The double IPA, referred to seemingly interchangeably as the imperial IPA, is a reasonably new style (only existing since the early 1990s) and its true definition is still a bit murky. In the most basic terms, a double IPA is an IPA with more alcohol and hop and malt aromas and flavors than your average IPA. So… an IPA with more IPA-ness. Obviously, that leaves a lot up to the brewer — as a result, if you were to pick two random double IPAs, crack them open, and pour them into pint glasses, you might end up with two totally different beers.
Generally speaking, “double IPA” and “imperial IPA” are used for almost any IPA landing between 8 and 10% ABV. Many are dry-hopped (but some aren’t). The label encompasses West Coast IPAs, New England-style IPAs, and pretty much every other IPA style, as long as they are higher in alcohol and have a ton of malt and lupulin-fueled hop flavor and bitterness. A tad confusing, right? Well, that’s what happens when you slap a term on a beer without many clear rules.
Not surprisingly, there are countless IPAs that carry the “double” moniker on the market. Some are great and others…not so much. To help you, we picked eight of our favorite double IPAs and decided to rank them on balance and overall flavor. Keep scrolling to see where your favorite beer landed on our list.
8) Stone Ruination
ABV: 8.2%
Average Price: $17 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This highly-rated double IPA is brewed with a combination of Chinook, Centennial, and Magnum hops. It’s known for its subtle malt backbone and dank, resinous piney, bitter flavor profile. It’s an intense IPA for the biggest West Coast IPA fans.
Tasting Notes:
The nose begins with sweet malts and moves into citrus peels and dank pine. It’s definitely a welcoming start. The palate is filled with light caramel malts, but dominated by citrus zest and resinous, chewy, dank pine. The finish is bitter in the best way possible.
Bottom Line:
If you enjoy West Coast IPAs because of their flavor profile, the aptly named Ruination ramps up each and every flavor.
7) Cigar City Florida Man
ABV: 8.5%
Average Price: $13 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Florida Man is a true legend. He’s the main character in countless headlines from Miami to Jacksonville and Cigar City decided to pay tribute to him with this double IPA brewed with Azacca, Citra, El Dorado, and Mandarinia Bavarian hops. It gets added flavor from the use of its Double IPA yeast and Canadian honey malt.
Tasting Notes:
For a double IPA, the nose is surprisingly fruity. There’s pineapple, grapefruit, orange peel, and a ton of dank, floral pine. Sipping it reveals lightly sweet malts, candied orange peel, grapefruit, and more pine. The finish is bitter and hoppy and leaves you wanting more.
Bottom Line:
This is a great example of a Double IPA done right. It’s bitter and piney and filled with citrus but has just enough sweet malt backbone to temper it.
6) Odell Myrcenary
ABV: 9.3%
Average Price: $13 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This double IPA gets its unique name because the hops included contain a large amount of myrcene, one of the essential oils found in the hop flower that is known for its sweet, spicy aroma and flavor. The beer itself is known for its mix of tropical fruit flavor, light spicy, and piney hops.
Tasting Notes:
A lot is going on with this beer’s nose. There are aromas of grapefruit, caramelized pineapple, tangerine, and a ton of herbal, floral, pine. Drinking it brings forth notes of passionfruit, pineapple, tangerine, sweet malts, grapefruit, and bitter, piney hops. The finish is dry, resinous, and memorable.
Bottom Line:
This is a double IPA for fans of slightly spicy, fruity hops. It’s a complex, dry, bitter IPA you won’t soon forget.
5) Victory DirtWolf
ABV: 8.7%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Beer:
With a name like DirtWolf, you better believe you’re in for a ferocious, hoppy IPA. Brewed with Pilsner and Pale Crystal malts as well as Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic, and Chinook hops, it’s a dry-hopped citrus, and malt-filled favorite.
Tasting Notes:
The aromas are classic IPA. There’s a nice mix of caramel malts, citrus, grass, and floral, piney hops. The palate is centered on tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, sweet malts, light spices, and pine. The finish is a mix of malt sweetness and bitter pine.
Bottom Line:
This is a big, bold double IPA bursting with hop aroma and flavor. But it still manages to have a nice malt backbone to add a decent amount of sweetness to the lingering hop bitterness.
4) Firestone Walker Double Hopnosis
ABV: 8.3%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
To say that Firestone Walker Double Hopnosis is a complicated beer is an understatement. It’s brewed with 2-row malt, white wheat, and Munich malt, but that’s just the start of it. It’s kettle hopped with Callista, Simcoe, and Mosaic Cryo hops. It’s then dry-hopped with Mosaic Cryo, Chinook, Citra, Vic Secret, and Columbus/CTZ hops.
Tasting Notes:
A nose of honey malts, grapefruit, tangerine, lemongrass, and floral, piney hops greet you before your first sip. The palate is surprisingly balanced with a nice kick of caramel malts and honey as well as grapefruit, orange peel, grass, and dank pine. The finish is pleasantly bitter and filled with pine needles.
Bottom Line:
Caramel malt, floral, citrus, and dank pine, this beer has everything West Coast IPA fans crave. If you spot this brew in the wild, don’t hesitate to buy it.
3) Fiddlehead Second Fiddle
ABV: 8.2%
Average Price: $16 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
If you’re a fan of New England-style IPAs, there’s a decent chance you’ve tried Fiddlehead IPA. If you haven’t tried the double IPA version, you’re really missing out. This citrus, pine, and tropical fruit-filled beer is “massively” dry-hopped with Simcoe hops.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find orange peels, pineapple, mangos, and resinous, herbal, floral hops. The palate is very tropical with pineapple, mango, tangerine, peach, caramel malt, and bright pine. The finish is a nice mix of tropical fruit sweetness and bitter, dank pine.
Bottom Line:
This is an IPA for New England-style IPA fans who want their beer to have a little extra. It’s bigger in every way. Alcohol, flavor, and aroma.
2) Columbus Bodhi
ABV: 8.3%
Average Price: $13 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This award-winning, year-round favorite from Ohio’s Columbus Brewing is known for its mix of tropical fruits, citrus, and piney hops. It’s brewed with Citra, Azacca, and Idaho 7 hops.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a symphony of passionfruit, mango, guava, caramelized pineapple, citrus peels, and floral pine. The palate continues this trend with more mango, passionfruit, and pineapple, as well as grapefruit, bready malts, tangerine, and dank pine. The finish is dry with a lingering bitter bite.
Bottom Line:
This double IPA is difficult to beat. It ticks all the IPA boxes, and everything is in such unison that you don’t even realize it’s over 8% ABV.
1) New England G-Bot
ABV: 8.5%
Average Price: $16 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
This year-round, hazy, double IPA is brewed with Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic, and Columbus hops. The result is a banger loaded with citrus, pine, and lupulin-laden aromas and flavors. It’s definitely a can’t-miss double IPA.
Tasting Notes:
There are a ton of fresh-squeezed aromas on this beer’s nose. Tangerine, grapefruit, and lemon are big. There are also scents of caramel malts and herbal, floral pine. One sip and you’ll be immersed in a world of grapefruit, tangerine, lemongrass, sweet, caramel malts, and a ton of resinous, dank, herbal pine. The finish is crisp, dry, and pleasantly bitter.
Bottom Line:
Another well-balanced IPA, this is one for citrus fans as it’s bursting with fresh-squeezed grapefruit, tangerine, and other breakfast juices. A true gem in a sea of double IPAs.
