The Euros make some weird DIPA

I've recently had two Imperial IPAs from european breweries that were wildly different from the beer I typically enjoy - that being American Imperial IPA, of course. I'll just put my cards on the table here - I love big, sticky, resiny beers, loaded with flavor. Sometimes, though, one has to branch out and explore the world, and the opportunity to try some new big IPA is hard to pass up.

I was in Atlanta last week, and at the excellent Porter I tried Brewdog's Hardcore IPA. Brewdog is a Scottish brewery with a unique brand and a penchant for brewing big beers. However, calling this an Imperial IPA is a stretch, since the beer that poured out of the bottle was a thick, creamy, fruity beer that tasted vaguely ciderish. Low carbonation, very low hop aroma, and very low bitterness. You could sense what they were going for, perhaps, but there was none of the zest that only a face full of alpha-acid rich hops can bring to a drink. I mean, it wasn't a bad beer at all - very drinkable and enjoyable, really - but it's hard to fathom what they were doing besides purposefully making a non-American Imperial IPA.

I had a similar beer tonight at the far-too-close Rustico, who had an Impy IPA out of Denmark, WinterCoat's Double Hop. While I could ignore their choice to serve it in what was essentially a mojito glass, I couldn't overlook the similarity in taste and composition to Brewdog's offering. Low carbonation, low bitterness, little hop aroma, but big apple flavors and a thick, creamy mouthfeel. It drank easily enough (but little doesn't for me, sadly), but it certainly didn't quench my thirst for IBUs.

So what's up with these breweries? Are they making statements against the American DIPA trends, making poor imitations, or just making a bigger ale with familiar flavors for their local markets? It's not quite a trend by any means, but it's something to keep an eye on.