A DIPA Battle

If there’s one thing that American craft brewers and craft beer drinkers love, it’s their hops. The American craft beer scene is known for big, bitter, boisterous brews. What started in the ’80s and ’90s on the west coast has spread nation wide. And the fruit of that labor is the American Double India Pale Ale.
Yeah, sure, you can find dozens of different types of India Pale Ales in this country these days: black IPA, rye IPA, wheat IPA, and infinitum. But, if you follow the style guidelines, there are still basically three classic subtypes of the IPA. The least hoppy, most malty, at least in modern times, is English IPA. American IPA is next, offering a more prominent hop flavor, and an increased bitterness. At the top end of the puckering scale is Double IPA, (DIPA) sometimes referred to as Imperial IPA. These beers are an American creation, made to satisfy the needs of hopheads. They are also the strongest, alcohol-wise, of the IPA family.
The best double IPAs are actually not completely hoppy beers, so that all you get is bitterness, tang, and bite. Many of the better examples are actually quite malty; nothing but hops typically makes for a beer that’s hard to enjoy. And while you will get your fair share of standard west coast citrus and pine, a clean malt backbone is expected. However, hops will dominate, and malt will get nowhere near barleywine levels.
Nearly all of the best craft breweries make a double IPA, so your options are nearly endless. And many of these beers are released around this time of year. I picked up two quite different examples this week and they are going head to head for your drinking enjoyment.
First up is Avery Brewing Company’s seasonal spring through summer beer, The Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale. Checking in at 10.24 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), this is a serious beer. Hops are Simcoe, Columbus, Centennial, and Chinook, so you can expect all the west coast flavors to be represented. There is an addition of caramel malt in this beer, and that slight sweetness is a thin line under the hoppy bitterness in every sip.
Maharaja is a bit more full-bodied and less carbonated than some double IPAs, and probably a touch sweeter than most, but do not take that to mean this is not a hophead’s dream. The grapefruit is king in this one, and a damn strong ruler it is.
Next we move to the New York City’s largest borough for Brooklyn Brewery’s relatively new Blast!, “A Decidedly Robust IPA.”  This one rings up at 8.4% ABV, so the smaller of the two beers, alcohol-wise. Hops are Williamette, Magnum, Cascade, Fuggles, Aurora, Centennial, Bravo, Simcoe, Sorachi Ace, Amarillo and some strain known as 06300.
A blast of pinesap and big, bright orange zest greets the nose, but the beer is surprisingly kept in check by the German and English malts, giving an almost nutty nature to the foundation upon which the hop onslaught builds. Whether it’s the ABV or the nuanced blend of ingredients, Blast! tends toward drinkability whereas Maharaja leans in the direction of overwhelming in a good way. Both are surprisingly balanced, yet beautifully bitter beers. Enjoy the brews…Cheers.
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.netbeer .