[hoser]

A hoppy porter and a black IPA are not the same thing.  There should be little to know roast character in a black IPA with medium high to high hop aroma and flavor.  Whereas, a porter is defined by dominant malt character and roast character in flavor and a aroma.  The bittering can be high, but hop flavor should be medium but not dominate the malt character which is different than an black IPA. Also, a porter should be balanced towards the malt whereas a black IPA by it's very nature as an "IPA" is not.

There no generally-accepted standard for what is and what is not a black IPA at this point in time.  I have tasted black IPAs that taste like highly-hopped strong porters as well as black IPAs that taste like colored IPAs.

I beg to differ:

From the BA guidelines, it may not be BJCP, but I expect/suspect that they will be included in some way shape or form when the new guidelines are released very soon:
American-Style Black Ale
American-Style Black Ales are very dark to black. Medium caramel malt and dark roasted malt aromas are
evident. Hop aroma is medium-high to high, with fruity, floral, herbal or other hop aroma from hops of all origins
contributing. Medium caramel malt and dark roasted malt flavors are evident. High astringency and high degree of
burnt roast malt should be absent. Hop flavor is medium-high, with fruity, floral, herbal or other hop flavor from
hops of all origins contributing. Hop bitterness is medium-high to high. Body is medium.
Original Gravity (ºPlato) 1.056 - 1.075 (13.8 - 18.2) ● Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (ºPlato) 1.012 - 1.018
(3.1 - 4.6) ● Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 5.00% - 6.00% (6.30% - 7.60%) ● Bitterness (IBU) (50 - 70) ● Color
SRM (EBC) 35+ (70+)

[S. cerevisiae]

I am not attempting to split hairs, but that's a style guide for American Black Ale, not Black IPA (American Black Ale is a better name because a beer style with the words "black" and "pale" in it's name is an oxymoron).  While you and I can logically imply that the styles are one and the same, many craft brewers are using the lack of a style guide for a beer style explicitly called Black IPA to use it as a marketing label for any higher gravity, hoppy, dark beer. 

[Kinetic]

IPA is a beer style and a marketing term.  IPAs account for the most craft beer sales.

There are Black IPAs that could be a Black Ale or an Imperial Porter using the Brewer's Association guidelines, but the brewer will call it a Black IPA because it will sell better. 

Most of the Black IPAs I've tried were black in color, but with little or no roasty flavors courtesy of Midnight Wheat.

 

 

[Kinetic]

I don't recall seeing or drinking something a brewer called a Red IPA.  That one can fit into the Brewer's Association Imperial Red Ale style.

Imperial or Double Red Ales are deep amber to dark copper/reddish brown. May exhibit a small amount of chill haze at cold temperatures. Fruity-ester aroma is medium. Hop aroma is intense, arising from any variety of hops. Medium to high caramel malt character is present. Hop flavor is intense, but balanced with other beer characters. They may use any variety of hops. Hop bitterness is intense. Alcohol content is very high and of notable character. Complex alcohol flavors may be evident. Fruity ester flavors are medium. Diacetyl should not be perceived. Body is full.

Original Gravity (ºPlato) 1.080 - 1.100 (19.3 - 23.7) ● Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (ºPlato) 1.020 - 1.028 (5.1 - 7.1) ● Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 6.30% - 8.40% (8.00% - 10.60%) ● Bitterness (IBU) (55 - 85) ● Color SRM (EBC) 10 - 17 (20 - 34)

   

[troybinso]

I don't recall seeing or drinking something a brewer called a Red IPA.  That one can fit into the Brewer's Association Imperial Red Ale style.

Yeah, I guess I haven't had a Red IPA, but I have had a few called IRA (India Red Ale).

[Kinetic]

Then there are Belgian IPAs.  Many American IPA fans don't seem to like them. 

I can't say there are many commercial BIPAs that I like a lot, but I've made plenty of them at home that were enjoyable.  I just call them hoppy Belgians.  50-70ibu, but they are mostly flavor and aroma hops and sometimes have no bittering hops.  FG is always less than 1.008.   

[gmac]

Go to the UK and have a Greene King IPA, just a Bitter in my book, and not very bitter or hoppy as far as Bitters go.

And an ordinary bitter at that!

GREENE KING IPA, 3.6% ABV

Lots of people say they like this fine ale because it's well balanced with a refreshing, hoppy flavour and a clean, bitter finish. We create the hoppy aroma and flavour using two varieties of English hop – Challenger and First Gold. Our brewers adds the hops to the copper by hand, just as we've always done, and by blending in pale, crystal and black malts he balances the hops with the richness of the malts. The refreshing flavour of Greene King IPA makes it a great accompaniment to spicier foods and curries (though it's always nice simply enjoyed with friends...).


Speaking of the UK, British craft and home brewers are now calling any hoppy American-style ale that they make American IPA, regardless of O.G.  Unlike American excise tax, British beer is taxed on the percentage of alcohol that it contains.

Right, and I forgot about the Canadian IPA - Alexander Keith, which isn't very hoppy. I suppose I was referring to American craft beer, but it is interesting to see what is happening internationally too.

As for one of the few Canadians active on this site, I would like to apologize for Alexander Keith's "IPA", Celine Dion and Justin Beiber.

But that beer is not new at all and not an example of Canadian craft brewing.  It was a local Nova Scotia beer that was purchased by AB/Inbev and got the Inbev marketing department behind it. 

I just judged the Canadian Brewing Awards and there were over 120 IPA's entered of the 1000 entries received.  I judged one flight and every one of them was hoppy to varying degrees.  I would say our craft beer scene is taking off like the US scene did a few years ago.  There are breweries opening every week or so and most of them are making fantastic examples of IPA, saisons, pale ales, lagers etc. 

As for the original question, I do think IPA has become the "Kleenex" of the brewing world and is now become a marketing term as much as a beer style.  "Black IPA" is a silly name since it's not pale and I've said that before.  IBA would be better although since it has never been to India that is also technically incorrect but I'm willing to allow that "India" has become synonymous with hoppy. 

[HoosierBrew]

+1 to IBA - it's plenty descriptive and not contradictory (India argument notwithstanding). I also agree that 'India' has sort of morphed into 'hoppy'.