Episode: 4679
Title: HPR Beer Garden 15 - Double IPA
Source: https://hub.hackerpublicradio.org/ccdn.php?filename=/eps/hpr4679/hpr4679.mp3
Transcribed: 2026-07-31 16:16:41 (official HPR transcript)

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This is Hacker Public Radio Episode 4679, for 2026-07-09
Today's show is entitled, "HPR Beer Garden 15 - Double IPA"
The host is Kevie and the duration is 00:27:45
The flag is Clean, and the license is CC-BY-SA
The summary is "Kevie, Paul and Dave talk about Double IPAs"
Hello and welcome to another episode of Hacker Public Radio and this is episode 15 of The
Beer Garden and we're starting to fly through these and it's lovely where the outside
given this is probably going to be a recent October about the rate we're currently going
but anyway we're still on the springtime beer shop so yeah but before we actually get into
what beer we've got I have got some guests hmm actually I'm seeing I've got some guests not my
show that I've got a two co-hosts with me you're hosting so you will you're kind of driving us today
so yeah and you just spoil the surprise for the rest of them so because of the surprise you'll get
introduced second so I am joined once again by Paul how are you tonight Paul? I'm very good thank you and
I'm very pleased to be in this episode because we're going to try a beer out which I have never
actually tried before so I can be your man off the street complete novice with this one so it
be interesting to see what it tastes like excellent and thank you for coming back once again
thank you for inviting me and we in case you just didn't hear and didn't recognize that
for a voice that interrupted me I'm also joined by Dave as always how are you tonight Dave?
I'm very well thank you Paul you may have noticed actually in the 14 previous episodes
I don't think heavy has actually once thanked me for joining him so you are incredibly honored
well did to be feared it was a really too much retask but like myself to get you onto this
what are you saying? I don't think we need a little as an idiot in college but
no you absolutely right absolutely right I have no recourse to take offense to that judgment or
whatsoever right in so what is it then we're going to look at well so far in the IP
range we've looked at session which was utterly terrible for me I am not want to go back to that
in the slightest last just IP ever looked at the was a triple IP so we're counting down the ranks
and we are going for that double IP so this as apologies is something totally new
term so this will be interesting to hear but this is not my turn to do homework Dave what did you
find out why you were swarting for this episode? Well the first thing I found out is I couldn't
remember anything that you said two episodes ago about the triple IPA so I'm sure there there is a
direct correlation between double and triple IPA other than the obvious double IPA it's a
a style I I really enjoy as cabbage stress it is absolutely no draw at all to select double IPA
for this episode and unusually as what normally happens when trying to find beers for the beer garden
I had absolutely no problems choosing or if off-finding a double IPA they were literally
falling off the shelves for me so clearly it's a popular and prevalent style in these ear parts
so double IPA what is a double IPA? It says here a double IPA is an intensely hot forward
beer style featuring seven and a half to ten percent alcohol content and a massive hot character
balanced by substantial malt backbone you can tell these aren't my worst kind of
creating surprisingly drinkable beers despite extreme hop intensity.
Double IPAs are also known as imperial IPA an American craft beer innovation pushing
traditional IPA boundaries through increased strength hop and brewing complexity
hope you remembered all that I'll be testing you later. The story of the double IPA starts in
around the mid-1990s when American craft brewers were looking to create an ultimate hop experience
whilst also maintaining the drinkability and unlike traditional IPAs the emphasized
preservation or balance the double IPA represents the celebration of the hop and artistic
statement about American brewing creativity and hop cultivation excellent. It does seem a little
bit unfortunate that we are falling to our lovely American cousins for a beer style that I particularly
enjoy. However, having said that it is great that we're seeing this very recent revolution in
brewing and technique and style the we're able to talk about today so this is this is good.
So the creation of the double IPA is credited with the creation of the IPA is a Vinny
how do you pronounce that? Sillert so or killer so of the Russian river brewing company
who was widely credited with creating the first modern double IPA in 1994 with an IPA called
the Blind Pig IPA later perfecting the style with the legendary Pliny the Elder in 2000 so you
she can tell it's really quite recent. Can I dig a guess here before you continue?
Yeah go on is this is probably most likely either California or Portland uh Santa Rosa
where Santa Rosa California yes yes you're right as I'm saying this that you know perfecting
the style in 2000 thinking it's quite modern actually that's 26 years ago. So let that sink in how
old I am for a moment. The double IPA style was quite groundbreaking for its time demonstrating
that extreme hop intensity could coexist with drinkability which is not always the case it's
trying to find that balance between the two through how the mults are applied and also how
properly and precise the brewing technique is. So double IPA is part of the PLL family but within the
broader alcategory representing the strongest and most intensive subcategory of IPAs.
Now whilst regular IPAs typically range from about five and a half to seven and a half percent
with IPUs of between 40 and 70 which is okay reasonably reasonably hoppy reasonably bitter.
Double IPA pushes that boundary to about between seven and a half and 10 percent ABV and I
use between 60 and 100 or at sometimes even more. The brewing approach needs to be fundamentally
different to achieve that level of harmony between the hopiness, the strength, the intensity of the
flavour but also maintaining the drinkability of the AL. As we may have discussed in reasonable detail
on the triple IPA I wouldn't have said that a triple IPA is particularly drinkable. I very much
enjoy it but it's not a drinkable beer and I think that's one of the reasons why
a double IPA is in triple IPAs are fundamentally different. Triple IPAs they tend to push the alcohol
beyond the 10 percent in some cases quite harshly but with even more hop character but very often
at the expense of drinkability. Having a much more intense beer makes it less drinkable.
Doesn't mean I'll not try but it does make it less drinkable. The popularity of the style
exploded in the 2000s as craft brew has embraced the more extreme brewing style and philosophy
and hop enthusiasts over the world demanded ever more intense experiences but today double IPA
represents both technical brewing achievement and cultural phenomenon symbolising craft beers
willingness to challenge conventional brewing wisdom whilst also creating a genuinely
enjoyable drinking experience. So double IPA in appearance is typically a golden to a
deep amber colour ranging from bright orange to a rich copper depending on the mults
and the brewing approach that was used. The formation of the head in a quality double IPA
can be persistent. It could be a white-to-knoth white foam that often exhibits a light
tan colouration depending on the colour of the AL itself. Covidation moderate to moderate
high sets here creating a lively effervescence that carries hop aromas effectively while providing
textural interest. The recommended serving temperature which I have fallen very far off
is between 7 and 10 degrees Celsius that's 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit for those of us across
the pond. I'm getting thumbs up from both of my compadries. This is probably closer to about
15 to 20 because I did not chill this. So whether that brings out more of the flavors or
actually reduces the experience for me, we shall see. I'd have to put it beside the fire to get
15 to 20 degrees. Yes, well you will live out in the spot. I'll say it on this stick. You don't
have any sticks out there on either. You live in the middle of nowhere. You're very exposed
to where you are. I live on the far north western tip of nowhere. I think it close to
the far west and you are to us. Fair play. So yeah, that's pretty much all I found for
double IPA. There were lots of different sources and resources of that were pretty much telling
the same story. So I don't know whether there is much more I can add to that. Kevin, have you got
anything else that I might have missed? No, actually the only reason that I actually said to you
was this from Portland or California is because it won't think in general up until about 20
years ago, 30 years ago. Really America didn't know for much, but it seemed to be an abruer
from Portland and California away. They really do push the bow. So anytime you get something
that's experimental, it always seems to be from that region. Yes, you do get some more now that
are some, there's more people coming out. And of course it's a new England IP, which is always the
east coast. But generally we do have a lot of to thank for the, I don't know, it's almost
a little push-toed waste. It's like, no, no, no, no, no, it will stick to our bugs and the
literature would ever on the push the note. And once they hit that western coast, they start,
whatever it will actually just start, but yeah. Yeah, because yeah, both both Portland and
California are west coast online. So, yes, interesting times. All right, well, I'm going to
shut up for a bit. Which of you two, for lunch and lunch and lunch, we're like, it's a crack
there, open first. Again, I want to use one of my American glass packs. So that is an American
IP Eagle Last. Okay. This one I've got to thank my sister for reminding that pack. No. Oh,
actually, before you crack that open, I did have some notes on glassware. It does suggest here
that you use a two-bit, two-lip glass or a large wine glass to consume a double IPA. I could
but I'm not going to change notes. Can't be bothered getting up. Fair enough. This one is you can
see them the video and not good for the ones who listen to podcasts, but it's kind of ribbed on the
bottom. And it's like a tall, tulip glass, but it's the stem is actually hollow, so it's not stemmed
as such. Right. So, though that I have got is from the Chromoty Brewery. So, the Chromoty Brewery
is north of Inverness. And this one is a man overboard double IPA at 8.4%. So, I'm looking forward
to this. Actually, I had a slide issue with this because other than double joker, I was struggling
to find anything locally with it on the double IPA front print of IPA's press session IPAs. Couldn't
find any double IPAs locally. And then I was aware the weekend and while I was waiting for the
fairly went into the Highland Licker shop in Ollipul and there at Whiskey specialist, but they do
have beers. So, that's what I picked this one up. So, this is Chromoty Brewery and Man overboard. So,
so, straight away, there's from the can that is hobby-ness. And there's a faint citrusy note,
not strong, mostly hobby. So, let's give this a pour. So, there you go. I kind of quite a hazy
kind of light down nice. Oh, no, from the glass, this is like a double bat. It's like a sweet and
sour. It's a no, it's actually more sour than sweet. It's a hobby-ness. And then you get a multi
on the back end on the nose. No, the fruits aren't there in the glass, which supplies me because
not only important in the glass, the fruits come out a bit more. Actually, I like a thieving on this
can. Obviously, Man overboard, it's just a side of a railings of a boat with a life boy.
Right. So, that's it, all going to the glass? Cheers. Looks like a good head. No, there's an initial
bitterness, which turns quite sour, actually. And then becomes sweet. On the back end, it's like,
the finish isn't too dissimilar to the castro super from last time. It's quite an alcoholic
sweet, toffee-ish of almost flavor finish, much more bitter on the front end though. There's
fruitiness in there, but it's not as I was expecting it to be a slap in the face, lemon,
instead it's more a kind of mellow orange, but it isn't there, but it's certainly not
kicking me in the taste buds. So, it's a bitterness that I'm getting. That bitterly almost
souriness. Yeah, that's really pleasant. I quite like that. At 8.4%, I don't think I would want
to be to be chugging that all day. It would last a long time, but yeah, that's nice. Excellent.
Right, so Paul would know, let you, what do you, God for this, okay? So, I can tell you a story
about buying double IPA. I tried to buy some online and was promised it would be here and it isn't.
So, I popped out today and went to Chester and I discovered Beaver Town Rumble in
waitrose. And in fact, they had two different beaver towns at this one and they had a
a hazy deeper double IPA. But I decided I'm not big fan of hazy beer, so I decided to go for this one.
Interesting though, when you look on their website for Beaver Town Brewery, they don't have
this listed on their website. So, it seems like it's something they, I don't know if made a deal with
waitrose that waitrose have exclusive rights to sell it or I don't know, but like all of the
beaver town stuff, you probably can have a Beaver town neck oil is fairly well spread. So,
very colorful graphics on the tin, very distinctive style of this. I believe they're based in London
Beaver town. So, let's give this a, I'm just slightly concerned. I don't know if he's going to
come out the tin in a hurry or not. So, I don't want all of my keyboard. Let's see what we get.
Well, no, we've good, we've good. You can smell the hotness from the tin, very distinctive.
I'm probably a bit like yours, Kevin, is also a bit fruity. So, I probably bought that a bit hard,
but it's a nice colour. It's clear. Yeah, that looks more like a kind of coppery end, does it?
Yeah, yeah. So, honestly, to me, it smells like an IPA, but we stronger hop overtones,
and it looks like quite a stable head on this as well. So, I'm not quite got everything in
from the tin. Let's see what it tastes like. That's really nice. I mean, it's kind of,
it reminds me in a way of drinking some of the Belgian beers, obviously, 8% by the way, this
one, 8% alcohol by volume. And it has that kind of like deval type of feeling when you drink it,
you know, it's that, but actually very drinkable, very nice, very nice indeed, fabulous.
What did you bring, Dave? Well, I have selected the north brewing ultra phase 8.4%
double IPA. Now, I'm just reading the back of the can, and the black sheep brewery is mentioned
on the back of the can. I've just been spending the last five or so minutes trying to work out
with the black sheep brewery and northern brewery are actually the same organization.
And I can't see any evidence to that fact at all, but I have had beers from both north brewing
and the black sheep brewery before. So, hopefully this matches up to it. I'm just quickly read the label
on the description on the label. All right, and you tell me with this sounds amazing or not,
a Luscious double IPA made with USA and Australian hops saturated. I will say that again,
saturated in honeydew lemon, green grape and pink grapefruit flavor with a lasting citrus finish.
I mean, to me, that sounds absolutely marvelous, but very often with these, you tend to get
a promise rather than an actuality. So, let me open this up. Hopefully, it won't go everywhere
like the last one I had did. No, I think we're safe. Well, it smells very fresh. There's a lot of citrus
going on in there, which was part of the description, and getting some of those sweety
fruity eromas as well. So, let's give this a pour and see what it looks like. Whoops,
bit lively. That's definitely part of the course. Yeah, so it's a little bit lively. The head is
persisting quite nicely. It is just minutely hazy. There's just a tiniest amount of hazy in there.
Almost like sometimes when you pour tap water, it comes out just slightly hazy,
a little bit de chalky, and then it just clears out completely. It just does look very similar to that.
So, sticking the old who to into the glass, and I was going to use my BFS glass,
the one I mentioned on the last episode, but I felt bad with both Kevin and Paul mentioning
their glass choices. I went and got my island of Harris brewery glass instead, which I still
have not broken. Did I don't know if I've had told that story, maybe for another day?
You have told it. Yep, I have, thank you. There's not a lot more coming out of the glass than
came out of the can if I'm perfectly honest, which a little bit disappointing, but we'll see what
it tastes like, and I will let you know. All the first thing is that it's in no way as bitter as I'd
expected it to be. That is really quite sweet, which is great. Flavor-wise, I'm getting the lemon,
that the melon, sorry, the honey's you lemon is definitely there. That I so would say at this stage
is the prominent flavor, what did I say green grape and pink grape fruit? I'm getting the grape fruit
as well, and a lasting citrus finish. So, I think it's almost 100% too early on in its promises,
which is very nice. As far as drinkability is concerned, this is very, very nice, very drinkable
in-date. I wonder what would have happened if I had chilled this slightly, because I know that sometimes
when you chill an ale, it kind of loses some of its texture, some of its flavor profiles,
don't tend to come through quite as well. But at the same time, you don't want to, you don't want
to want to want to be, nobody wants to want to be. Yeah, this is really quite pleasant. It doesn't
feel like it's an 8.4% ale at all. It doesn't have that associated boosiness to it. So,
interesting. No, I think that actually that's something that's been consistent throughout
the three of us. It's the fact that it doesn't taste that boozey, and I think the danger could be
if you had this on a hot day, you could very easily chuck that back. Yeah, I think it's definitely
feels a little bit stronger than a session IPA. So, I think you can tell, but like you say,
it's not like it's twice the A-B-V. No, no, it's funny. This one actually I've said it on my bit,
where you can see if I have got half of it in the glass neck. But there's the more I'm drinking it.
Initially, I said it was bitter, almost sour, then it went to a kind of sweeter,
toffee, and the more I'm drinking it, the more I'm getting bitterness, which is actually
making it more pleasant. So, it's almost going like bitter, sweet, bitter, and it's a lingering
bitterness. It's a lovely actually. It's funny. I think just because of the nature of it,
I'm still expecting that kind of citrusy lemony thing to kick in, but it does it's not the
other. It's it. I'm looking for it, and it's not the other. I think that's just down to past experiences.
My taste buds are saying it should be there somewhere. Yeah, this is full of bitterness. It's very nice.
Full flavour. I'm just reading the tin. It says a big west coast IPA with robust bitterness,
a piney and resinous character balanced by a bright citrus forward hot aroma.
So, it doesn't tell you what the hops are. I've looked at the can, and I think I have
freaking microscope, no glasses. It's ridiculous. I hate to say it, caviar's our age.
Well, I don't know. Look at it. That's tiny. Yeah. Well, this is like black on dark green,
and you can hardly read it. Oh, yeah, that's email. Yeah. Yeah, that's not great.
I mean, this is this is surprisingly easy to read, being the autofocus that doesn't work on this,
but on white characters on a black background. So, this is very senior friendly. I am an IPA
for the person who just wants more. I think that's his dark, but I don't know. It's in a
darker dark, piney hops. Hopefully it's done with a dark corpse, doesn't seem right. Does it?
It is dark. Piny and dank can work together. Yeah. It depends on how, how dank it is.
Cook, because I can't help it. It's the temperature. Thank is not normally good, though, is it?
Not usually. Oh, it can't. No, it can be. It can be. Okay. I'll take your word for it,
it can be. To bombard the senses, throwing your taste buds overboard. There you go. That's
actually what it sees. Now, this one does actually see us well. The hops. It says the hops are Columbus,
Sincro, Centennial, and I'm on a loop. So four hopes. Oh, actually, I'm just looking at this.
I just noticed that it's how sticking my glasses off. It's not got it very obvious,
but it's written. Actually, I wonder why it's not got it very obvious. It's written on it.
Winner of the world be at our words, world double IPA, winner 2017. So, this is not an
hubby at all. I've never seen it before. You're drinking an award winning. Well, yeah,
award winning there, award winning beer, award winning beer. Why not? Absolutely. I'm really
regretting not chilling this nail, and I don't know whether that's going to have a negative impact
on my score or not. Do you have a second one? No, I don't. Put it in the freezer for five minutes.
I don't know work. You could drop a nice cube into it. I don't think I'll be doing it.
There's not as stupid as it sounds. I'll take your word for it. I don't want it.
And we have some feedback. And this is on HPR beer garden number nine, barley wine shoe.
And this was put on by Elman. So we've got beer garden. I've had HPR in my feed for a long time.
Always hope for something will spark with me. Then you two come up with beer garden. And you
like what I like. I'm writing from Oklahoma, where a state legislator funded her Senate campaign
with money from the liquor distributor's next change for a monopoly control over what we drink.
But I think before the law changed, I had actually had some scotch silly. Anyway,
really enjoying your shoe. Thank you very much. Awesome. Thank you for that.
This comment was quite some time ago. So we weak must have neglected to read it out for a couple of weeks.
We've, yes, we've, we've missed it. Yeah. Right. Oh, I missed it. But I think it's because that's
well, it is from an older shoe. We that was from a January shoe. So, and if it was from a January
shoe, we probably recorded an event, but that is entirely probable, entirely probable. Yes. So,
if you want to give us feedback, then you can do just comment on any shoe. Just please bear with us,
because we do tend to as we just find out, because it's actually not just in them at times,
but we will get there. I mean, of course, the best one of the feedback you can do is record a
show. And if you actually want us well to record your own episode of the Beard Garden,
please fire on. This is not a reshow. It is a community podcast. If you want to get a hold of us on
untapped, then you can link with us. I will put the links in the show notes. As usual. Yes. So,
thank you very much gentleman for helping us out and joining in. I know it's a struggle,
but we do this purely for research purposes. That has got to be said.
When we are pleased to carry out this level of sacrifice on behalf of the community. Absolutely.
Absolutely. Absolutely. And if you would like to join us with your blood, sweat, and tears,
then you are more than welcome. Just re-choked to us again, probably. I mean, it's probably
the easiest way and we'll organize something. But just be weirdy. I mean, Paul joined us for one
show. And that looks like I'm sure it's a cool. Yes. Absolutely. Yes. Just be weird. It may
well be a commitment. Yes. Do look up the meaning of the phrase hotel California. Absolutely.
And just as a reminder of what we're going to be doing over the next couple of episodes,
we do have two episodes still planned. And we will be doing some more planning in the
near future as well. So our next episode in approximately two weeks time, whatever that is,
we'll be Belgian blonde. That'll be our next review style. And then the one after that will be
the double dry hop IPA. So definitely things to look forward to. I have both of those. I have them
ready and standing by. And I will make sure they are correctly chilled by the time we come to record.
Oh, you heathen. I said correctly chilled. So not chilled at all. It's a collectually.
Whoa. No. 7 to 10 degrees. I think it said no. Yes.
10 degrees for the for the double IPA. Yes. Not chilled at all. And that's what I say. That's standard
up here. Can I just remind you, we do both Paul and I live in slightly warmer claims than you. Yes.
Well, so you can put your beer outside and it'll be perfect. It's true in about six to seven seconds.
We do have slightly warmer claims here. We actually have refrigerators. I don't think you do do.
No, that's what the battle assaults for. Oh, it's the joys. Right then on on that silly note.
Join us once again tomorrow. For another exciting episode of Hacker public.
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