If you don’t think the IPA is a great beer for autumn, it’s probably because your only experience with this hoppy style is the piney, bitter West Coast IPA, the light, crushable session IPA, or the hazy, juicy New England-style IPA. But fall is the perfect time of year for the Imperial IPA for a variety of reasons.
In my years writing about alcohol, I’ve spent a lot of time tasting and rating IPAs. While it might seem like you need to finish off all your lighter beers (including IPAs) as the days get shorter and colder, that is not the case with Imperial IPAs. In fact, I believe that there aren’t many beers better for cool fall weather than this boozy, hoppy beer style.
What is an imperial IPA?
Before I go any further, it’s important to take a deep dive into what an imperial IPA is. If you didn’t know it, the term imperial IPA is interchangeable with double IPA. In essence, this style is defined by a hoppier, bolder flavor profile and a stronger alcohol content, typically 7%-12% ABV.
As with imperial stouts, the “imperial” term signifies higher alcohol, but it actually dates back to the 1700s. This is when English brewers produced strong, heavily hopped beers for the court of Catherine the Great in Russia (hence the name Russian imperial stout).
Why they’re great for autumn
There are a handful of reasons why imperial IPAs are a great choice for fall. First, their higher alcohol content makes them a great, warming choice for a chilly fall night. I know they don’t actually warm you, but the higher booze content makes me feel cozy, like I’m wrapped in a fleece blanket.
It’s not just added alcohol that makes imperial IPAs a good choice for autumn. They’re made with extra, darker malts than their summer counterparts. This adds to the depth and complexity.
How I choose my imperial IPAs
When I’m picking imperial IPAs for fall (and winter), I’m looking for big, bold, boozy, piney monsters. I want a hoppy, piney IPA that feels like it’s warming my bones even on the most frigid autumn nights. But I’m not looking for all booze and pine and nothing else. My go-to imperial IPAs strike a balance of malts, hops, and warming alcohol.
The best imperial IPAs to drink this fall
Now that you know what an imperial IPA is, how it got its name, and why it’s the perfect beer for fall evenings, it’s time to add some to your seasonal fridge. Keep scrolling to see my favorites.
Lawson’s Finest Sip of Sunshine
Vermont-based Lawson’s Finest is a proverbial one-stop shop for imperial IPA drinkers. But if this is your first time trying anything from this iconic brewery, start with its original Sip of Sunshine. This 8% ABV imperial IPA is made with water, yeast, specialty malts, and a mix of hops, including Citra. The result is a memorable, flavorful beer that opens with notes of orange peel, caramel malt, tropical fruit, and dank pine needles. Sipping it reveals flavors like caramelized pineapple, tangerine, mango, a caramel malt backbone, and a generous wallop of resinous, lightly bitter pine. The finish is warm and dry, ending with a mix of citrus and prickly pine resin.
Fiddlehead Second Fiddle
Fiddlehead is another well-regarded Vermont brewery making outstanding beer. If you’re opting for an imperial IPA, look no further than Fiddlehead Second Fiddle. This 8.2% ABV imperial IPA is guaranteed to warm you up this fall. While the brewery doesn’t disclose the hops used, it’s believed to be heavily dry-hopped with selected hops. The result is a sublimely balanced, hoppy beer that opens with aromas of ripe peach, pineapple, orange peel, and pine needles. Sipping it reveals notes of tangerine, pineapple juice, grapefruit, caramel malts, and dank pine. The finish is dry, loaded with pine resin flavor, and very warm on a cold fall night.
New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA
You might not know what a Voodoo Ranger is, and that’s okay. You can still enjoy this epic imperial IPA. This 9% ABV beer is brewed with ale yeast, Pale malts, and Black malts. It gets its hoppy aroma and flavor from the liberal use of Delta, Bravo, Centennial, Cascade, Calypso, and Mosaic hops. This creates a timeless autumn beer that opens with a nose of candied orange peel, grapefruit, caramel malt, and dank pine needles. The palate centers on pineapple, grapefruit, orange zest, lemongrass, bready malts, and bitter pine. The finish is warm and loaded with citrus and gently bitter, prickly pine.
Firestone Walker Double Jack
California’s Firestone Walker is a big name in the IPA world. One of its best beers is the 9.5% ABV imperial IPA, Firestone Walker Double Jack. Brewed with 2-row, Munich, and Simpson’s Light Crystal malts, it’s hopped with Cascade, Columbus, Simcoe, Warrior, Amarillo, and Centennial hops. It starts with a nose of orange juice, grapefruit, honey, caramel malts, and floral, dank pine. Sipping it brings hints of caramelized pineapple, orange zest, lemon peels, peach, caramel, and pine needles. The finish is dry and crisp, ending with a mix of citrus and bitter, resinous pine that leaves you craving more. Add this beer to your fall list, and you’re guaranteed to have an amazing fall.
Stone Ruination
With a name like Ruination, you should have a decent idea about what you’re in for when you crack open one of these beers. This aptly named imperial IPA gets its over-the-top hop aromas from Chinook, Centennial, and Magnum hops. It’s big, bold, and aggressively hopped. It starts with scents of grapefruit, stone fruit, tangerine, lemon peel, honey, caramel, and pine needles. The palate is loaded with caramel malts, grapefruit, orange zest, wet grass, tropical fruit, and plenty of pine. The finish is warm and dry, ending with a mix of citrus and pleasantly aggressive, dank pine. This resinous, prickly, hoppy beer is one you’ll want to drink all autumn long.
