An emerging beer style, CDA marries hops and dark malts is the title of a Washington Post article about the emergence of the distinctively Pacific Northwest beer style, the Cascadian Dark Ale (aka Black IPA).
CDAs have a unique flavor profile that you can’t duplicate merely by mixing a stout and an IPA. Brewers prefer such hop varieties as Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe and Amarillo, aromatic American strains with flavors often likened to grapefruit, lemon or orange. Hopping rates are often greater than in normal IPAs, and dry-hopping – adding hops during the fermentation or later – is a common practice.
In addition to giving readers of the Post a quick education on Cascadia, some fine local brews garner mention in the article, include Hopworks’ Secession Black India Pale Ale, and Deschutes’ Hop in the Dark.
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