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Strong American Ale / 22A

Double IPA

Certified Beer Server Candidate Style Profile

Official BJCP guideline sections attached for full style exploration.

Certification exam alignment
Certified Beer Server Certified Cicerone® Advanced Cicerone® BJCP Beer Judge Entrance Exam
Source
BJCP 2021 Beer Style Guidelines

Overall Impression

An intensely hoppy, fairly strong, bitter pale ale without the big, rich, complex maltiness, residual sweetness, and body of an American Barleywine. Strongly hopped, but clean, dry, and lacking harshness. Despite showing its strength, drinkability is an important consideration.

Aroma

A prominent to intense hop aroma typically featuring modern American or New World hop characteristics such as citrus, floral, pine, resin, spice, tropical fruit, stone fruit, berry, or melon. A supportive, clean, neutral to grainy maltiness may be found in the background. Neutral to lightly fruity fermentation profile. Alcohol may be noted, but should not be solventy.

Appearance

Gold to light orange-copper color, but most modern versions are fairly pale. Good clarity, although a little haze is acceptable. Moderate-sized, persistent, white to off-white head.

Flavor

Strong and complex hop flavor (same descriptors as aroma). Moderately high to very high bitterness, but should not be harsh. Low to medium supportive, clean, soft, unobtrusive malt character; may have light caramel or toast flavors. Dry to medium-dry finish, not sweet or heavy, with a lingering hoppy, bitter aftertaste. Low to moderate fruitiness optional. A light, clean, smooth alcohol flavor is allowable.

Mouthfeel

Medium-light to medium body, with a smooth texture. Medium to medium-high carbonation. No harsh hop-derived astringency. Restrained, smooth alcohol warmth acceptable.

Vital Statistics

IBU
60 - 100
SRM
6 - 14
ABV
7.5% - 10%

Commercial Examples

  • Columbus Brewing Bohdi
  • Fat Heads Hop Juju

Similar Styles: How to Tell Them Apart

Use these guideline-based sensory contrasts to organize comparative tasting practice.

These strong American ales overlap in modern hop aroma, firm bitterness, alcohol, and pale-to-copper color. Double IPA is the driest, lightest-bodied, and most hop-dominant; American Strong Ale puts caramel-rich malt and hops into closer balance; American Barleywine is strongest, fullest, richest, and designed for sipping.

Compare with: 22B. American Strong Ale; 22C. American Barleywine

By aroma

  • Double IPA has prominent to intense American or New World hops over low to medium clean, unobtrusive malt, the most hop-dominant aroma of the trio.
  • It lacks American Strong Ale's bold caramel or toffee and American Barleywine's strong grainy, bready, or toasty malt richness.

By taste

  • Double IPA is dry to medium-dry and medium-light to medium-bodied despite its strength, making it leaner and more drinkable than either maltier comparator.
  • Moderately high to very high bitterness and strong complex hop flavor dominate its lingering aftertaste.
  • A sweet, heavy, richly malty palate points instead to American Strong Ale or American Barleywine.

Quick tell: Maximum hop focus with a dry, relatively lean strong-ale palate identifies Double IPA.

Open official BJCP source