Green Flash Palate Wrecker - Green Flash Brewing Co.

tectactoe

Michigan

3.65/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Copper-colored, just like a clean penny with amazing clarity throughout the entire brew - Palate Wrecker looks eerily similar to the Nugget Nectar I had just a few days earlier, though not quite as vibrant. Lots of carbonation bubbles rise to the top, meeting a beige-eggshell color head that leaves a little bit of lacing behind on its way down.

Powerful and commanding is the aroma, asserting itself with heavy doses of both earthy and floral hops - you can smell the bitterness ready to cut through your taste buds. Don't be fooled, however - the aroma is showing a significant sweetness to it, as well. A cornucopia of fruits and citrus jump on board, and actually smell very reminiscent of Fruity Pebbles. I tried to find a better description, but goddamn, I'm definitely smelling some Pebbles. There's also a caramel malt sweetness lingering backstage and although it's buried from the abundance of hops, it is still easily identifiable.

Speaking of those caramel malts, they happen to be the first thing my palate picks up on as this beer hits my lips. It's not long, though, before an inherent bitterness emerges and does nothing but continue to grow, start to finish. The bitterness seems to last forever, even long after the beer is gone. That's the whole point of this beer, right? To fuck up your palate? Well they've succeeded by making a bitterness that is one of the strongest and longest-lasting that I've found in recent memory. It hits hard and resonates with no end in sight.

Alongside the raping bitterness are handfuls of floral, perfume-like, and rosey flavors from the hops. Citrus is also abound, though not quite as similar to Fruity Pebbles on the palate anymore. It's now more akin to bitter citrus and grapefruit - think: peel, pith, rind, etc. Pretty heavy bodied with a sticky character and plenty of carbonation.

Bitterness is what they wanted and bitterness is what they give you. Bitterness is the king here. It's actually not as "palate destroying" (or "wrecking", I guess) as you might think, but maybe I'm just conditioned to this kind of thing. This reminded me of a less flavorful Ruination. There weren't enough "other" flavors to go with the heavy bitterness. Just seems like they were being bitter just to be bitter. In that case, I'll just suck on a hop. Not bad, but probably wouldn't seek it out again. Just grab a Ruination or Hoptimum (in season) if you want a hop attack.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 17:34:06 | More by tectactoe

heavenlyStash

California

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%

06-19-2013 06:11:40 | More by heavenlyStash

Jsmercer

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

06-19-2013 00:15:25 | More by Jsmercer

Turbodog666

Connecticut

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%

06-18-2013 23:58:00 | More by Turbodog666

Neorebel

New Jersey

4.48/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Palate Wrecker certainly lives up to its namesake! Let's start with the color - it's a murky, yet sediment-free burnt orange, with a billowy cap of white suds. It looks rich and full of flavor... almost overflowing with it. The aroma is very bright and bursting with fruit esters - kiwi, pineapple, grapefruit, tangerine, and a little dash of brown sugar. Getting to the actual flavor - it's got a good amount of malt sweetness that I did not expect, and the hop aspects start off with that grapefruit juiciness, then it evolves to"resinous," to a final super piny, drying bitterness. I welcome the harshness of the finish. It's amazing how one beverage goes from juicyfruit to such a sharp dryness. I love it. It's a heavy beer too, beware. I will absolutely be buying this masterpiece again!

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 23:01:03 | More by Neorebel

Matthewpakula

Illinois

4/5  rDev -4.5%

06-18-2013 15:58:54 | More by Matthewpakula

headyhopzhead

Indiana

4/5  rDev -4.5%

06-18-2013 12:45:07 | More by headyhopzhead

BeerMeInStl

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev -10.5%

06-18-2013 02:42:30 | More by BeerMeInStl

Halluxone

Georgia

4/5  rDev -4.5%

06-18-2013 00:47:16 | More by Halluxone

Rheaume17

Vermont

4/5  rDev -4.5%

06-17-2013 22:32:20 | More by Rheaume17

civicm87

New York

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%

06-17-2013 00:57:38 | More by civicm87

mjm47

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%

06-16-2013 21:46:54 | More by mjm47

taospowder

New Mexico

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

06-16-2013 21:44:21 | More by taospowder

BLACKENEDPLAGUE

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%

06-16-2013 03:40:44 | More by BLACKENEDPLAGUE

JOrtt

California

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

06-16-2013 02:31:13 | More by JOrtt

MagnusThunnus

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

06-15-2013 12:55:29 | More by MagnusThunnus

b1515152004

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -28.4%

06-15-2013 12:37:32 | More by b1515152004

lunarbrew

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

06-14-2013 23:40:20 | More by lunarbrew

pottergator

New York

4/5  rDev -4.5%

06-14-2013 04:37:59 | More by pottergator

bcsbeer

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

06-14-2013 01:22:49 | More by bcsbeer

twizzard

New York

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%

06-14-2013 01:19:52 | More by twizzard

Nunya

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -10.5%

06-13-2013 23:55:32 | More by Nunya

JG-90

New Jersey

4.7/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Pours a large light beige head that becomes rocky as it recedes. Head has good retention and leaves heavy lacing. Beer is a copper/orange/golden color. Smells of citrus, most noticably grapefruit and orange, but also with a bit of lemon. Also smells very resiny with a bit of pine. Just a hint of caramel malt.

Taste starts with hop resin, moves on to pine, ends with piney, grapefruit and orange. Has a sticky, resiny, piney, slightly caramel malty finish. Mouthfeel is just less than heavy with moderate carbonation, a little creamy/bready. I love this beer, the great hop flavors along with just the right (but very small) amount of malt. Also, some hops bombs have an oppressive aftertaste, this one does not at all.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 21:53:24 | More by JG-90

RobM77

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12 oz bottle. Nice copper color, but lost me beyond that. I enjoy a good IPA, but I guess I don't understand absolutely killing a beer by overpowering it completely to one side or the other - too much malt or too much hops.

To me, the true craft of brewing a solid beer is balance and learning to meld flavors. This is flat out in your face hops - but as it's name goes, that is the intention of this beer, so it succeeds to that end. How hard it is to brew a beer like this though - probably not so hard.

Not a big fan, but I can understand how a true over the top hop head would be. To me, this beer doesn't even compare to Green Flash's excellent West Coast IPA, which shows a good balance of malt and hops.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 05:50:40 | More by RobM77

TimothyPH

New York

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%

06-12-2013 23:55:27 | More by TimothyPH