Simtra DIPA or TIPA?

The main problem is in IBUs. You can only taste 120 IBUs. You can throw in as much hops as you physically can, but we stop at 120 IBUs. The scientific max for IBUs anyway is 200. So just leave it alone at double ipa. Everything else is just marketing (e.g. 1000 IBU from Mikkeller). ABV is kind of a relative concept anyway (anything above 7.9% is considered a double IPA).

 

I know the amount of ingredients increases, but then it could be classified as a hoppy barleywine.

 

Isn't it over 7.5%? Ruination sort of forces that since its the quintessential DIPA at 7.7%.

 

yea so does Sucks. Olde Hickory Death by Hops is a DIPA around the same ABV. its a touchy grey area.

 

And how about Dogfish 120? What's in a name anyway? Just a name, that's all. Perhaps breweries should catagorize their beer by taste. Single tasty, double tasty, mega tasty, not tasty. Who cares what the style is, if you like the beer, what it's called shouldn't matter.

 

I think this discussion is all the evidence I need.

 

It is important to remember when talking styles we are talking about guidelines and not requirements. Overlap will certainly exist. You point to a very limited number of example and are using an extremely small sample size to justify your opinion.

Would you also be in favor of doing away with all other Imperial styles? I have heard just as many squabbles over what is an Imperial Stout. Many times when people make these arguments they make inaccurate statements to justify their position and perpetuate misconceptions. Ignorance or lack of knowledge is not a reason to abolish a perfectly valid style. 60% of American do not know you can split the ticket and do not have to vote along party lines in elections, that does not justify doing away with ballots as we know them and just list Democrat or Republican.