Bitter Imperials

Well they could of course hit any abv they choose, but they need to sell what they brew too, if the beers not stellar it’s impossible to sell. Adding more bettering hops you need more malt to balance that out, the sugars in the malt convert to alcohol,It’s why you don’t find too many DIPAS much over 8%, they want some balance to their beers. Seems like you looking for a Session kinda bitterness at non session abv levels. Hopsjckle and Mongo are as big and as bitter as I’ve had, I’d also include Neshaminy Brewings Shape of Hops To Come, they bumped up the abv to 9+.

 

Is this thread from 2008? I’d say it’s much harder to find a bitter RIS or IPA these days. Not the other way around as stated. Brewers don’t make beers like this because these flavors have fallen out of favor or are not desired by the more “modern”beer drinkers in America.

Plus it’s not difficult to make a bitter RIS over 10%. Just using more roasted barley and chocolate malt and more early additions of bittering hops. Also, more and more brewers are going the cold steep route for dark/specialty grains because they tend to not draw out the “harsher” characteristics that can be associated with them such as the tannins that can make darker beers roasty and bitter.

Just remembered that Stone sublimely self righteous is making a return. That and other high gravity black ipas should hit your sweet spot.

 

I find Yeti Imperial Stout to be too bitter for me to enjoy, your mileage may differ.

 

Old Rasputin is a pleasantly bitter ris

 

Ruination is/was bitter as hell.

 

Yeti is bitter...er than raspy. Some other beers to consider would be Avery Hog Heaven if it's still brewed. It's a great American barleywine that is unusually dry for the style. Pliny is bitter by today's standards. Epic day from eddyline in CO is a great beer as well. Maybe some of the Melvin DIPAs as well.

 

For assertive, resiny hop bitterness, try Avery's Maharaja Imperial IPA!

 

Sometimes I wish it was still 2008. For beer and many other things.

 

Arrogant Bastard is my recommendation.

For what it's worth, sub-8% beers are often more bitter than higher ABVs. Creating a high ABV beer takes extra malt to ferment to alcohol, which leaves residual [unfermented] sugars that off-set the bitterness of hops (and vice-versa). At around 100 IBUs people cannot physically perceive any more bitterness, which means there's a point that no amount of bittering hops can overcome the residual sugars of a high ABV beer.

Lessons learned from the IBU Wars of the aughts.

 

Why do they call it Ruination? Because the after taste will last about 4 hours. It will totally ruin your taste buds.

Years ago I went to a bar often that had Ruination on tap. I could beleive the joke above. It was like drinking liquid hops. I had some a couple of months ago and it did not seem nearly as strong as the memories. I think we have gotten used to drinking really hoppy beers. Ruination may be the same but our criteria has changed. Or, maybe I am old and burnt out.

 

Imperial Stouts: Bell's Expedition and 35th Anniversary Expedition Stout Reserve , Founders Imperial Stout, North Coast Old Rasputin, Great Divide Yeti, Sierra Nevada Narwhal, Victory Storm King.

 

Second on Victory Storm King. It is one of the few that I have found that does not cellar well. It tastes just as bad fresh as it does after a few years.