Stone Brewing’s Koch on Black IPA vs. CDA (video)
To insist upon the idea that the words “India” or “Pale” in IPA have any modern-day relevance, is to ignore history and the passage of time. Language’s usage of certain words and terms can—and absolutely does—change over time. To wit, India Pale Ale is no longer being sent to India, nor is it always pale. (The historical usage of “Pale” was a reference to a beer being “not dark brown or black.”)
It’s been well over 150 years since IPA had anything to do with India on any practical basis, and I would additionally argue the IPAs of 150 years ago have little to no connection to the IPAs of today.
via CraftBeer.com | In Defense of Language: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Black IPA.
This is one of those spots where I see Mr. Koch getting a little picky choosey about the merits and importance of history.
In all honesty, who cares. Not really a fan of Black IPAs anyway.
But who cares what you call it, does it make the beer any less enjoyable?