When I first tried Steam Brew’s The Spark’s, I really didn’t like it.
The 7.8% ABV Imperial IPA had a harsh alcoholic edge that seemed to overpower everything else. I reviewed it in May 2025, scored it 6 out of 10 (and I think I may have overscored it a tad originally), and expected that to be the end of it.
Except I kept buying it.
Part of that was the price. At around £1.49 for a 500ml can, it felt worth another try. It also helped that Lidl is our closest supermarket, so Lidl’s The Spark was always easy to pick up.
There were things I liked about it from the start. It had citrus, stone fruit, sweet malt and a gentle herbal bitterness. The problem was that the alcohol stood out too much.
Then, after a few more cans, something changed. The harshness didn’t bother me as much. The citrus seemed brighter, the sweetness made more sense, and the alcohol warmth started to feel like part of the beer rather than something fighting against it.
I don’t think the beer changed. More likely, my palate adjusted and I became more familiar with what it was trying to do.
My score eventually moved from 6 out of 10 to 7.5. It went from a beer I tolerated to one I regularly looked forward to drinking on a weekend.
There’s a wider lesson in all this for me. You shouldn’t force yourself to keep trying something you hate, but when there are a few positives hiding underneath that first reaction, it can be worth going back.
Tastes change. Palates adjust. Sometimes a beer you dislike at first can become one you genuinely enjoy.
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