When is an IPA not an IPA?
When its lost a substantial amount of its freshness and sinks to the level of a pale bitter or bitter pale.
If the original IPA was a beer sent to India by ship, I’d think freshness wouldn’t have been integral to the style. That said, I like my pale ales with plenty of fresh citrus hoppiness.
True, but those weren’t American IPA’s and I doubt the diversity in hop flavor and aroma was there as in today and those it was intended for probably didn’t complain as long as it scratched their itch either. ;) 
Old IPA’s are nothing more than overly bitter PA’s.
What a loaded question…you’ll get different opinions on this one, I’m sure.
I like them highly bittered, highly aromatic, and unlike most of my friends here on the boards, I like them fairly well aged.
But the style is (and always was) open to wide interpretation like any beer. Add to that the fact that most of what we have all read about IPA is evidently incorrect anyway, the answer to the question posed really becomes “who’s to say?”
It all just de[ends on what you like.
Since there are no rules carved in stone, it’s an individual thing.
i think all ipa’s are ipa’s, regardless of date, with just varying levels of freshness.
that said, i’ve had some aged dipa’s that could have been mistaken for barleywines.
Judges will tell you an American IPA isn’t an American IPA if it has more than a subtle caramel flavor. That said, I make my IPA with some C20 & C40 & the judges don’t appreciate it, but I do… ;D So my IPA stays home for me & the boys to enjoy!!
I hate judgemental people 
Then it was either old or not made properly.
+1 - Big difference between American IPAs - which should be FRESH - and English IPAs - which can stand some age. BIG, BIG difference there. Once and American IPA loses its freshness it becomes much less enjoyable IMO.
+1
An IPA is not an IPA when the beholder deems such.
When the fresh hop flavor and aroma fades it is a sad…sad…sad day. At that point the qualities one strives to achieve in an American IPA are missing which means your window of opportunity has passed and your left with a less than desirable beer.
I hate to say it but I’ve made IPA’s that weren’t what I personally think are IPA’s. Sometimes I just can’t seem to get the right amount of hop flavor or aroma… and I’m forced to drink bitter pales. :D But still the older an IPA gets, the more lacking it becomes even those made perfectly. Imoho there is a window between 3 and 6 weeks after kegging that it really seems to show itself well and then it starts down that lonely slope increasing exponentially toward a bitter pale. :(
My idea of an (American) IPA is a 1.065ish beer with about 70 BUs or so with loads of aroma hops and a touch or carmel malt optionally for balance. It should be fairly dry and very drinkable; a higher gravity session ale. You get around there and you should have an IPA on your hands.
I have an American Barleywine that is now a better English Barleywine than an American Barleywine because of the effect of age on the hops.
yeah, i said they were aged.
;o)
True… DFH’s Burton Baton and 90 Min. IPA definitely behave the same way after about a year or so.
Well, my 6 year old is aged but my grandmother is old. Bit of a difference. 
touche’
And some grandma’s become bitter as they get old. ;D
Now wer are reaching
When it’s neither Imperial nor Pale nor an Ale. Discuss amongst yourselves.