Imperial IPA — Double IPA — was the style that convinced me I could brew commercially competitive beer at home.
Category:
Beer Brewing
- Beer Brewing
Hazy Pale Ale vs Hazy IPA Differences: Style Comparison Guide
by John Brewster 3 minutes readThe Hazy Pale Ale versus Hazy IPA distinction confuses a lot of homebrewers because the techniques overlap almost completely — both use oats and wheat for haze, both use whirlpool and dry hops heavily, both favor tropical hop varieties and …
- Beer Brewing
English Porter Brewing Guide: Traditional Dark Beer Mastery
by John Brewster 3 minutes readEnglish Porter has an interesting place in my brewing history — it was the second all-grain beer I brewed, chosen because I’d read that it was forgiving, and I found out that “forgiving” for a dark beer means you can …
- Beer Brewing
How to Brew Berliner Weisse Sour Beer: Guide to German Wheat Sours
by John Brewster 3 minutes readBerliner Weisse is the fastest-turnaround sour beer I brew. From grain to glass in under two weeks, it’s the style I reach for when I want a refreshing sour wheat beer without the 12–18 month commitment of Flanders Red or …
- Beer Brewing
California Common Steam Beer Brewing: Guide to America’s Unique Hybrid Style
by John Brewster 3 minutes readCalifornia Common is one of the few truly American historical beer styles, and it’s one I have a personal connection to — I grew up in Northern California and Anchor Steam was the first beer I understood as having a …
- Beer Brewing
Belgian Tripel Advanced Guide: Master Monastic Brewing Excellence
by John Brewster 3 minutes readBelgian Tripel is the style that humbled me most thoroughly on my first attempt. I thought high gravity meant more of everything — more malt, more hops, more yeast character. The batch came out sweet, heavy, and hot.
- Beer Brewing
Traditional German Kölsch Brewing Guide: Authentic Cologne Brewing Methods
by John Brewster 3 minutes readKölsch is the style that taught me the importance of cold conditioning for hybrid ales. I expected it to taste like a light ale and was caught off guard by how lager-like a properly made Kölsch is — clean, delicate, …
- Beer Brewing
Flanders Red Ale Sour Beer Recipe: Belgian Brewing Guide
by John Brewster 3 minutes readFlanders Red Ale is the most wine-like beer I make — complex, acidic, with layers of dark fruit, oak character, and a tartness that functions more like a good Burgundy than anything typically called beer.
- Beer Brewing
Brewing Black IPA Cascadian Dark Ale: Guide to Dark Hoppy Excellence
by John Brewster 3 minutes readBlack IPA is the style I use to settle arguments about whether appearance affects taste perception. Poured blind, most people identify it as a hoppy dark ale with roast notes — it tastes more like what it is than what …
- Beer Brewing
Brewing Belgian Golden Strong Ale: Guide to Elegant Strong Beer
by John Brewster 3 minutes readBelgian Golden Strong Ale is the style that most surprises people who drink it without knowing what it is. It looks like a pale lager — brilliant gold, white foam — but at 7.5–10.5% ABV it has the complexity of …