A Few Words On Cascadian Dark Ales: Updated!

 UPDATED 1/26/10

Some commenters have noted that the validity of the name Cascadian Dark Ale or CDC is in question because of brewers making it not in the Cascadian region and because the most common bottled example in Oregon is Laughing Dog: Dogzilla which is from Idaho. As another commenter points out, Idaho is often considered in the Cascadian region so that argument is pretty void. In fact Hopworks new bottles of the Secession CDA or Black IPA features a map of Cascadia with Idaho clearly included.

Let me also point out as far as breweries not in the region making the style, I am not sure how that argues against the term. IPA's made in the US are not called APA's. Most of the styles brewed did not originate here and are different than the originals. We brew them as a tribute. Which is really all the Cascadian Dark Ale name signifies.

Hopworks is sort of middle of the road on the whole thing calling the Secession both a Black IPA and a CDA in the description. In fact the whole bottle design is promoting Cascadia with a map, a cascadia flag, and description. I talked to Ben Love head brewer at HUB about it and he believes they are really promoting the CDA name and that is what they hope people settle on. But in the interim more people know what a Black IPA is. I argue that no one is going to know what a CDA is if you dont start actually calling the beers a CDA. I dont believe you can walk the line. You need to take a stance.

I also just saw a posting from Jamie Floyd, co-owner of Ninkasi and President of the Oregon Brewers Guild on the BrewCrew mailing list on this very subject:

This year's collaboration brew in Eugene for KLCC beer festival is a
Belgian style Cascadian Dark Rye Ale. All of the Eugene brewer's
agreed that it should be Cascadian Dark as well. Besides, if it isn't
established as Cascadian, the guys in San Diego will take credit for
brewing it first like every other beer in the world. I have all ready
heard flack from some of the California brewers who want to call it
DPA : Dark Pale Ale which is even more oxymoronic.

Interested in trying more of the style? Well the Oregon Brew Crew is tapping their newest Green Dragon beer this wednesday 5pm and it is a CDA called 'Frank Black' of imperial strength.
I am going to try to go check it out if I am not banned from the Green Dragon at this point.




 ORIGINAL POST:
I am guessing most of the readers of this blog know what a Black IPA is and probably even what a Cascadian Dark Ale is. They are both the same thing but the debate is what term to call them and weather it is truly an official style of beer.

Today is a big day for the proponents of the Cascadian Dark Ale style and name. Belmont Station is hosting the CDA Symposium that many brewers are attending as well as a representative of the BJCP.
Local beer writer Abraham Goldman-Armstrong is the organizer of this event and the main proponent of both CDA as a style and of referring to them as CDA's instead of Black IPA's. I have asked him to share some words with this blog and myself about why we should embrace it. But first, I have some thoughts of my own:

You might think the naming of this type of beer is trivial, or that the whole thing is just a fad.
Let me assure you it is not.




Cascadian Dark Ale is exactly what we need. Here in Oregon, Beervana as we call it we have an abundance of hoppy beers. Maybe too many. There is a massive lack of tasty dark beers brewed here, the east coast is killing us on this account. We need to deversify our portfolio.
But we should not turn our back on the hoppy beers because that is what we are known for and what we are best at. The problem is we have become complacent in our superiority. While we had our backs turned at the Horse Brass enjoying our fresh hop beers, well San Diego snuck up behind us and delivered a sucker punch by claiming the term San Diego Style Pale Ale. What does that mean? Well it just means a hopped to shit Pale Ale. Like we have not been doing that here long before them?! (Must give credit to Rogue here, they may be the originators).

Well this is where Cascadian Dark Ales come in. This (unnoficial) style brings a little dark malt, a little roast, maybe a touch of some coffee notes (another thing we are known for) to our otherwise frankly run of the mill Oregon hopped up beers. Now some people would say the first beers of this kind were not even brewed here. I say so what? We have claimed it as our own. IPA's werent brewed here originally either! If someone else can do it better and has more worthy claim then let them step up to the plate. I dont see anyone else asking for it. I dont see anyone else wanting it.
I do not think it is debatable that we own this style. Their is probably more of them being produced in Oregon alone then the rest of the country. What is debatable is why we should call it a Cascadian Dark Ale or CDA instead of Black IPA?

What is not debatable is that Cascadian Dark Ale is a far better term for these beers. Black IPA of course does not make sense because IPA means india pale ale and of course a CDA is not Pale. Many consumers and brewers have fallen into the term Black IPA and who can blame them? You just add Black onto the already common abbreviation IPA.
Personally I would have rather seen them called IBA's but that's neither here nor there. The fact is that Cascadian Dark Ale is a mouthful and does not exactly roll off the tongue. But, CDA is very palatable. It is only 3 letters as easy as to pronounce as IPA and yet different enough to not be confused with anything else.
If your still not sold on this style then I have asked Abe to write-up an argument for why you too should be a fan of the style and help us make the CDA naming a reality:

Time was brewers would release a beer in a style category that no one had heard of and tell the story of the style. The beer drinking public didn’t know what an ESB or a Hefeweizen let alone an Altbier were in the 1980s. Breweries released the beers and told the story of the style. CDA is a style that celebrates Cascadian bred and grown hop varities, paired with a hint of roasty malt. In these times of locavores and the Hundred Mile Diet, nothing makes more sense than a beer style that celebrates the birthplace of its key flavor ingredient.
Here in Cascadia we love hops, we also love coffee, a good example of the style should have a hint of roast or black malt in the flavor to counter the resinous hop character. This combines two robust flavors that appeal to the Cascadian palate. Here in the Pacific Northwest a palate that embraces bolder flavors than that of the general American or Canadian palate has developed. Look at bittering rates in our beers, or salads in our restaurants, you will find higher bitterness, more greens such as arugula, and raddichio.  The ubiquitous iceberg lettuce, white bread, and mildly hopped beers are in the minority here.  These bold flavors are just now gaining acceptance in other regions of the US and Canada, as a culinary revolution sweeps across the globe. This strong, bold flavors were embraced much earlier by consumers in Oregon, Washington, BC, and Northern California.  Starbucks, the coffee that made Seattle famous is over-roasted to the point of tasting almost burnt.
Cascadian Dark Ale is a beer designed for this Pacific Northwest palate, and has gained a cult following elsewhere.
Cheers,

Abram Goldman-Armstrong

Ok guys, now I know some of you may not have even tried a CDA or maybe just one of two of them. There really are not too many bottled versions available yet. Laughing Dog Dogzilla is probably the most readily available here in Oregon. This brew is actually from Idaho but can be found at pretty much all good bottle shops and even Fred Meyer's. But really dont base your opinions on just this beer. I have had quite a few bad bottles of it. Laughing Dog has some contamination issues. When it is on it is pretty good but there are still much better.


You may have seen Widmer's new W'10 which they call a Pitch Black IPA. But if you read the description they do credit it as a Cascadian Dark. That is probably the next one most people have had. I like it, it is a very balanced beer but not hoppy enough for the true hopheads. They have admirably tried to strike a balance between the roasted character and the hops.


Anytime now Hopworks Secession CDA will be hitting the shelves in 22oz bottles. It is already available in draft. They are calling it a Black IPA but in the description again, referring it to as a CDA.
This is especially boneheaded to me considering this beer is actually based on a home brew by Abe that was released last summer as a CDA. It really is all about marketing. It really is a damn good beer and the best bottled version I have of the style. Too bad Hopworks copped out on the name...


Deschutes has been experimenting with the style for awhile. You should be able to go either of their pubs and find one on at any given time. And they are really perfecting it. Look for them to bottle one soon in their Bond Street Series of bomber bottles.


Many other breweries have produced them as one-offs like Laurelwood, Stone, Pelican, Lucky Lab, Barley Brown's, Three Creeks, Rogue, Walking Man and more.


The best chance of trying a variety of them is going to Belmont Station right now. Today is the last day of Cascadian Dark Ale festival and they have quite a selection. The cafe opens at 1pm today (saturday) just as the Symposium is ending. You may even be able to catch all the brewers and question them on the style.

Check the blog soon for a blind tasting of CDA's conducted by myself with bloggers from Brewpublic, The Daily Pull, Oregon Beer and Music and Abe himself.

If your interested in learning more check out these proposed style guidelines for the BJCP written by Abe:

Aroma: prominent NW hop aromas: citrus, pine, resinous, sweet malt, hints of roast, toast, chocolate malt, and/or Carafa, dry hopped character is often present.

Appearance: Deep brown to black with ruby highlights. Head varies from whit to tan/khaki.

Flavor: A balance between citrus-like and spicy NW hop flavor, bitterness, caramel malt, and roast, chocolate, or Carafa-type malts.

Roast character ranges from subtle to medium. Black malt is acceptable at low levels, but should not be astringent. Intense ashy, burnt character is not appropriate. Caramel malt as a secondary flavor is acceptable but the finish should be dry. Diacetyl should not be present. Emphasis should be on hop flavor.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium, hop bitterness and tannins from roast malts combine to create a dry mouthfeel. Resinous character from high levels of dry hopping may create a tongue coating sensation.

History: A style that emerged on the Northwest Coast of North America in the early 21st Century. Northwest hops are prominent, balanced with malt, roast malts give color and flavor, but body should be reminiscent of an IPA, not heavy like a porter or stout. The style is not only gaining traction with brewers in the Pacific Northwest, but is starting to spread to other regions.

Comments: Some brewers prefer to cold steep the dark grains to achieve a very dark beer without the tannin contribution of adding the grains to the mash. The use of Sinnamar to enhance color is common.

IBUs 40-90

Color: 40+ SRM

Abv 5.5-8.5%

Classic Examples: Rogue Brewer, Phllips Black Toque, Hopworks Secession CDA, Barley Brown's Turmoil, Widmer Collaborator Cascadian Dark Ale, Lucky Lab Black Sheep, Stone 11th Anniversary Ale, Walking Man Big Black Homo, Rogue Black Brutal, Pelican Bad Santa, New Holland Black Hatter, Laughing Dog Dogzilla,

Check out an interview with Abe regarding CDA's on Brewpublic

Our review of Widmer's W'10 Pitch Black IPA here

More sources on the style:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20090729/ai_n32393952/

http://bairdbeer.com/en/blog/archives/2914

http://wortblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/pelican-brewings-bad-santa-causes.html