Double IPA Recipes (Imperial) – Ingredients, Water Profile, & Brewing Notes

The double or imperial India Pale Ale is a style created to drive forward the capabilities of American craft brewers and cater to its customers’ evolving, lupulin-shifted palates. It’s a hoppy and complex beer style. 

Brew a Double IPA using a variety of ingredients. Hops with citrus and pine flavors and aromas are the main flavor ingredient. Light malts like American 2-Row are common as the foundation for this style. Cleanly fermenting yeast with medium-high attenuation contributes to the style’s dryness and compliments its high bitterness.

Keep reading to learn how to brew a Double IPA and try one (or all) of the recipes at the end of this post.

What is a Double India Pale Ale?

What happens when you take an India Pale Ale and double it? Well, that’s not exactly the science behind this style but it’s the right idea. India Pale Ale is a unique style of beer that has become increasingly popular in modern beer, eventually leading to the Double IPA.

Double IPAs – also called Imperial IPAs – are IPAs with more flavor and higher ABV. They’re mostly hoppy with high bitterness. The malt profile is noticeable but mostly used to balance out the hop flavor and aromas. Double IPAs are clean and crisp with citrus and pine hop flavors.

Key characteristics of a Double IPA -  infographic with ABV, aroma, mouthfeel, IBU, color, and flavor
Key characteristics of a Double IPA.

Defining characteristics of Double IPAs include:

  • Color – Gold to light brown, 2-9 SRM
  • Common flavor – Citrus, pine, hoppy
  • Aroma – Citrus, light bread, pine, evergreen
  • Mouthfeel – High carbonation, full, smooth
  • IBUs (Bitterness) – 30-80
  • ABV – 7.6-10.6%

The Double or Imperial IPA is the product of craft beer ingenuity. Craft brewers (and drinkers) wanted to stretch the limits on the popular IPA style. They wanted more of that delicious hop flavor the beer is known for. This required a delicate balance between IPA ingredients. Keep reading to find out all about how to brew your own!

History of the Double IPA

The American IPA is rooted in England where the pale ale style was first brewed. The ones brewed in England were generally sweeter and used British ingredients. Still, the different variations share plenty of similarities.

American craft brewers eventually created their own spin on the beer style, adding more hops for increased hop flavor and greater depth to the beer overall. Although these new American IPAs were ingenious, brewers were eager to experiment further with the style.

Russian River Brewing Company’s head brewer Vinnie Cilurzo is credited with brewing the first Double IPA at Blind Pig Brewing Company in Temecula, California, in 1994. He’s responsible for the development of the famous Russian River Pliny the Elder, an exemplary beer in the style.

Cilurzo has even made the recipe for this beer public, and it’s included below if you want to brew the original yourself!

Popular commercial Double IPAs

Here are some popular examples of Double IPAs for you to try.

  • Russian River Pliny the Elder – Brewed with Amarillo, Centennial, CTZ, and Simcoe hops. Bitter taste with floral and citrus hop aromas.
  • Cigar City Florida Man – Bold hop flavor and aroma with medium bitterness.
  • Lagunitas Maximus – High hop bitterness with a thin, syrupy mouthfeel. Spicy hop notes balanced by malt background.
  • Troegs Nimble Giant – Azacca, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops. Grapefruit flavors and light malt background.

Popular Double IPA recipe kits (all-grain or extract)

Russian Rivers Pliny the Elder - All Grain or Extract Beer Brewing Kit (5 Gallons)

This is THE original Pliny the Elder recipe, given to us directly by Vinnie at Russian River Brewing Company.

This beer is an intense Double IPA. High bitterness with a dry malt finish, 8% alcohol, 6 separate hot side hop additions, 3 separate dry hop additions, and intense hop flavor and aroma! Pliny sets the standard for Double IPAs!

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How to brew a Double IPA

Now that you know a bit about the history of this style, I will detail every aspect of how to make an Imperial India Pale Ale. I will go step by step to dive into the ingredients and how they are used on brew day.

If you’re wondering “how long does it take to brew a Double IPA” before you begin then look no further. It will take 2-6 weeks for the entire process from brew day to tasting day. This can vary depending on whether you keg or bottle.

Like all beers, Double IPA recipes require the right water profile, base grains, specialty grains or other additions, hops, and yeast.

I recommend reading through all the requirements and the process before getting started.

Recipe and ingredients

Before you can start brewing a Double IPA you will need to collect the proper ingredients. This style has plenty of room for experimentation.

I’ll address the basic requirements of the following standard ingredients:

  • Water profile
  • Base grains
  • Specialty grains or other additions
  • Hops
  • Yeast

Below are some tips and guidelines to get you started, but feel free to put your own spin on things.

Water profile

The water profile can make or break your beer. Start with a convenient water source – reverse osmosis, distilled, or tap water. After that, adjust the profile to be softer with more sulfates.

Since this style emphasizes hops over malts, you will want to take advantage of the interplay between sulfates and chlorides to highlight the hops – you’ll want to aim for a lower chloride count. In general, however, good-tasting water will lead to good-tasting beer.

Although a bit different, IPAs and Double IPAs benefit from similar water profiles. Check out this article for a more detailed analysis of an appropriate water profile for this style.

Base grains

The base grains are the backbone of this style, supporting its heavy hop flavors and aromas.

For base grains, American 2-row malts will do the job. Pale ale malt will also provide a clean slate for you to work with. Other lighter grains will work, but you risk creating too hoppy of a beer. Be sure to balance hop additions carefully when using light grains.

Most of your grain bill comprises a neutral base grain like American 2-row. You can pair it with another base grain or add some complexity with a touch of a sweeter, darker specialty choice.

Another potential base grain option is German Pilsner Malt for a lighter body and more pronounced hop profile.

Specialty grains or other additions

Base grains are the foundation for the Double IPA, but specialty grains add depth, complexity, and differentiation.

The focus of this style is on the hops, so specialty grains should be used in small amounts. A little goes a long way in a Double IPA. Light Caramel malts (10-50°L) can be used to add some sweetness, body, and color. 

These specialty grains will only make up about 5-15% of your grain bill – as I mentioned above, small additions make a big difference in this style. If you’re using American 2-row as the base grain, then a caramel malt can work to add flavor depth and a bit of body.

Other specialty grain options include:

  • Carapils malts – Add body and head retention without introducing new flavors or colors.
  • Vienna malt – For added body and smooth mouthfeel. Touch of sweetness.

Hops

The hops are the main character in Double IPAs. The ones you use will impact both flavor and bitterness.

Double IPAs have almost complete freedom over hop selection. American Double IPAs use American hops, usually Cascade. However, there are many options. When selecting hops for an imperial IPA, look for ones that have citrus, pine, floral, or fruity notes as these are common to the style.

You don’t have to use only American hops. What is important is to choose hops that complement one another. You can use American hops for the majority of the aroma and flavor generation, but other international additions like Motueka or Nelson Sauvin will work. Bittering hops can be more varied.

Bittering

Bittering hops are added at the beginning of the boil. Most of the flavor and nearly all of the aroma from the hops are boiled away. Hops used in this method will primarily add hop bitterness as their alpha acids isomerize. 

Since you won’t get much flavor or aroma from these hops, you can pick hops of any kind. It is best to pick hops from anywhere that are high in alpha acids so that the bittering process is more efficient. Inefficient hops or high quantities can add an undesirable vegetal characteristic.

Below are some good bittering hops for a Double IPA.

NamePurposeAlpha Acid %
ChinookBittering + Aroma12-14%
WarriorBittering15-18%
MagnumBittering12-14%
ColumbusBittering + Aroma14-18%
Table showing the best bittering hops for brewing a Double IPA.
Aroma and flavor

Aroma and flavor hops are used for exactly that – aroma and flavor attributes.

Aroma and flavor hops are added later in the boil. The less time they are in the boiling wort, the less their aroma oils boil off. You can experiment with quite a few different hop varieties in the boil depending on how you want the IPA to taste.

This also means that you have to be much more selective. Certain hop varieties will not mesh very well. Look for hops that have similar characteristics or complementary combinations

It is also possible to use a very simple hop selection. Brewing with just one flavor and aroma hop will ensure that there is one dominant tone. Just keep in mind that even when added late in the boil, they will add some bitterness.

NameFlavor/AromaAlpha Acid %
CascadeCitrus, floral4.5-7%
Nelson SauvinFruity, white wine, grape12-13%
AmarilloFloral, fruity, citrus8-11%
SimcoePine, citrus, fruity12-14%
CentennialPine, citrus, floral9.5-11.5%
CitraFloral, fruity, citrus11-13%
MotuekaTropical, citrus6.5-8.5%
Table showing the best hops for adding flavor and aroma when brewing a Double IPA.

Yeast

Another main ingredient in the Imperial IPA style is yeast.

Good ale yeast strains for Double IPAs have high attenuation, a wide range of flocculation, and ferment cleanly. Avoid any yeasts that produce a lot of esters. For hazy or New England-style Double IPAs, yeasts with slight fruity esters and very low flocculation are acceptable.

Most Double IPAs have no ester-produced flavors and are rather dry from the yeast and malts used.

Dry

Below are some good dry yeast options for a Double IPA.

NameAttenuationFlocculationTemperature Range
Safale US-0578-82%Medium64.4-78.8°F
US West Coast Yeast M4477-85%High59-74°F
Nottingham77%High50-72°F
Table showing the best dry yeast strains for brewing a Double IPA.
Liquid

Below are some good liquid yeast options for a Double IPA.

NameAttenuationFlocculationTemperature Range
WLP05172-78%Medium to high66-70°F
Wyeast 105673-77%Low to medium60-72°F
WLP00171-80%Medium68-73°F
Wyeast 127272-76%Medium60-72°F
Table showing the best liquid yeast strains for brewing a Double IPA.

Brewing process

Once you’ve got your ingredients and your equipment is sanitized, you’re ready to brew your Double IPA! Let’s review the steps of the brewing process.

Before brew day, consider whether you are doing single infusion or step mash, the mashing temperature, necessary water quantities, whether you are using a yeast starter, and the hop schedule.

Once you’ve figured out the answers to these questions, the brew day will be pretty standard. If your malt is not pre-milled, you’ll start there before moving on to the mash. After the mash-in and rest, you’ll lauter and sparge.

After collecting enough wort for your batch size it’ll be on to the boil with the hopping schedule. Then it’s cooling the wort and pitching yeast for fermentation.

Mashing

The mashing process for brewing a Double IPA is pretty straightforward.

A single infusion mash works fine for an Imperial IPA. Mash between 150 and 154°F. A higher temperature in that range will impart more maltiness in the style, which may be needed to balance a large number of hops.

With an Imperial IPA, I recommend you mash at 153-154°F for that malt-hop balance I mentioned above. Your mash-in and rest should be roughly an hour. You do not want a lot of sweetness from unfermentable sugars, so an hour mash is best for this style.

Boil

The boiling period for a Double IPA should be an hour long. This will allow you to extract enough bitterness from the bittering hops added at the beginning of the hour. Since you want the flavor and aroma from your other hops they should be added closer to the end of the boil.

Common times to add flavor and aroma hops are 20, 10, and 5 minutes before the end of the boil. The longer these hops are in the boil, the more bitterness they will impart. Double IPAs have high bitterness, so adding hops early in the boil is a must. Later additions induce a desired hop aroma.

Whirlpool or flameout

Hops can also be added at other times, even after the boil is finished.

Adding hops just after flameout or during whirlpool are similar methods, but slightly different. Both take place just after removing the boiling wort from the heat. As the wort cools, you can add hops to get more aroma and flavor with little to no bittering.

The difference is evident in the whirlpooling method. Instead of just adding the hops to a cooling wort, you also create a whirlpool in the wort. This collects the trub while the hops add their flavor and aroma.

Fermentation

The fermentation process for a Double IPA is basic. Some recipes call for secondary fermentation or a dry hopping period.

As with all beer fermentation, your Imperial IPA will benefit from a consistent fermenting temperature. Fermentation shouldn’t take longer than a week, but if it does do not stress.

When fermentation is done if you are dry hopping you can rack to a secondary fermenter. If you are not, it is alright to let the beer age in a bottle or a keg.

Temperatures

Fermentation temperatures are dependent on the yeast strain used.

For most Double IPAs, the fermentation temperature range is between 65 and 70°F. If your chosen yeast strain creates more fruity esters, try fermenting on the lower end of the temperature range.

A consistent fermentation temperature will benefit your final product.

Bottling or kegging

The age-old question of bottling versus kegging continues.

You do not need to stick to a certain packaging method for a Double IPA. Bottling and kegging are each acceptable; choose one that works best for you.

Double IPA recipes

Here are three Double IPA recipes for you to try at home. Each is an all-grain recipe yielding five-gallon batches. 

  • Pliny the Elder
  • Good Intentions Double IPA
  • Martin Keen’s Double IPA

Pliny the Elder

This is the recipe for the original Double IPA, provided by Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing and published in Zymurgy.

Ingredients

  • Two-Row pale malt – 13.25 lbs
  • Crystal 45 – 0.6 lb
  • Carapils (Dextrin) malt – 0.6 lb
  • Dextrose (corn) sugar – 0.75 lb
  • Columbus hops – 5.5 oz
  • Simcoe hops – 4.75 oz
  • Centennial – 2.25 oz
  • White Labs WLP001 California Ale or Wyeast 1056 American Ale 

Method

  1. Set up all-grain brewing equipment.
  2. Heat 4.5 gallons of water to 152°F.
  3. Slowly add the Two-Row and Crystal malts to the heated water in the mash/lauter tun. Stir while adding.
  4. Mash at 152°F for 60 minutes.
  5. After the mash, recirculate the wort until the runoff is mostly clear.
  6. Sparge with 170°F water for 45-60 minutes. Collect 8 gallons, stir in Dextrose, and bring to a boil.
  7. Begin the 90-minute boil. Add 3.5 oz of Columbus hops.
  8. At 45 minutes left on the boil, add 0.75 oz of Columbus hops.
  9. At 35 minutes left on the boil, add 1 oz of Simcoe hops.
  10. At 0 minutes remaining in the boil, add 1 oz of Centennial hops and 2.5 oz of Simcoe hops.
  11. Cool the wort to pitching temperatures for chosen strain.
  12. Pitch yeast.
  13. Ferment at 67°F for at least one week or until fermentation is finished.
  14. Rack to a secondary fermenter.
  15. Add 1 oz each of Centennial, Columbus, and Simcoe hops and let sit for 7-9 days.
  16. Add 0.25 oz each of Centennial, Columbus, and Simcoe hops and let sit for an additional 5 days.
  17. Bottle or keg as desired.
  18. Carbonate your beer.
    1. If bottling, prime your beer for bottle conditioning. Carbonation can take 2 weeks.
    2. If kegging, force carbonate.
  19. Once carbonation is done, enjoy your beer!

Good Intentions Double IPA

This recipe was developed by Steve Thanos. His goal was to create a strong IPA where the malt and hops were in harmony.

Ingredients

  • Pale Ale malt – 13 lbs
  • Munich malt – 1lb
  • Caramel Malt 40L – 0.5 lb
  • Carapils – 6 oz
  • Simcoe hops – 1 oz
  • Monroe hops – 2 oz 
  • Mosaic hops – 8 oz
  • Imperial Yeast Capri I22

Method

  1. Set up all-grain brewing equipment.
  2. Heat 4.2 gallons of water to 151°F.
  3. Slowly add the 2-Row and Crystal malts to the heated water in the mash/lauter tun. Stir while adding.
  4. Mash at 151°F for 60 minutes.
  5. After the mash, recirculate the wort until the runoff is mostly clear.
  6. Sparge with 170°F water for 45-60 minutes. Collect 6-7 gallons for the boil.
  7. Begin the 60-minute boil. Add the 1 oz of Simcoe hops.
  8. At 30 minutes left on the boil, add 2 oz of Monroe hops.
  9. At 15 minutes left on the boil, add 2 oz of Mosaic hops.
  10. At 10 minutes left in the boil, add 1 oz of Mosaic hops.
  11. At 5 minutes left in the boil, 1 oz of Mosaic hops.
  12. Cool the wort to pitching temperatures for chosen strain.
  13. Pitch yeast.
  14. Ferment at 66°F for four days.
  15. After 4 days, dry hop with 4 oz of Mosaic hops and let sit for an additional 10 days.
  16. (Optional) Cold crash at 36°F for one week.
  17. Allow one more week for settling.
  18. Bottle or keg as desired.
  19. Carbonate your beer.
    1. If bottling, prime your beer for bottle conditioning. Carbonation can take 2 weeks.
    2. If kegging, force carbonate.
  20. Once carbonation is done, enjoy your beer!

Martin Keen’s Double IPA

In June 2019, Martin Keen challenged himself to brew all 99 beers style recognized by the BJCP in 99 weeks. Over the course of more than 2 years, he brewed everything from an American Light Lager to an Irish Stout. All of his recipes, processes, and results from all 99 beers are available on his YouTube channel, but today we’re interested in his Double IPA.

Screenshot from Martin Keen's YouTube video detailing his experience brewing a Double IPA. I've taken the liberty of correcting the Fermentation Notes graphic to align with the corrections he made in the video's pinned comment.
Screenshot from Martin Keen’s YouTube video detailing his experience brewing a Double IPA. I’ve taken the liberty of correcting the Fermentation Notes graphic to align with the corrections he made in the video’s pinned comment.

Some viewers noted that using more than 3 hops can muddy the flavor. Upon tasting, Martin reported that the final brew was hoppy and very bitter.

Ingredients

  • American 2-Row – 13 lbs
  • Crystal 45 – 1 lb 
  • Flaked Wheat – 4 oz 
  • Corn Sugar (Dextrose) – 1 lb
  • Galaxy hops – 2 oz
  • Motueka hops – 2
  • Pacifica hops – 2 oz 
  • Wakatu hops – 1 oz
  • Nelson Sauvin hops – 1 oz
  • Wyeast 1056 American Ale 

Method

  1. Set up all-grain brewing equipment.
  2. Heat 3.8 gallons of water to 148°F.
  3. Slowly add the American 2-Row, Crystal malt, and flaked wheat to the heated water in the mash/lauter tun. Stir while adding.
  4. Mash at 153°F for 60 minutes.
  5. After the mash, recirculate the wort until the runoff is mostly clear.
  6. Sparge with 170°F water for 45-60 minutes. Collect 6-7 gallons, stir in Dextrose, and bring to a boil.
  7. Begin the 60-minute boil. Add 1 oz of Galaxy hops.
  8. At 15 minutes left on the boil, add 1 oz of Motueka hops.
  9. At 5 minutes left on the boil, add 1 oz each of Pacifica and Wakatu hops.
  10. Add 1 oz each of Nelson Sauvin and Pacifica hops during whirlpool.
  11. Cool the wort to pitching temperatures for chosen strain.
  12. Pitch yeast.
  13. Ferment at 68°F for at least four days.
  14. Rack to secondary fermenter before primary fermentation is complete and dry hop with 1 oz each of Galaxy and Motueka hops. 
  15. Ferment at 70°F until fermentation is complete.
  16. Allow one week for settling.
  17. Bottle or keg as desired.
  18. Carbonate your beer.
    1. If bottling, prime your beer for bottle conditioning. Carbonation can take 2 weeks.
    2. If kegging, force carbonate.
  19. Once carbonation is done, enjoy your beer!

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