Alaska — never been there, but now I want to go soooooo bad. No, not for its lovely winters, but to sample some of the state’s outstanding beers.

On a dark and stormy night, I decided to punch my liver in the face.

True to form, the NY Times cast a skeptical eye this week on a beer trend that began years ago when American brewers began going nuts, especially with hops.
In its survey of extreme beers, the article consults its favorite local zymurgist, Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery. While I really respect Oliver’s taste and see him as the logical successor to Michael Jackson (don’t even ask which one I mean), he seems a bit stuffy on the subject.
“The hoppiest beer?” Garrett asked. “It’s a fairly idiotic pursuit, like a chef saying, …