I can see a lot of hands out there – such is
the wonder and the glory of the palate-wrecking Imperial India Pale Ale
revolution in America, in which rogue brewers nationwide have aggressively
worked to outdo each other in mouth-scraping, high-alcohol, hardcore-bitter hop
monsters that will repulse 90% of the ale-drinking population. For those of us
left standing, it has been one of the finest developments of the past six/seven
years. There are aggressively-hopped west coast IPAs, “the San Diego Style”; “the
Pliny clones”; aggressively-hopped east coast IPAs; aggressively-hopped Midwest
IPAs and so on. The shades between them may be slight, but hop lovers know a
masterpiece when they see one. I’m still partial to MOYLANS’ “Hopsickle” as top
dog in this crowded field, but I’ll gladly drink at least 100 different
pretenders to the throne, gladly and with extreme prejudice.
So here’s yet another big IPA from the
excellent GREEN FLASH BREWING out of San Diego, a brewer with no need to prove
their IPA bonfides, having done so with West Coast IPA, Le Freak and Imperial IPA, among others. This PALATE WRECKER – no need to beat around the bush – was brewed
for Hamilton’s Tavern in San Diego before the people up-n-demanded that it
become a full-time bottled thing, to be shared with the rest of the public. Ain’t
people great? Palate Wrecker’s a 9.5% alcohol imperial IPA, to say the least.
It pours a lush, deep orange with some foam that sticks around about as long as
you’d want it to. Decidedly piney, but not one hint of citrus – no matter what
the label says. It’s hoppy, oh yes, but Palate Wrecker is not a dry one – in fact
to my pleasure it’s big, aggressive and definitely attacks with some alcohol
burn on the finish, and yet it’s still quite easy to drink. Perhaps when all of
your taste buds have been seared off and washed down your throat with the beer,
there’s really nothing to complain about, am I right? 8/10.
