Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The Best Double IPAs to Sip This Chilly Season

Mark Stock
By
Man holding a Ninkasi Tricerahops Double IPA.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sometimes, you need a drink that bridges the gap between what you miss and what you need. That’s where double IPAs come is, as they do just that. They carry the hoppy flavors of late summer and early fall into the coldest months of the year, with the added alcohol to keep you warm and fuzzy. If you follow any of the craft beer trends, then you know it’s constantly changing and moving, especially when they tinker with different IPA profiles.

Also known as the imperial IPA, the double IPA is to the IPA as imperial stout beers are to stouts. That is, larger and more in charge. This dominating style of IPA give you all the lovely hop notes you associate with the style, plus some added body and kick to keep you insulated from the cold.

Recommended Videos

Related Guides

No, it’s not exactly the IPA beer to drink by the six-pack. Instead, it’s more of a sipper you have one or two of as the sun dips below the horizon and the biting wind starts to pick up. It’s as if the India Pale Ale were to don several layers of fleece and a pair of ski goggles. In fact, if you’re excited for ski season or just some cool-weather outdoors activity, be sure to have a few of these in your cooler. If you’re an offseason shut-in, that’s fine too; just keep some in your most convenient at-home fridge. Either way, these bigger, hop-forward beers have you covered.

Related

Even if IPAs aren’t your thing, there are still plenty of beers for everyone out there and you’re bound to find one that suits your palate. If, however, you have the taste for IPAs, then these powerful beers should be on your list to try. They pack a punch but it’s worth it. Here are some of our favorite standout versions to test.

10 Barrel All Ways Down

10 Barrel Always Down Double IPA.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This new release from 10 Barrel is the winter coat you’ve been waiting for. Lush, juicy, and balanced, the beer features three hop varieties and doesn’t wear out the palate, despite clocking in at a substantial 9% ABV.

Ninkasi Tricerahops

Ninkasi Tricerahops Double IPA.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The best-named imperial IPA on the market is also among the tastiest. Brewed in Eugene, Or., this beer is a power play of floral, earthy, and citrus goodness.

Dogfish Head 90-Minute Imperial IPA

Dogfish Head 90-Minute Imperial IPA six-pack.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Dogfish Head makes quality beer across the board but it’s the IPA’s that tend to really impress. The 90-Minute IIPA has become a craft standard, delivering tons of dark fruit and complexity.

Great Lakes Chillwave

Great Lakes Chillwave Double IPA.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This double IPA out of Cleveland wears a telling label, one depicting a surfer in the chilly waters of Lake Erie. It’s a tropical medley that will melt the ice away, wherever you are.

Sierra Nevada Big Little Thing

Sierra Nevada Little Big Thing Double IPA beer.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What an appropriate name for a beer that has plenty of heft but maintains some delicacy, too. It’s another tip of the hat to Sierra Nevada and its impressive lineup of accessible beers.

Clown Shoes Space Cake

Clown Shoes Space Cake Double IPA.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A Massachusetts beer, the Space Cake boasts mosaic and citra hops and plenty of aromatics. It’s a strong and unctuous beer that will leave you plenty satisfied.

Grimm Fluffy Tufts

Grimm Ales Fluffy Tufts Double IPA
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Okay, so maybe imperial IPA’s just get the best names among all beer. Fluffy Tufts by IPA specialists Grimm out of New York is a rather cloud-like, sky-high beer brewed with flaked oats for a silky mouthfeel. Crack one as a beer-y nightcap and you’ll do just fine.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mark Stock
Mark Stock
Contributor
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
Best Meat Delivery Deals: Omaha Steaks, ButcherBox and Good Chop
Omaha Steaks roasted chateaubriand

You may or may not be aware, but like grocery delivery services, it's entirely possible to have specific types of food delivered, from desserts such as ice cream to a sizable and juicy steak. There are full meal kit delivery services too. As a third option, there are meat delivery services, too, which also means there are some fantastic meat delivery deals out there -- to get your food for less. You no longer have to visit the local butcher for yummy cutlets of beef, chicken, pork or beyond. You can order it all online, sit back, and wait for it to be delivered to your doorstep. Some even come pre-prepped and ready to throw on the grill or in the oven. How awesome is that?

Now, when it comes to finding the best meat delivery deals, or choosing a service, there are a lot of different options. To lighten your load, and improve your selection process a little, we've rounded up the best of the best below. Some of the more notable services include Good Chop, ButcherBox, Omaha Steaks, and Crowd Cow -- especially if you like lamb.
Good Chop
Boneless ribeye steaks, top sirloin, Filet Mignon, Alaskan sockeye salmon, chicken breast, pork tenderloin, if any of these sound mouth-watering to you then Good Chop is the place to go. We haven't even begun to scratch the surface in regards to just how many different types of meats they offer. Organic, grass-fed, and delicious are three words that can be used to describe Good Chop's meats.

Read more
The 10 best cheap beers money can buy in 2023
These are the best beers for your buck
best cheap beer beers 2021

A popular, well-crafted wine is fine and liquor may be quicker, but sometimes only a beer will do. But the beer aisle can be a scary place. With hundreds of microbreweries and dozens of styles vying for space, the beer run has become a daunting errand full of acronymic complexities like ABVs and IBUs. And while we can all agree that great beer is delicious, it can also be expensive, and certain sacred occasions (such as game day) demand quantity and dependability over discovering the best new brew on the market.

This is why economically minded beer isn't going anywhere. In a world of hop-snobbery, macro brews offer a sudsy solution you don't have to think too hard about. Brewed by big, old companies with enormous marketing budgets, these well-known beer selections are thrifty and ubiquitous -- with reliably low cost, alcohol, and flavor. Refreshing for both your palate and your wallet, they're not pretending to be anything other than what they are: good, cheap beer.

Read more
The 9 best rums for Mojitos that you can get behind
Making a Mojito? You're going to need a nice light rum, like one of these standout selections
A hand serving a glass of Mojito on a table.

In the vast land of rum cocktails, the Mojito is an elite player. This classic cocktail, born in Cuba, is both a cinch to make and extremely rewarding to drink. Made of rum, lime, mint, sugar, and soda water, the beverage is basically the liquid definition of refreshing.

While often pegged as a summer drink, the Mojito is really accessible year-round. In fact, like a good tiki drink, the cocktail can be even more desirable during the colder months as it can deposit you somewhere sun-kissed and tropical. Yet, because the drink is so dependent on its spirit base, it can only be as good as the rum that goes into it.

Read more