dewhitton

If you don't like bitter, avoid IPAs and all of their kind. India ales had to survive the trip to India, all the way from the British Isles, so they loaded them up with as much hops as people could stand. Originally, they were meant to counter the sweetness of the malt, and bring in other flavors. But when they noticed that hoppy beverages lasted longer, they started using them for that purpose almost exclusively. The brews kegged up and shipped to India were probably viewed by the locals in much the same way you did? But once you start to realize that you're never going to touch another drop for the next 10 to 15 years unless it's been hopped to death, you learn to like it.

Also, much the same way that humans have begun ripping out their internal organs with dangerously hot pepper concoctions, the IPA market is suffering a similar fate. There are now competitions to see how bitter one can make your ale before it induces spontaneous projectile vomiting.

Ergo, you get concoctions like this.

Edited at 2012-04-28 10:37 pm (UTC)