How to Brew Black IPA: Merging Darkness with Hoppy Delight
Black IPA goes by many names. Whether you call it Black IPA, American Black Ale (ABA), India Black Ale (IBA), or Cascadian Dark Ale (CDA), one thing is for sure…people have opinions of this style.
Some either love it or some hate it.
Some argue that by labeling it an IPA, one is merely trying to capitalize on the popularity of what the IPA has become. Furthermore, labeling the beer an IPA will just make the beer popular because it claims to be an IPA.
The “selling power” of the IPA will take this style to new levels.
As Ron Pattinson says in his blog, Shut Up About Barclay Perkins:
“Success breeds imitation. Everyone wants to share the IPA buzz. And those three letters help sell a beer. No wonder then, that it’s not long before beers quite different from the original American IPA acquire them.
Suddenly IPA has a whole family of prefixes. And the IPA family has filled its apartment and started looking for a nice big house in the suburbs. But some of the kids don’t look much like their father.“
Although many will continue to argue its name and like to call it many different things, we all can agree the beer itself is dark, strong, and hoppy. This is nothing new about beer. These same characteristics are similar to beers brewed back in the 1800s.
Keep in mind the IPA was not the only beer that was on a ship sailing to India. The Porter, with its hopped up version, made its way to India as well.
Beer writer, Frank Faulkner, wrote The Theory and Practice of Modern Brewing. In his book, he wrote about a black beer brewed by Burton. He said “though black in color, its palate taste reminds one very strongly of the pale beer produced by Burton firms.”
Some credit Greg Noonan and Glenn Walter of Vermont Pub and Brewery in Bulington, Vermont as the originators of the American Black IPA in the early 1990s.
Many breweries across America have had an Black IPA on tap, everyone from Avery Brewing Company, Rogue Brewing Company, Stone Brewing, Deschutes Brewing Company, and even Widmer Brother Brewing.
From personal experience, a homebrewed Black IPA with coffee makes for a delicious beer.
Style Profile for Black IPA
Appearance
Black IPA can range from dark brown to opaque black. A light tan to mocha colored foam graces the top of this dark beer. The beer itself should be clear, except when dry hopping takes place.
Aroma
The aroma of an Black IPA will consist of low caramel-like sweetness with hints of chocolate, toast, and/or coffee.
Hop aroma will be medium to high, notes of resine, pine, melon, berry, tropical fruit, stone fruit, and citrus are all possible. Fruitness may be present as a product of ester development from the yeast used.
Flavor
Clean base malt profile of low to medium. There may be some light toffee or caramel notes. Dark malt flavor is restrained.
Roast notes should not be high and should not clash with the hops. Some noticeable chocolate or coffee flavors are acceptable.
Hop flavor will be low-medium to high. Flavors of resine, pine, melon, berry, tropical fruit, stone fruit, and citrus are all possible from the hops.
Mouthfeel
The body of this beer is medium-light to medium. Medium carbonation makes the beer smooth with some creaminess. Stronger versions of this beer will give off a warming from the alcohol.
Food Pairing
A good Black IPA can cut through the fat and pair well with stronger flavors of food very easily. Fried chicken, spicy ribs, steak, shrimp stir fry, cheese burgers all pair nicely.
As for cheese pairings go, blue cheese, cheddar, or aged gouda all make for good pairings.
When dessert time rolls around, chocolate is always a good choice…then again when isn’t it. Carrot cake also makes for a good pairing.
Tips for Brewing your own Black IPA
Grain
Domestic 2-Row or pale ale usually make 80 to 100% of the bill. As for specialty malts, a pound each of Munich, Carafa III and flaked barley is a good place to start. The Carafa III will reduce the potential of astringency.
The flaked barley will add some nice body and head retention to the beer.
Midnight Wheat can also be considered as the wheat will also promote good body and head retention in the beer. Adding some rye malt, crystal rye, or chocolate rye can make the beer stand out with the earthiness that rye possess in beer.
Black Patent can also do the trick if you are just looking for that color boost.
Hops
American hops really should be showcased in this beer. A traditional bittering charge at 60 minutes is a nice place to start with your hop schedule. Something like Chinook or Simcoe will give the beer a nice bitterness.
After bittering hops, the sky’s the limit with how much or little hops you want to add. Cascade, Citra, Columbus, Centennial, Amarillo is always a good way to start when thinking about the hop schedule. If adding rye to the grain bill, Mosaic makes for a decent choice.
Hopping with New World hops like Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin or any of your favorite hops from New Zealand or Australia will work here too. Dry hopping is very common with the style and encouraged to extract more hop aroma and flavor in your beer.
Yeast
A clean fermenting American yeast is encouraged for American IPAs. Wyeast American Ale 1056 or White Labs California Ale WLP001 are two popular strains.
Imperial Yeast also offers A15 Independence, A07 Flagship, and A18 Joystick. Safale US-05 is also the dry yeast strain to be considered.
Black IPA the By the Numbers
- Color Range: 25 – 40 SRM
- Original Gravity: 1.050 – 1.085 OG
- Final Gravity: 1.010 – 1.018 FG
- IBU Range: 50 – 90
- ABV Range: 5.5 – 9.0%
Black IPA Recipe
Grain
- 72 % 10 lbs 2-Row
- 7 % 1 lbs Flaked Barley
- 7 % 1 lb Carafa Special III
- 7 % 1 lb Cararye
- 7 % 1 lb Munch
Hops
- 1.00 oz Magnum – Boil 60 min
- 1.00 oz Citra – Boil – 10 min
- 1.00 oz Amarillo – Boil 5 min
- 1.00 oz Cascade – Boil 0 min
Yeast
- 1.0 pkg Northwest Ale Wyeast #1332
Directions
- Mash at 152°F (66°C) for 60 mins
- Boil for 60 mins
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Black IPA?
A Black IPA, also known as Cascadian Dark Ale or American Black Ale, is a type of beer that combines the hoppy flavor profile of an India Pale Ale (IPA) with the dark malts commonly found in stouts or porters.
The result is a brew that embodies a rich, dark appearance and a bold, hoppy taste, bridging the gap between darker ales and the crisp bitterness of an IPA.
What differentiates a Black IPA from other IPAs or dark beers?
The distinct characteristic of a Black IPA is the balance it strikes between the roasted malt flavors typically found in dark beers and the prominent hop bitterness inherent to IPAs. While it carries the dark malt body, it does not overshadow the hop-forward nature that is synonymous with IPAs.
Moreover, the color of Black IPA is notably darker than traditional IPAs, thanks to the dark malts used in the brewing process.
What makes a Black IPA black?
The coloration of a Black IPA comes from the use of dark malts in its brewing process. The dark malts contribute not only to the beer’s hue but also its unique flavor profile that melds roasty maltiness with hop bitterness.
It’s this use of dark malts that sets Black IPAs apart from their paler IPA counterparts and gives them their signature black or dark brown appearance.
Could you share a recommended Black IPA recipe for homebrewing?
Certainly, a juicy Black IPA recipe would typically involve a well-thought blend of dark malts, hops, and a suitable yeast strain to achieve the desired balance between maltiness and hoppiness.
An all-grain recipe would be ideal to have more control over the malt profile. Incorporating hops with a citrus or pine character could complement the roasty malts well.
Additionally, paying attention to the water profile and ensuring it aligns with a Black IPA’s characteristic taste can contribute to the success of the homebrew.
What are the best hops to use in a Black IPA recipe?
The choice of hops can significantly impact the flavor and aroma profile of a Black IPA. Some popular hop choices for Black IPAs include Citra, Simcoe, and Cascade due to their citrus and pine notes which can balance and contrast the dark malt flavors nicely.
Experimentation with different hop varieties and combinations can also lead to discovering a unique and personalized Black IPA hop profile that meets your taste preferences.