Canberra-Triple Pale Ale / Barley Wine?

[MrTwalky]

So I was at the Wig and Pen this evening (for all those Canberra Brewers) and I had Richard's 'Last Drop, 9% abv". Upon asking what sort of beer it was the bartender said a "triple pale ale mixed with a barley wine". I was curious as I had not heard of a triple pale ale before.

Does this mean: a) 3 different hops were used in the brewing process
OR
it's 3x the amount of hops used per usual pale ale hence making it very hoppy? (very subjective I know)?

It tasted a lot like an APA, fruity on the nose with a pleasant malty body. Was it a slip of the tongue? Poor hearing on my behalf? or is 'triple pale ale' an actual style that I just haven't heard of?

Cheers and happy brewing.

 

[bum]

Previous post redacted.

You sure they didn't say "double" IPA? A bit of a Google says this beer is thought to be a double IPA/Imperial IPA. Basically means a bigger than usual IPA. If they built it even bigger than that it might head into barleywine town a bit, sorta, but actually calling it a triple is stupid when there is already a style called tripel.

 

[MrTwalky]

I've tasted some West Coast Double AIPAs and this beer was nowhere near that level of hoppiness. I think it's probably toned down slightly for the Australian palate, but I'm a hop head...
Pretty sure he said triple, anyhoo, it was a delicious beer!

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

I've always heard Pliny the Younger referred to as a Triple IPA, but there's plenty more around as well: http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2012/12/triple_ipa_2012.php

If I had to find a way to describe the beer, I'd call it an 'Imperial Amber Ale' but that's just me...

 

[doon]

You say the bartender told you. You sure they are trained correctly?

 

[MrTwalky]

You say the bartender told you. You sure they are trained correctly?

I've been going to the Wig for a couple of years and the staff's passion and knowledge of beer has always come through in their service. I've always thought they'd hire somebody who was interested in beer and willing to learn more (maybe I'll ask for a job ). I'm not sure what sort of training they get but maybe he was just starting out.

 

[Yob]

There is some talk of the need for a tripple AIPA as a style.. Mostly by hop crazed fiends but chatter none the less..

The style (such that it is) is not really a barley wine as it's far too hoppy and it's too alcoholic to be a pale or IPA,

I brewed one not long back and was about ~10-12%

 

[Kodos]

Richard's not a brewer particularly married to style - he likes to mix it up sometimes (some of the beers he's done with the Canberra Brewers show this!) for his last batch brewed at the Wig before he left to prepare his next venture BentSpoke Brewing Company - he probably improvised a bit, mixing together a lot of what he like in a beer.

That then creates a challenge for the staff (who do all know the beer pretty well) to describe it to patrons. I suspect Richard enjoys trying to test people's interpretation of beer styles.

I think he's probably gone for a barleywine style grain bill, then taken the late hops from a pale ale, and tripled them. A triple IPA would be much more bitter, and have a drier finish, a straight barleywine wouldn't have as much flavour and aroma hops.This fits somewhere in the middle, I think.

BJCP is all well and good for describing historic styles, and setting benchmarks or targets for competition, but it loses relevance in the commercial setting.

 

[MrTwalky]

Kodos, from everything I've heard and experienced with Richards beers, you hit the nail on the head with that post.
Can I just say that I'm pretty syked for a new brewpub in Canberra!! Hells yeah

 

[Jaded and Bitter]

Ahhh... Wig and Pen,

This may not quite be what were after:

http://byo.com/component/k2/item/2013-birth-of-a-new-style-cascadian-dark-ale

But it makes a point, BJCP Guidelines are just that - Guidelines.

I just finnished reading Wild Brews and Brew Like a Monk, then refreshed on Farmhouse Ales. I'd say roughly 1/4 to 1/2 of the authentic commercial examples had basic specs outside the BJCP Guidelines.

I'm not challenging the BJCP Guidelines - theyre great to set some basic parametres for the classic beer styles, but when I do my next brew this weekend - a funky Saison, I'm definately not starting with a minimum OG of 1.048 for whats meant to be a highly attenuated, refreshing summer beer, otherwise mine will turn out nearly 6% ABV. :huh: Which isnt what I'm after.

Edit: I'm also using 90g of Willamette plugs for flavour, aroma and Dry Hop, WLP Flemish Blend and Belle Saison. Ahhhh HaHaHa!!!!