinguishable from one another.
     
  19. CelticAleMan

    CelticAleMan Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2010 California

    Nope. Just your average everyday drinking beer in my household. :sunglasses:
     
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  20. rgordon

    rgordon Pooh-Bah (2,701) Apr 26, 2012 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    Some of the more "ripe" DIPAs, with 8.5ish to 11ish ABV can be too much of an adventure for me- and I think might well be called extreme. Some are gagglingly sweet and are uncomfortable beverages. I've found a great number of powerful IPAs and DIPAs- Foothills Hoppyum and Jade, Noda Hop Drop'n Roll, Torpedo, Heady Topper for God's sake!- that are smooth as silk, bury a good buzz in a bunch of flavor and smoothness. A Heady Topper or a Hop Drop'n Roll to begin a nice Friday is perfect!
     
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