MJ: I appreciate your raising the question, Joanne. Your
inquiry rebuts the sexist notion that women are capable of enjoying only
sweet beers.
Have you tried the wittily-named Indiana Pale Ale at the Heartland
brewpubs? This Ian a lightly dry, fruity, interpretation of an India Pale
Ale. The name metamorphosed from Hindu to Hoosier to suit the Heartland theme
of the pubs.
The term India Pale Ale implies the style of brew that was shipped from
London and Burton to Calcutta during the British Empire. On this long
journey, it was protected against spoilage by an extra dose of hops (which had the side-effect of
boosting its bitterness).
Today's
American examples of the style are in general much more hoppy than the
British IPAs. The Americans have been revelling in the revival of a classic
style, while most British brewers have half-forgotten the meaning of IPA. I
strongly recommend the Brooklyn Brewery's East India Pale Ale, with
arousingly fresh hop flavors.
As a beer hunter yourself, you probably know the following two bars. The
Blind Tiger is especially good on beers from the New York area, while d.b.a.
likes to feature cask-conditioned beers from Britain.
The Blind Tiger Ale House, 518 Hudson Street (on the corner of West 10th
St.). Telephone: (212) 675-3848. Website: www.blindtiger.citysearch.com.
d.b.a. (Doing business as…),
41 1st Avenue (between 2nd and 3rd streets). Telephone: (212) 475-5097.
