WOW! SO many options!
Correct me if I am wrong (of course you will!) but 10 years ago, you couldn't FIND hops in beer in USA. I left Minnesota, headed for Australia in 1998, and while there were quite a few GREAT beers on the market, the American palate had not yet accepted STRONG hop flavours and aromas. I remember drinking a bottle of St Pauli Girl and being astounded by the fantastic flavours and aromas! I'm not sure when, how or why the USA palate changed to super bitter, but I suppose it's the same reason that HOT chilies weren't the popular 10-15 years ago, and now they are everywhere and most of us like them the hotter the better! Maybe it's just a case of chasing those extreme flavours.
Now keeping that in mind, the Aussie palate doesn't care much for hops either. It's starting to mature, but it's still not very easy to find a domestic with much bitterness or hop aroma. Some of the micro breweries are very nice, but no one dreams of making an over hopped beer here... It just wouldn't sell.
So, with that off my chest, I can say that I have never had the opportunity to taste any of these SUPER HOPPED beers that you are raving about. My one and only experience with a beer that I thought was too bitter and too strong, (keeping my uneducated tastebuds in mind) is one sent to me from a mate in Texas about 3 years ago.
http://www.averybrewing.com/BigBeers/docs/salvation
How does this compare to the brews you guys are talking about?
It blew me away!
I couldn't understand how anyone could drink it!
I only wish I had another bottle, so I could try it again now that I am making stronger hopped beers myself.