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Baird Double-Dry Belgian Imperial IPA

Baird Brewing Co.
Numazu, Shizuoka
Beer style: IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double IPA
Ref: ratebeer.com Apr2024

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There was a time, before the dawn of the American craft beer revolution, when pursuing the combination of powerful hopping and Belgian-yeast fermentation would never have been considered by a brewer. That time is no more. Today, high-hopped, Belgian-yeast fermented IPAs are enjoying a season in the sun. Well, the Baird Beer brewers are hitting the beach and joining the party with our own interpretation of this oxymoronic style. Double-Dry Belgian Imperial IPA derives its name from (a) a double dosing of dry-hops, (b) double (actually triple) fermentation with two different yeast strains — one being our house Belgian ale yeast, and (c) imperial-level rates of hops (100 IBUs in the kettle), gravity (17.8 Plato), and alcohol (8.5% by volume). This is a brashly bitter, twistedly dry and unapologetically alcoholic brew. It is the sort of offspring you might expect from an orgiastic mating among bottles of Orval, Duvel and Stone Ruination. Thirty percent of the fermentables are provided by Japanese korizato sugar rather than malt, leading to higher alcohol and lighter body. The hops, including those used in dry-hopping, are a combination of American (Warrior, Columbus, Horizon) and European (German Hersbrucker and Slovenian Styrian Golding) varieties. The fermentation is threefold: stage one with our Belgian yeast, stage two with the addition of our Scotch Ale yeast, and stage three in package where the two strains continue the party together.