Dry is drinkable
Sugar and a low mash temperature stop it from turning sweet and heavy.
Double IPA: how to brew it
An IPA turned up: intense hop aroma and strong bitterness, but still dry and drinkable, with the alcohol kept in the background.
Double IPA at a glance
- Original gravity
- 1.065 – 1.085
- Final gravity
- 1.008 – 1.018
- Bitterness (IBU)
- 60 – 100
- Colour (EBC)
- 12 – 28
- Alcohol
- 7.5 – 10.0%
- Carbonation (vol)
- 2.4 – 2.9
Ranges from the BJCP 2021 style guidelines, category 22A.
A typical recipe
For 20 L (5 gal) at about 1.075: 85 % pale malt, 5 % Munich, up to 10 % sugar (dextrose) to keep it dry. Big bittering charge, heavy whirlpool and a 6–8 g/L dry hop. Pitch plenty of healthy yeast (a large starter or two packs), mash at 64–65 °C (147–149 °F), start fermentation at 18 °C (64 °F) and let it rise.
Brewing tips
Pitch enough yeast
High gravity needs roughly twice the yeast of a normal IPA to avoid a stuck fermentation.
Watch the hot alcohol
Keep early fermentation cool: warm starts give harsh, solvent-like alcohols.
Brew your own Double IPA
Start from the style in Mashwerk: it builds a recipe within the ranges for your kit, and checks every number as you tweak it.
Start brewing free