What’s the Difference Between Pale Ale & IPA?
in this issue of the Seattle Weekly

Most people order beer and wine like they buy Charmin or Simple Green. They get the name or grape they know. Ordering beer is far easier than ordering wine because beer is like cheese. If a beer says “hefeweizen,” you pretty much know what to expect, same as with cheddar or gouda. It’s a style. With wine, you often have no idea what man or machine did to the damn grapes before they made it in the bottle. Through experience, people remember the kind of cheese or beer they like most. And I think that’s all that should really be required of them.

At one point in my life, I only knew that I preferred certain Italian wine above others. Now I can tell you in annoying detail what makes these wines tick. But that’s my job. Most jobs have nothing to do with drinking; they just inspire it.

So if you think the above question is stupid, tell me–what makes a cheddar different from a gouda? Not so easy is it, Smarty?