Black IPA is a dark, hop-forward ale that combines roasted malt character with aggressive hop bitterness and aroma. It looks like a stout, drinks like an IPA, and confuses first-timers every time. Despite the color, the roast takes a back seat—hops are what this style is all about.
It’s a contradiction in a glass. Dark as midnight but loaded with the piney, citrusy, resinous hop character you’d expect from a West Coast IPA. Pull it off the tap list at your local craft bar, hand it to someone without telling them what it is, and watch the confusion unfold. They’ll smell tropical fruit and pine. They’ll look at the color and expect chocolate or coffee. They’ll taste something that doesn’t fit neatly into any box they’ve had before.
That’s the whole point. Black IPA isn’t trying to be subtle. It’s one of the more polarizing styles to come out of the American craft beer movement — loved hard by hop-heads, occasionally misunderstood by everyone else. If you haven’t tried one yet, this guide breaks down everything worth knowing about the style.
The Name Debate: Black IPA vs. Cascadian Dark Ale
Before anything else: yes, “black IPA” is technically a contradiction. IPA stands for India Pale Ale — and pale it is not. Brewers and beer nerds have been arguing about the name since the style started gaining traction in the late 2000s.
The Pacific Northwest crowd often prefers “Cascadian Dark Ale” (CDA), a name that references the Cascade mountain range and sidesteps the naming paradox entirely. New England also has a strong claim to the style’s origins: the BJCP traces the first commercial example to Greg Noonan, who brewed Blackwatch IPA at Vermont Pub & Brewery around 1990 — well before the Pacific Northwest scene picked it up.
In practice, black IPA is what you’ll see on most tap lists and cans. That’s the name that stuck, contradiction and all. For our purposes here, we’re going with it.
What Does Black IPA Actually Taste Like?
This is where things get interesting. Black IPA uses de-husked roasted malts — typically something like Carafa Special — which give the beer its dark color without loading in the harsh, ashy bitterness you get from regular roasted barley. The result is a beer that looks dark but doesn’t taste like a stout.
What you actually get in the glass:
- Hops first: pine, citrus, resin, sometimes tropical fruit — the same hop character you’d find in a West Coast IPA
- Subtle roast: a light background of dark chocolate or coffee, but never dominant
- Medium-high bitterness: IBUs typically land between 50 and 70, sometimes higher
- Dry finish: clean and bitter at the end, not sweet or syrupy
- ABV: usually 6.0–7.5%, occasionally edging higher
The dark malt is there to provide depth and a slight roasty backbone, not to dominate. When it’s brewed well, the hop character absolutely takes over — and the color becomes a bit of a misdirect. People expect heaviness and get brightness instead. That gap between what the eye sees and what the palate tastes is genuinely fun.
How Is a Black IPA Made?
The key to nailing black IPA is malt selection. Regular roasted barley — the kind used in stouts and porters — brings intense coffee and ash flavors that would completely clash with big hop additions. Brewers making black IPA instead reach for de-husked dark malts, most commonly Carafa Special Types I, II, or III from Weyermann. Removing the husks before roasting strips out the harsh tannins and lets the color come through without the bite.
From there, the brewing process looks a lot like a standard IPA. Aggressive hopping throughout — bittering additions early in the boil, flavor hops later, and often a generous dry-hop to build out the aroma. The most common varieties are the ones you’d expect from a West Coast IPA: Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe, Columbus, Chinook.
The balance between dark malt character and hop intensity is the whole challenge. Too much roasted malt and the hop aroma gets buried. Too little and you’ve basically made a slightly hoppy dark lager. For a deeper look at hop varieties and how they shape a beer’s bitterness and aroma, the full IPA style breakdown covers everything worth knowing before you tackle this one.
Black IPA vs. Regular IPA: What’s the Difference?
If you already know your way around a West Coast IPA, black IPA will feel familiar in the best possible way. The hop profile is similar — piney, citrusy, resinous — and the bitterness level is comparable. The main differences are color, the subtle roasty backbone, and body. Black IPA tends to be a little fuller in the middle than a standard American IPA, thanks to the dark malts adding some weight.
Compare it to a New England IPA and it’s a completely different world. NEIPA is hazy, juicy, low-bitterness, and soft on the palate. Black IPA is the opposite — clear (or close to it), dark, bitter, and dry. They share a love of hops but not much else.
Against a stout or porter, black IPA is far more hop-forward and significantly less roasty. It’s not trying to be a dark beer in the traditional sense. It’s an IPA that happens to be black.
The Best Black IPAs to Try Right Now
Black IPA has a dedicated fanbase, and there are some genuinely excellent examples out there. These are the ones worth seeking out.
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA
Stone Brewing’s take is the benchmark most people reference first. Big citrus and pine hop aroma, a dark chocolate background that never gets in the way, and a bone-dry, bitter finish. It’s bold, it’s uncompromising, and it’s exactly what this style should be. Stone brings it back periodically as a special release, so snag it when it shows up.
Deschutes Hop in the Dark
Deschutes out of Bend, Oregon has been producing Hop in the Dark for years and it holds up. The hop aroma leans tropical and floral — a bit different from the more resinous West Coast examples — with a clean roasty malt base underneath. Slightly more approachable than the Stone, making it a good starting point if you’re new to the style.
21st Amendment Back in Black
Widely available in cans across the US, Back in Black from 21st Amendment is the most accessible black IPA on this list. It clocks in at 6.8% ABV with a solid West Coast hop profile — citrus-forward, moderately bitter, with a whisper of dark malt at the back. If you want to try the style without hunting down a specialty bottle shop, start here.
Widmer Brothers Pitch Black IPA
Widmer Brothers (Portland, OR) helped define the Pacific Northwest approach with Pitch Black. It leans more on the roasty side than some examples but keeps hop bitterness front and center. A solid representation of where the style comes from geographically and philosophically.
Clown Shoes Blaecorn Unidragon
The name earns it a mention, but Blaecorn Unidragon backs it up. This is a bigger, more intense black IPA — closer to a Black Double IPA in scale, with massive hop aroma and a dense, chewy body. Not a sessionable pint by any stretch. Very much worth it if you want to see the style pushed to its limits.
Where to Find Black IPA
Black IPA has a loyal following but isn’t as widely available as your standard IPAs. Your best bet is a well-stocked craft beer bottle shop or a taproom with a rotating draft list. Breweries in the Pacific Northwest — Oregon and Washington especially — are the heartland of the style, so if you’re ever out that way, it’s worth making a point of finding one fresh on draft.
For a broader sense of how hop bitterness works across the IPA family, the hoppy beer guide is worth a read — particularly if you’re building out your understanding of IBUs and how different hop varieties drive flavor. It makes the whole IPA family, dark or not, click into place a lot faster.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a black IPA?
Black IPA is a dark, hop-forward ale that uses de-husked roasted malts for color without heavy roast bitterness. The result is a beer that looks like a stout but tastes like an IPA — pine, citrus, and resinous hop character up front, with a subtle dark malt backbone. ABV typically runs 6.0–7.5%.
What is the difference between a black IPA and a regular IPA?
The main differences are color and a subtle roasty background. A standard American IPA is pale golden, while black IPA is dark brown to black from de-husked roasted malts. The hop character is similar — piney, citrusy, bitter — but black IPA adds a light layer of chocolate or coffee malt underneath. Body tends to be slightly fuller too.
Why is it called black IPA if IPA means India Pale Ale?
It’s a contradiction the craft beer world has never fully resolved. The alternative name is Cascadian Dark Ale, preferred by many Pacific Northwest brewers who want to sidestep the “pale” problem. But black IPA is the term that landed on most tap lists, and it’s what most people search for — so the name stuck despite the logic issue.
Is black IPA the same as a stout?
No. Both are dark, but they’re very different beers. Stouts are built around roasted barley, which brings heavy coffee, chocolate, and roast flavors. Black IPA deliberately avoids that roasty intensity by using de-husked dark malts — the color is there, but the focus shifts entirely to hop bitterness and aroma. Think of black IPA as an IPA first, a dark beer second.
What hops are used in black IPA?
Black IPA typically uses the same American hop varieties popular in West Coast IPAs — Cascade, Centennial, Columbus, Simcoe, and Chinook are all common choices. These bring citrus, pine, and resinous bitterness. Some brewers also use newer varieties for more tropical fruit character, though the traditional West Coast piney profile is most associated with the style.
Join the Craft Beer Me Community
If black IPA is your kind of beer, you’ll fit right in with the crew at our Craft Beer Me Facebook group — beer nerds swapping picks, debating styles, and sharing what’s in the glass. Drop in and tell us your favorite black IPA. And if you want the latest style guides and brewery picks landed straight in your inbox, sign up for the Craft Beer Me newsletter at the bottom of the page.
Sign Up for Our Newsletter
