CBN Blind Tasting Panel

Jay R. Brooks – Blind Panel Director, CBN
Tom Dalldorf – Editor/Publisher, CBN
Vic Kralj – Owner, The Bistro, Hayward, CA
Matt Margulies – Owner, Matteo’s Public, Nevada City, CA
Paul Marshall – Beer Judge
Special thanks to Cynthia Kralj and Arlene Dalldorf, BTP stewards (err, stewardesses?)

IMPERIAL, OR DOUBLE, IPA
Imperial, or double, IPA is one of the newest beer styles and a favorite among hop lovers. This style was first recognized officially at the 2003 Great American Beer Festival. Double IPAs are, of course, very big beers with intense hop character. They have IBUs ranging from around 65 to 100 (or more) and are stronger in alcohol as well (averaging 8% to 10.5% abv), with fruity esters and at least some malt character.

Similar to barley wines in several respects, double IPAs are nonetheless now considered a unique style and, unlike their older cousin, should have less vinous or caramel present and no discernable diacetyl. But a double IPA’s main distinction is the more pronounced hopping, intense but never harsh, balanced by complex alcohol flavors.

All samples were tasted blind and are listed in alphabetical order by score. The tasting was held January 6, 2018 at the Celebrator office.

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Asterisk DIPA

Melvin Brewing – Alpine, WY
Hazy gold color with a thick white head. Fresh tropical fruit nose with juicy burnt orange, catty and herbal aromas. Tart and catty, with big fruit and sweet malt balancing. Richly complex throughout, with a clean, crisp finish.
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Citradamus IIPA

Melvin Brewing – Alpine, WY
Hazy amber color with a thick tan head. Garlicky nose with catty, citrus and melon aromas. Big, juicy fruit hop flavors with great balance. Dank and heavy, with blood orange and garlic notes. The finish is long, rich and fruity.
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Cool Runoffs

Alvarado Street Brewery – Monterey, CA
Hazy gold with a thick white head. Tropical fruit nose with catty aromas. Tart and juicy, with an orange juice mouthfeel. Clean and complex. Citrus and pineapple flavors. Great balance, with a long, juicy finish.
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Fogcutter Double IPA

Lost Coast Brewery – Eureka, CA
Clear gold, with nice legs and an ivory head. Dank nose with aromas of melon, pencil shavings, oranges and juicy fruit. Chewy and spicy, with great hop-malt balance. Tart hop bite dominates but never overpowers, thanks to a big malt base. A lingering bitter finish.
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Hop Bullet Double IPA

Sierra Nevada Brewing – Chico, CA
Light bright golden, with good legs and a white head. Soft herbal nose with catty, citrus fruit and dank aromas. Creamy, lively mouthfeel, great balance and easy-drinking. Catty and fruity sweet flavors dominate, though surprisingly restrained and refreshing.
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Maximus IPA

Lagunitas Brewing – Petaluma, CA & Chicago, IL
Bright gold color with great clarity and an ivory head. Dank nose of burnt mandarin oranges, along with vegetal and spicy hop aromas. Creamy mouthfeel with nice conditioning. Big vegetal and citrus hop character. Great balance and a long, hoppy finish that’s smooth and not bitter.
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Pliny the Elder

Russian River Brewing – Santa Rosa, CA
Bright gold with an ivory head. Tropical nose with aromas of pineapple, berry fruit and bubble gum. Creamy mouthfeel, with complex malt and a huge, dank hop bite. Great balance throughout and a bitter finish.
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Racer X Double IPA

Bear Republic Brewing – Healdsburg & Cloverdale, CA
Bright golden color with a generous ivory head. Beautiful nose of rich malt and citrus, along with bubble gum and juicy fruit hop aromas. Rich malt flavors are balanced with spicy, tangerine hop notes. The finish is very bitter and lingers a long time.
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War Pigeon Double IPA

Drake’s Brewing – San Leandro, CA
Clear golden color with a white head and nice legs. Fruity citrus nose with sweet malt aromas. Rich flavors of clean, sweet malt with great complexity and a big hop presence. Well-balanced, with a lengthy, lingering bitter finish.
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Blah Blah Blah IPA

21st Amendment Brewery – San Francisco & San Leandro, CA
Clear gold color with an ivory head. Bready, herbal hop nose with aromas of burnt citrus and bubble gum, along with spicy aromas. Creamy, effervescent mouthfeel, with soft, rich malt and a beautiful, bright, spicy hop character. Well-integrated and balanced, with a mild, lingering bitter finish.
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Denogginizer Double IPA

Drake’s Brewing – San Leandro, CA
Clear amber-gold with a white head. Spicy, herbal hop nose with aromas of bready malt, melon and juicy fruit. Complex malt character, with a creamy mouthfeel and spicy hop notes throughout. Great balance and a clean, lingering bitter finish.
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Enigma by Dauv

Alvarado Street Brewery – Monterey, CA
Bright amber color with a modest white head. Dank nose with aromas of mandarin oranges, tropical fruit, garlic and onions, along with a whiff of sulfur. Big, harsh hop bite up front, with a chewy mouthfeel that softens midpalate. Citrus and burnt orange hop flavors, and a very bitter finish.
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Hopageddon Imperial IPA

Napa Smith Brewery – Napa, CA
Bright golden color with a tan head. Herbal nose with juicy fruit, bubble gum and sweet malty aromas. Good balance of sweet and bitter, with fruity, spicy hop character and a very bitter, lingering finish.
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Idiot Imperial India Pale Ale

Coronado Brewing – Coronado, CA
Bright gold color with an ivory head. Herbal dank nose with aromas of coffee, bubble gum, bell peppers and juicy fruit. Creamy, effervescent mouthfeel, with soft malt and bold hop character. Spicy notes and good balance throughout. Nicely refreshing, with a lingering bitter finish.
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Loral & Dr. Rudi’s Inevitable Adventure Double IPA

Stone Brewing – Escondido, CA
Bright golden color with an ivory head. Herbal hop nose with bready, juicy fruit and bubble gum aromas. Chewy and papery, with herbal hops, a spicy middle and an effervescent mouthfeel. Good balance overall, with a soft, clean finish.
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Manta Ray Double India Pale Ale

Ballast Point Brewing – San Diego, CA
Clear light gold color with good legs and an ivory head. Herbal, catty nose with juicy fruit, onion and dank aromas. Big hop flavors of tropical fruit, garlic and onion dankness, followed by a lingering bitter finish.
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Mongo India Pale Ale

Port Brewing – San Marcos, CA
Bright gold with an ivory head. Modest bready and stone fruit nose with vegetal, green hop aromas. Creamy, sodalike mouthfeel with vegetal, spicy and minty hop bittering. Big malt nicely balances. Great complexity, with a long, spicy finish.
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PU 240 Imperial IPA

Auburn Alehouse – Auburn, CA
Light bright gold with an ivory head. Dank catty, garlic and onion nose with hints of juicy fruit and vanilla. Pure dankness, with a soft, creamy mouthfeel. Onion, garlic and catty hops, with breadfruit malt for good balance. The finish is long and bitter.
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Revision IPA2 Doubled Up India Pale Ale

Revision Brewing – Sparks, NV
Bright, clear gold color with a white head. Bready, herbal nose with aromas of juicy fruit, citrus, lemon and spices. Creamy mouthfeel, with herbal and citrus hop character. Spicy, fruity notes and a perfumey lemon finish.
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Revision Smoke & Mirrors Northeast-Style DIPA

Revision Brewing – Sparks, NV
Hazy grapefruit juice color with a white head. Huge, rich melon nose with aromas of tropical fruit, orange juice, lychee and some cattiness. Big, rich melon flavors, along with dank, catty and blood orange notes and sweet malt balance, with a long, lingering bitter finish.
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The Wolf Double IPA

Eppig Brewing – San Diego, CA
Bright gold color with a light tan head. Dank citrus nose, with aromas of perfume, bread dough and burnt orange. Tart, creamy mouthfeel, with light spicing, shortbread malt, catty hops and great balance. The lingering finish is clean.
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Tricerahops Double IPA

Ninkasi Brewing – Eugene, OR
Bright, clear amber color with a tan head. Fruity, herbal nose with aromas of spice and dark cherries and a whiff of sulfur. Tart and bitter, with dominating malt. Notes of stone fruit and very bitter hop character leading to a long, lingering bitter finish.
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2 x 4 DIPA

Melvin Brewing – Alpine, WY
Slightly hazy golden color with a tan head. Green nose of catty breadfruit, citrus and bubble gum aromas. Big hop bite. Hop-forward, with a catty middle and refreshing malt. Well-balanced, with a long, lingering bitter finish.
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Bliss Double India Pale Ale

Five Threads Brewing – Westlake Village, CA
Light bright gold with a modest white head. Light nose of caramel, burnt sugar, plums, strawberry jam and lemon Pledge. Creamy mouthfeel, with strong fruit, notable lemon cleanser, perfume and zingy, spicy hops. Very easy-drinking, with a big hop finish.
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Fishwater Double IPA

Telluride Brewing – Telluride, CO
Hazy amber-gold with an ivory head. Dank, oniony nose with juicy fruit, vegetal and light sulfur aromas. Tart, dank hop flavors and rich malt for balance. The big, lingering finish turns very bitter, nearly astringent, at the very end.
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Fruitallica Double IPA

Stone Brewing – Escondido, CA
Hazy gold color with a modest head. Shy fruit nose with heavy malt sweetness, herbs and tropical fruit aromas. Spritzy, creamy malt base with spicy lemon custard flavors. Nice balance of tropical fruit and sweet malt cake, with a lingering bitter fruit finish. (A collaboration with Beavertown and Garage Project)
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Hail to the Hop Thief Double IPA (21st Anniversary)

Stone Brewing – Escondido, CA
Slightly hazy amber-gold with an ivory head. Herbal and fruity nose, with big malt, juicy fruit and perfume aromas. Big, rich, sweet malt dominant up front, with tropical fruit bittering and a long, lingering, spicy finish.
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Hop Diggity Double India Pale Ale

Mother Earth Brew Co. – Vista, CA & Nampa, ID
Clear amber color with a modest head. Soft fruit nose with melon, perfume, bubble gum and a wisp of alcoholic heat. Simple and balanced, with tart bittering. Notes of Froot Loops, cola and more fruit. The finish is long and bitter.
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Hoptologist DIPA

Knee Deep Brewing – Auburn, CA
Bright gold color with an ivory head. Modest nose of juicy fruit, sweet malt and paper. Tart hops, but malt character dominates. Notes of plums and raisins and some alcoholic heat. The lingering finish is all bittering.
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Lizard’s Mouth Imperial IPA

Figueroa Mountain Brewing – Buellton, CA
Light bright gold color with a modest head. Light vegetal nose of fruit, paint thinner and unripe melons, along with earthy aromas. Big, creamy malt, with subtle hopping and some medicinal notes. Very sweet. Citrus and vegetable hop character dominate, followed by a clean, lingering finish.
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Mosaic Double IPA

Belching Beaver Brewery – Oceanside, CA
Clear gold with a huge white head and good lacing. Modest herbal nose, with aromas of cheese, bread, butterscotch and citrus. Creamy, soft malt base of toffee and caramel. Big hop bittering, a spicy middle and a lingering bitter finish.
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120 Minute IPA

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery – Milton, DE
Bright golden-amber color with a tan head. Strong alcoholic nose with herbal and hay aromas, along with dark fruit, spices and juicy fruit. Rich and creamy, with flavors of sweet gasoline and notes of bourbon and big hops, followed by a hot, spirited finish.
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Stingray Imperial IPA

Coronado Brewing – Coronado, CA
Slightly hazy pale gold with a white head. Herbal nose with lightly catty, bubble gum and citrus aromas. Tart, catty, dank and bitter, with good balance and a crisp, clean finish.
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Strike Double IPA

Strike Brewing – San Jose, CA
Bright gold with nice lacing and a white head. Soft herbal nose with sour melon, pine and sweet malt aromas. Creamy and chewy mouthfeel, with tart bittering, spicy and punchlike flavors. Slightly vegetal, with a lingering, bitter finish.
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West Coast IPA

Green Flash Brewing – San Diego, CA
Formerly an IPA but rebranded as a double IPA. Bright golden-amber color with a tan head. Sweet, herbal nose with aromas of marzipan and juicy fruit, along with a touch of sulfur. Creamy, with sweet malt and nice bittering. Good balance, some nutty notes and a lingering, bitter finish.
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Wishbone Session Double IPA

Shmaltz Brewing – Clifton Park, NY
Slightly hazy golden color with a thick white head. Spicy herbal nose with heavy malt, perfume and juicy fruit aromas. Tart and bitter, with a big hop bite. Hopping is somewhat disjointed and unbalanced.
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