Black IPA? What’s next, Green IPA?

[TastyMcD]

I’m really disappointed that this new style is evolving that is nothing more than an IPA with Carafa II or Sinamar. Really……can’t we be a little more creative than that? What's next? Green beer? The “black” should be the result of a malt added for flavor, not just color. I say it’s time for the homebrew style American Brown Ale to ramp up and go pro.

Tasty

[DeadMeat]

I like a good Schwartz beer, I think the Carafe Special II adds a good flavor, so I was intrigued by the idea of adding it to an IPA.
I did a web search for commercial Black IPAs and found this:

http://beervana.blogspot.com/2009/01/on-black-ipas.html

He makes the same point you do, but I like how he calls them "stained" IPAs.
Adding Black to the name makes it sound cool. But, it seems like a gimmick, even if it adds a flavor profile.
I will give it a try, the Falcons added it to their beer styles for the Mayfaire, so maybe I will get to try it at the judging comp.

[ResQ]

I totally agree. I have not tried the black IPA yet due to people telling me that it tastes no different than a standard run of the mill IPA. Why not try to add a pinch of chocolate malt or even choco wheat for flavor?

[Deathrider]

I say it’s time for the homebrew style American Brown Ale to ramp up and go pro.

Tasty

Or even an Imperial American Brown !!

[henrythe9th]

I roast wheat in the oven for around an hour to make a "chocolate wheat" I do think a Imp. American Brown really fits the grain bill,, this is what I do. its always changing form batch to batch Hops mostly,, it is really good
Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 6.50 Wort Size (Gal): 6.50
Total Grain (kg): 9.13
Anticipated OG: 1.077 Plato: 18.65
Anticipated SRM: 33.8
Anticipated IBU: 72.7
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 8.39 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.060 SG 14.66 Plato

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
72.0 6.58 kg. Great Northwest pale ale malt 1.036 3
8.7 0.79 kg. Munich Malt(2-row) America 1.035 6
5.0 0.45 kg. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
4.4 0.40 kg. Chocolate Wheat roasted wheat 1.038 350
5.0 0.45 kg. Crystal 80L 1.033 80
3.7 0.34 kg. Flaked Barley America 1.032 2
1.2 0.11 kg. Black Patent Malt America 1.028 525

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
28.35 g. Centennial Whole 10.50 35.1 90 min.
28.35 g. Cascade Whole 5.75 17.4 60 min.
28.35 g. Goldings - B.C. Whole 4.75 12.9 45 min.
28.35 g. Simcoe Whole 9.00 7.3 15 min.
28.35 g. Simcoe Whole 9.00 0.0 0 min.


Yeast
-----

WYeast 1056 Amercan Ale/Chico
or WYeast 1450 Dennys favorite 50

[TastyMcD]

......the Falcons added it to their beer styles for the Mayfaire, so maybe I will get to try it at the judging comp.

If you do get to judge Black IPAs, you might be judging mine. (The Mayfaire is a fantastic competition.)

It was the Falcon's style guideline that triggered my angst. Then, knowing it's all about winning, I entered my eyedropper beer. Here's my recipe: Black IPA = Imperial IPA + 30 drops of Sinamar per 12 ounce bottle. Very similar to my Green and Blue IPA recipes. But seriously, how can this be called a new style?

I say it’s time for the homebrew style American Brown Ale to ramp up and go pro.

Tasty

Or even an Imperial American Brown !!

Well at least the Janet's Brown is black, has the balance of an IPA, and brings a lot more to the table than an IPA with Carafa II/Sinamar. Come on! We can do better than that!

Tasty

[siwelwerd]

I like the 'India Brown Ale' moniker for beers like Janet's Brown. IPA evolved from a pale ale malt bill with even more hops; so, if instead of a pale ale, we take a brown ale and give it a nice healthy amount of hops, India Brown Ale seems fitting.

'Black IPA' just seems ridiculous to me. How can a beer be black and pale?

[Brandon]

I have just been calling them India Black Ales