http://www.weyermann.de/eng/produkte.asp?idkat=19&umenue=yes&idmenue=37&sprache=2
“our unique de-husked roasted barley malt adds aroma, color and body, with a mild. smooth flavor”

With the husk gone, they won’t give so much of the harsher roasty flavours associated with normal choc & black malts or roast barley.

In terms of their use in Black IPA brewing, the norm seems to be to not mash in with the Carafa, but to add it later to the top of the mash, just prior to sparging (or even later) so as to accentuate colour over flavour.

I would say these malts do however still add some flavour, a light coffee/choc note, which in the few examples I’ve tasted works well.

I’m of the opinion that if a Black IPA has no discernible dark malt flavour, then it’s a bit of an empty gimmick.

Styles on the dark side of beer are hopelessly broken, if you ask me. I’ve got a growing list of dark beers that I genuinely don’t know how to classify – was it a dark old ale, a sweetish porter, a strong dark mild or just a very dark bitter?

Incidentally, when I googled Cascadian Black to check the brewery the first hit was “Cascadian Black Metal is bollocks”. Just think, if you picked the right bar you could be listening to a style of music that doesn’t exist while drinking a style of beer that doesn’t exist!

Beefy — we weren’t in note-taking mode so didn’t catch the name, I’m afraid.

Is that Coastal one called Riptide btw? Only I had it at the commercial fest in Chap and it wa really nice. Thing is (obviously not supping with my alalytical blogging head on) I never gave its IPA vs Porter/stout credentials a second thought – it was just the best beer on when I was there!