Exploring The Strong And Hoppy World Of Triple Ipas

India Pale Ales (IPAs) are hoppy beers that originated in the early 19th century. In the last 50 years, American breweries have experimented with the style, creating Double IPAs and Triple IPAs. Triple IPAs are characterised by higher hop flavours and higher alcohol content, with an ABV of over 10%. They are not recognised as an official beer style by the Brewers Association or the Beer Judge Certification Program, and there is no clear definition of the style, but they are known for their drinkability and balance of flavours.

Triple IPAs are hoppy beers with ABV over 10%

India Pale Ales (IPAs) are hoppy beers whose origin dates back to 1815. In the last 50 years, American breweries have tried to put their own spin on this classic. They have tried to push the boundaries of how hoppy beers can be by brewing Double IPAs and Triple IPAs. Triple IPAs are a newer style of beer that has emerged in the American beer landscape. They are characterised by higher hop flavours and an ABV of over 10%.

While the Brewers Association doesn't recognise the Triple IPA as an official beer style, the most widely accepted determinant is alcohol by volume, or ABV. Typically, these brews are upwards of 10% ABV. They feature greater amounts of malts and hops than double IPAs, which are designed to deliver heightened flavours and aromas. Triple IPAs can be bitter and piney, or soft and tropical. Some come sour, some laced (or laden) with lactose.

The Triple IPA is a tricky style to brew as hop character, malt and alcohol need to be in balance to keep the drinkability in check. As a beer gets bigger and more hops, malt, and other ingredients are added to the recipe, flavour gets lost in a sea of sugar and alcohol. In the push to make bigger, bolder IPAs, brewers have to navigate making something drinkable while alcohol levels soar and balance becomes a challenge.

The Beer Judge Certification Program, a worldwide network of beer judges and the top authority in beer style classification, doesn’t even recognise the Triple IPA as its own category. It stops at Imperial/Double IPA, describing the style’s flavour as having "high to absurdly high hop bitterness, although the malt backbone will generally support the strong hop character and provide the best balance".

They are not recognised as an official beer style

Although Triple IPAs are characterised by higher hop flavours and alcohol content, they are not recognised as an official beer style by the Brewers Association or the Beer Judge Certification Program.

The Brewers Association defines an American India Pale Ale as having an ABV of 6.3% to 7.5%, while an Imperial or Double IPA should have an ABV of 7.6% to 10.6%. A Triple IPA, therefore, should have an ABV of over 10.5% or 10.6%, depending on the source. However, some breweries release beers with an ABV within the Double IPA range and market them as Triple IPAs. For example, Sierra Nevada's "Hoptimum" is labelled as a triple IPA, but has an ABV of 9.6%Trillium Brewing Co.'s "The Streets" is considered a triple IPA, but has an ABV of 10%

The Beer Judge Certification Program, the top authority in beer style classification, does not recognise the Triple IPA as its own category, instead stopping at Imperial/Double IPA.

Despite this lack of official recognition, Triple IPAs are becoming increasingly popular, with some achieving great commercial success, such as Russian River's Pliny the Younger, which has been considered the best beer in the world.

They are stronger, hoppier, and richer than Double IPAs

Triple IPAs are a style of beer that has emerged in the last 50 years as brewers have tried to push the boundaries of how hoppy beers can be. They are stronger, hoppier, and richer than Double IPAs.

Triple IPAs typically have an ABV of over 10%, with some going as high as 15-20%. This makes them very high in alcohol content. They feature greater amounts of malts and hops than double IPAs, which results in heightened flavours and aromas. The higher alcohol content and amplified flavours make it a challenge to achieve balance and drinkability.

Triple IPAs can vary in terms of flavour. They can be bitter and piney, or soft and tropical. Some are sour, and some are laced with lactose. They may also have fruity and citrusy notes. The mouthfeel of a Triple IPA can be incredibly smooth, hiding the high ABV very well.

The Triple IPA is not a well-defined style of beer and is not officially recognised by the Brewers Association or the BJCP. However, its popularity seems to be increasing, and it has made its way into the American beer landscape.

They are difficult to brew due to the balance of flavours

Triple IPAs are difficult to brew due to the balance of flavours. While they are characterised by an ABV of over 10%, they also feature greater amounts of malts and hops than double IPAs. This makes it challenging to achieve a balance between amplified flavours and alcohol. The high ABV also makes it harder to retain the hop character and juiciness while minimising boozy sweetness.

The integrity of flavour is often sacrificed as alcohol levels soar, with harsh alcohols distracting from hop flavours and aromas. The dense concentration of fruity hops can also result in a gummy bear-like sweetness. Long boil times can further contribute to thicker textures, turning the beer into a stew.

Brewers need to navigate the fine line between sweetness and bitterness to create a harmonious and drinkable beer. This challenge is amplified by the high ABV and the large number of variables involved in the brewing process. The use of unconventional ingredients, such as non-fermentable sugars like lactose, can be necessary to combat the intense malt and yeast flavours.

The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP), the top authority in beer style classification, does not recognise the Triple IPA as its own category, adding to the complexity of brewing this style of beer. Brewers must strive to balance the numerous factors that contribute to the unique characteristics of a Triple IPA while also pushing the boundaries of hoppiness and flavour.

Some popular examples include Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA and Green Cheek Swim Test

A Triple IPA is a style of beer that is very hoppy, with an ABV of over 10%. It is characterised by a thick, syrupy body and intense hop resins that give it a heavy sipping quality. It is not an officially recognised beer style, but it has been growing in popularity. Triple IPAs are tricky to brew as the hop character, malt and alcohol content must be carefully balanced to ensure drinkability.

Some popular examples of Triple IPAs include Dogfish Head's 120 Minute IPA and Green Cheek's Swim Test. Dogfish Head's 120 Minute IPA is an Imperial IPA with 15-20% ABV. It is brewed to a colossal 45-degree plato, boiled for two hours while being continuously hopped with high-alpha American hops, then dry-hopped daily in the fermenter for a month and aged for another month on whole-leaf hops. The result is a sweet, citrusy, piney and floral beer with a lingering bitterness.

Green Cheek's Swim Test is a Hazy Triple IPA with rolled oats, unmalted wheat and an expressive yeast. It has a milky yellowy/white colour and a light hop burn. The beer has a syrupy malt sweetness and a tropical, white-grape hoppiness. It also has notes of pineapple, lychee, nectarine, tangerine, kiwi and passion fruit.

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