Happy Halloween, and four inches of snow.
Didn't quite have a lot of planning on this batch, was given the ingredients as an anniversary present, for me to brew and the wife to drink. We've been drinking a few different Black IPA's recently and really have been liking them, a nice change of pace. While I was writing this recipe I was aiming for something close to Stone Brewing's Sublimely Self Righteous, less roast more hop character. We went with a lower mash temperature to dry it out and nice healthy citrus hop additions to give that "west coast" kick.
It's a weird style of beer, well it's not quite a style even. The subtle roasty flavors, not near the level of a stout, compliments a big hop character, with the body similar to a pale ale. What's weird about the style lies in its name, IPA has stood for a long time for India Pale Ale, how can that be black. The naming of the "style" has caused a few debates. The best answer that I have read has been the IPA no longer represents its traditional name but has become a concept all its own. IPA's can have a pretty wide range in colors, not necessarily pale, they won't make the trip to India(at least most won't), so how are they like their traditional roots. When you look at the concept of the IPA as its own meaning; a generally dry, light to medium body, and fairly hop forward beer, why not make it black?
Right now it's happily fermenting and smells much like a grapefruit grenade.
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| Transferring 1st Runnings |
Didn't quite have a lot of planning on this batch, was given the ingredients as an anniversary present, for me to brew and the wife to drink. We've been drinking a few different Black IPA's recently and really have been liking them, a nice change of pace. While I was writing this recipe I was aiming for something close to Stone Brewing's Sublimely Self Righteous, less roast more hop character. We went with a lower mash temperature to dry it out and nice healthy citrus hop additions to give that "west coast" kick.
It's a weird style of beer, well it's not quite a style even. The subtle roasty flavors, not near the level of a stout, compliments a big hop character, with the body similar to a pale ale. What's weird about the style lies in its name, IPA has stood for a long time for India Pale Ale, how can that be black. The naming of the "style" has caused a few debates. The best answer that I have read has been the IPA no longer represents its traditional name but has become a concept all its own. IPA's can have a pretty wide range in colors, not necessarily pale, they won't make the trip to India(at least most won't), so how are they like their traditional roots. When you look at the concept of the IPA as its own meaning; a generally dry, light to medium body, and fairly hop forward beer, why not make it black?
Right now it's happily fermenting and smells much like a grapefruit grenade.
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