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Confused by imperial IPAs? Here’s what makes them stronger and bolder

What exaclty makes an imperial IPA

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Beer next to sunglasses
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New drinkers might find the world of beer to be overwhelming. This isn’t at all surprising. There are well over 9,000 breweries currently operating in the US. To add to that, these thousands of breweries are producing IPAs, pale ales, and nearly a hundred more styles. It’s enough to make anyone grab a sixer of Bud Light and just drink that in perpetuity. To the uninitiated, there seems to be too much to learn about the contemporary beer world.

Fear not, I’m here to help. I’ve spent almost two decades writing about beer, and I’m here to chip away at some of the terms and styles, so you feel more comfortable discussing and drinking beer. While I could write a whole story explaining the different terms and styles, we’re going to take a deep dive into one specific style: the confusing, mysterious imperial IPA. What exactly is an imperial IPA, what does it taste like, where did the name come from, and what are some of the best options available today?

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What is an imperial IPA?

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Even if you’re a beer novice, you’re probably aware of what an IPA (or India pale ale) is. You might not know what a New England-style IPA is, but you probably know about the hoppy, piney, bitter West Coast IPA. But do you know what an imperial IPA is?

The name is interchangeable with double IPAs. They’re known to have a much richer profile of malts and hops with more booze.

That said, the imperial IPA, at its essence, is a stronger, higher ABV, hoppier version of a classic IPA. The alcohol content is usually 7% or higher and has more hop aroma and flavor, and sometimes intense, dank, piney bitterness at the finish. That said, imperial IPAs also often have more malts than other IPAs, making them remarkably balanced between malts and hops.

Why are they called “imperial” IPAs?

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The term “imperial” is used to reference any higher-ABV, more flavor-packed beers. When it comes to IPAs, the terms “imperial” and “double” are used interchangeably and are up to the brewers. There is historical context for the name as it’s a reference to the Russian imperial stouts that were first brewed in the 18th century for the court of Catherine the Great. And while it began with stouts, it’s now a term used for many high-ABV, stronger beers like stouts, porters, and, of course, IPAs.

The best imperial IPAs

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If you’re a fan of higher-ABV, balanced, hoppy beers, you’ll be glad to know that there are many noteworthy imperial IPAs on the market. They include classics like:

Bottom line

Two glasses of beer
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If you’re an IPA fan looking for a bold, higher-ABV, hoppier version, look no further than the iconic imperial IPAs. I suggest starting with one of the classic IPAs listed above (or any of the countless others on the market). After that, you should absolutely seek out any imperial (or double) IPAs brewed by your local craft breweries. Always balance out your beer purchases by buying both local and nationally available beers.

Christopher Osburn
Christopher Osburn
Writer
Christopher Osburn is a food and drinks writer located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. He's been writing professional
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