Oh the Black IPA!
For some reason, no other moniker has caught on to describe this particular genus of beer. American Black Ale, Cascadian Dark Ale, India Black Ale, the debate about what to call this hoppy dark beer has inspired much eye-rolling in within the industry and yet, despite the obvious self-negation present in the name “Black India PALE Ale”, the description persists.
This is most likely owing to the idea that it is the hop flavor profile and not the color that most readily identifies the IPA, leading the consumer to assume (hopefully, correctly) that a Black IPA is a hoppy, dark beer. Â Ultimately, we should be concerned with the consumer’s understanding of the product and expectation of what they are getting. In this instance, the name Black IPA cuts to the chase, as cringe-worthy as it may be. However, one might argue that the hop profile of this “style” (as some are reluctant to actually acknowledge it as a style) is only one characteristic and that the malt flavor and aroma cannot be ignored when describing these beers.
Or is this just much ado about nothing?
To read some other thoughts on the Black IPA controversy, check out this post on Andy Crouch’s Beer Scribe or this post on Beervana or this article from the IdahoStatesman.com.