I just received the press release for Odell's Mountain Standard Black IPA. I've never had the beer so I'm excited to try it. What I really wanted to talk about briefly though, is this
never-ending discussion of whether we call a beer a Black IPA or a Cascadian Dark Ale (CDA). CDA is a term that many people in the Pacific NW are attempting to use in branding the style of these beers because, among many reasons, the hops used in these types of beers come from Cascadia, the Pacific NW. Many people outside the area don't want it called that. The distinction in the terms Black IPA and CDA are important in the beer geek world for more reasons than that but I want to share my opinion.
Mountain Standard is indeed a Black IPA, not a CDA. The press release says "Named for the time zone in which the brewery resides, Mountain Standard Double Black IPA features hops grown on Colorado’s western slope." Not only is Odell playing off the geographical debate that's taking place by naming their beer after our time zone, but they've specifically used hops from this time zone, not from the Pacific NW.
