One of our most-requested special releases of all time is now back in a limited-edition tinnie.  The double delicious Balter IIPA is the kind of beer people slide into our DMs about, bring up at festivals, and reminisce over like a favourite child. It’s definitely one of our most popular high alcohol beers ever. When it first hit fridges in 2019, it was a big, beautiful hit. We gave it a slight recipe tweak in 2020, but after more than a few “bring back the OG!” requests, we’ve returned to the original for this special release. The tastier, punchier, crowd-pleasing version is delicious times two with the twin stripes to prove it. Same hop swagger, tropical fruit rush, and dry, spicy finish that made it a cult classic. 

A Brief History of Bold Beers

The Imperial IPA (sometimes called a Double IPA) first sauntered onto the US craft beer scene in the early 1990s, born from a friendly arms race. Brewers were one-upping each other with more hops, bigger ABVs, and brash flavours, building on the West Coast IPA style but turning every dial up to 11. These high alcohol beers became a badge of honour. For brewers it was a chance to show they could wrangle massive hop loads without losing balance. For drinkers, it was a celebration beer that came with a wink and a quiet “maybe just one of these, yeah?”

Our own take on the style was a small experiment, but the response was huge. In the years since it’s forever popping up in conversations, emails, and wish lists. So this year, we’ve gone back to where it all started, to the recipe that nailed the sweet spot between power and poise.

The Imperial Strikes Back

While a lot of our special releases over the last few years have been focussed on Hazy’s and Mouth Holidays, Head Brewer James Belsey has been itching to bring the IIPA back in its truest form. “This beer has a real nostalgia to it for Balter fans who have been with us right from the start,” he says. “We wanted to give those people a nice nod and say thanks for sticking around and thanks for asking for this one again and again. We hear you and we agree with you. It’s also a nice surprise for those who haven’t tried it before but love bold beers.”

James says the key to making an IIPA worth remembering is restraint. “It’s easy to make an over the top beer that coats your tongue with so much hop resin you can’t taste the individual notes. A beer like that is commonly known in brewing circles as a ‘palate smasher’. The trick to making a beer like this is layering your hops to get a suitable saturation, pushing the hop presence but keeping it from being too resinous. We’ve kept the malt bill lean, so the classic Simcoe pine and fruity hop aromas shine without becoming overwhelming. It’s punchy, but it’s got finesse. I’ve actually gotten thirsty just talking about it.”

Black IIPA Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep golden amber with a light haze.

Aroma: Bursting with pineapple, mango, pine resin, and a touch of citrus zest.

Palate: Clean yet hefty hop character, carrying tropical fruit sweetness over a lean malt backbone.

Finish: Dry, spicy, and warming without clinging.

If you want the fun rundown, here’s our official take from the tinnie:

Not many beers get given the rank of two stripes. This one has earned both rings. One of our most-saluted special releases, Balter Imperial IPA is now back for a limited time. Clean, hefty hop notes provide substantial palate weight with hints of pineapple, pine and citrus, with a dry, spicy finish. We’re not sure what a twin-stripe rank actually signifies, but damn, this is delicious times two.

Find IIPA

Grab Balter IIPA exclusively at Dan Murphy’s for a limited time. Check out the Beer Locator to get yours before it disappears again.