Originally Posted by
brewbuck
How about spicy beer?
I sometimes drink a local brew made with jalapenos. They aren't the spiciest peppers around by a long shot, but it's hot enough to get me a little bit dazey. The great part is, your mouth is burning and you desperately want to drink something, but the only drink at hand is actually the source of the problem...
I've heard there is a habanero beer made by somebody in Texas. I've been considering trying to brew one myself.
As far as the spice masking the flavor of the food, I've never really thought about it. I've always considered it a separate dimension, not a flavor. And as to why I enjoy it, I really don't know. There's the endorphin theory, which makes sense. And there's the theory that hot foods cause you to sweat, which in turn physically COOLS your body, which is perhaps why spicy foods are so common in hot or tropical environments.