# The problem with the dark craft beer situation these days **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** beer\ **Created:** [February 19, 2020, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-dark-craft-beer-situation-these-days/848199 "2020-02-19T23:02:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-dark-craft-beer-situation-these-days/848199/21 "2020-02-21T18:07:06Z")
> [@steatopygia](#): > > I heartily endorse anything decreasing the number of IPAs being made. While the growth of small breweries has been great, the tendency of the last few years, for every other beer to be an IPA, has sucked. Agree. I like IPAs, but (as I linked to in Post #3) they’re hogging up too much shelf space. Finding a locally-brewed wheat/hefeweizen is next to impossible. I also love a regular pale ale, but they’re as rare as hen’s teeth, too. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-dark-craft-beer-situation-these-days/848199/22 "2020-02-21T20:09:39Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I personally have no issue with the “black IPA” subcategory. It is exactly what it suggests to be: an IPA made with dark malts. What’s the problem? It’s no longer “pale” for one thing. It’s just a poor descriptor; just as bad as a “black pilsner” would be. Sure, you could make a dark lager with a hop level and similar mash bill as a pilsner, and add some dark malt, but it wouldn’t be a pilsner at that point, black or not, and regardless of what the marketing people say. Maybe it’s not a stout or porter, but it’s not an IPA either- it’s something else. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-dark-craft-beer-situation-these-days/848199/23 "2020-02-21T21:53:45Z")
I always have problems with the consistency of the craft beers I get from the liquor stores. I find one I like, try it on a different occasion and find that they couldn’t quite match the last batch I had. I find myself more and more just going to different tap rooms, sampling a few they have on tap at the moment (all places I go to have some type of sampler flight) and then filling up my growler with whatever tastes good to me that day. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-dark-craft-beer-situation-these-days/848199/24 "2020-02-21T22:00:52Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Maybe it’s not a stout or porter, but it’s not an IPA either- it’s something else. Correct, it’s a _Black_ IPA. 😛 The Beer Judge Certification Program recognizes not only the concept of a Black IPA but a Brown and a Red variant as well. You don’t have to like it but it’s a thing. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-dark-craft-beer-situation-these-days/848199/25 "2020-02-21T22:18:26Z")
> [@bump](#): > > It’s no longer “pale” for one thing. > > It’s just a poor descriptor; just as bad as a “black pilsner” would be. Sure, you could make a dark lager with a hop level and similar mash bill as a pilsner, and add some dark malt, but it wouldn’t be a pilsner at that point, black or not, and regardless of what the marketing people say. > > Maybe it’s not a stout or porter, but it’s not an IPA either- it’s something else. If it makes you feel better, they’re (for whatever definition of “they”) are wanting to call it a Cascadian dark ale. It just hasn’t caught on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-problem-with-the-dark-craft-beer-situation-these-days/848199.md?page=1)