Green Flash Palate Wrecker - Green Flash Brewing Co.

BigCheese

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a clear copper amber, with mid/large sized white head. Head dies into a nice cap. Some lacing.

S: Hop oil, all citrus tropical hop hop profile, some honey too. Very pungent.

T: Red grapefruit rind, sour pineapple, very very bitter. A very mild hint of honey/caramel maltiness. Finishes with a very dry pine cone, non-ripe orange, dandylions. Some sugar candy too. Some chalky-ness. Insanely dry on the palette. Damn so hoppy, a tad 1 or 2 dimensional though.

M: Very resin-y, oily, carbonation low. As unsessionable as it gets. I dont think I'll be able to taste anything for 2 days.

O: Well this beer is pretty absurd. Most hop forward and bitter beer I've ever had, totally unbalanced, which I respect. I'm a pretty big hop lover and this isnt my cup of tea per se, but I'm really glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 01:43:48 | More by BigCheese

JWU

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had to bring out something special for review #100!

22oz. bottle poured into a snifter glass. (and shared with others!)

A- a clear light amber/orange with one finger of fluffy head that dissipates quickly. Not much in the way of lacing, and certainly some alcohol legs.

S- Almost a 5 on smell. Booze is hidden well, but a little is there, fresh grapefruit, mango, peach, orange, and papaya with a hint of white pepper. Fantastic.

T- Deceptive. Starts out with a dance between biscuity and slightly caramel malts and moderate bitterness, but the hops/bitterness ramp up in a serious way mid to end of the sip. Hops are largely piney and resinous in nature, but do have a citric tinge to them. The more you drink, the more the bitterness layers on top of itself. Palette Wrecker indeed.

M- I can't compliment them enough here. light to moderate carbonation moves things along but doesn't get in the way, the mouthfeel is medium to medium-full, creamy and just a tad syrupy.

O- This is an outstanding imperial IPA. Haven't had anything like it before, and I congratulate Green Flash on coming up with something new, and not following the crowd. Fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 00:42:04 | More by JWU

sukwonee

Washington

3.2/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

A: Looks great. Lots of lacing, 2 finger head, burnt orange color.

S: Very typical west coast DIPA smell. Piney, grapefruit, citrus, but I smell some onion?

T: Man... too much hops... it does wreck my palate... (in a not-very-flattering manner). Not a fan of how this beer tastes. Yucky after taste too.

M: Good amount of carbonation, medium thickness.

O: man... this beer doesn't taste very good. I love hoppy beers, but man... this isn't good much at all. It's painful as you're swallowing it. Give it a try, but I bet you won't keep seeking for this (like me).

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 05:48:45 | More by sukwonee

psuKinger

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle poured into my Bruery tulip.

A: Pours a very hazy dark orange (almost ruby red) with a big thick frothy slightly-off-white head on top, 2-fingers worth.

S: Pine and Grapefruit, at a moderate volume. More pine than grapefruit.

T: Dry, earthy notes and lots of pine. But that traditional "california IPA" grapefruit is also there. Strong sweetness on the back end, as expected from a "Double IPA" weighing in at 9.5%. This reminds me of a cross between a piney/earthy English style IPA and a California IPA, then kick the sweetness/ABV up a notch.

Strong bitterness on the back end of this beer. One of the more bitter beers I've had, just a shade less bitter than the Port IPA or the Arctic Panzer I've had.

M: Carbonation is a touch light, and the beer doesn't have as much heft as you'd expect at first, but then lots of residue left behind on the finish.

D/O: A little heavy on the "bitter" and pine for my liking. Not quite as much grapefruit/citrus reward as my *favorites*. Overall, a good IPA. Certainly one I'd revisit at a later date, but not something I'd choose to revisit tonight.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 00:01:09 | More by psuKinger

stimulus

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Part of a six IPA tasting session.
No freshness date, but I know this is the first bottling. 4 pack.
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

A: Pours a clear amber with a one finger white head.
S: Dank, piney hops dominate the aroma.
T: Just piney hops here, there is an extreme lingering bitterness that may be unpleasant for some, but definitely sets it apart in this tasting.
M: Sticky, medium-bodied, and moderately carbonated.
O: Like the OB Deviant Dale's, this is definitely targeted at hopheads; however, the strong lingering bitterness doesn't fall back well on any malt. This is good to remind me what bitterness tastes like every once in awhile, but I definitely prefer Green Flash's other hoppy offerings.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 14:16:20 | More by stimulus

Thads324

Connecticut

4.08/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle.
Pours a completely clear deep golden color. Pillows of right white bubbly head that dissipates very slowly. Good lacing
Smells of a bit of pine, grass, tangerine and musky earth at the tail end. A hair of husk, plain grains and corn. Mild and nice

Taste is bigger than the aroma. The hops are well balanced. Starting with citrus and leafy green bitterness. A good bitterness is carried by grainy and basic sweet malts. Sharp bitterness and pine towards the end, along with more tropical fruit and heavy citrus rinds.
Higher end of medium bodied, bitter, good clean finish

A clean, good drinking dipa with a solid balance of malt and varying levels of flavorful hops. A very fine brew

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 21:18:22 | More by Thads324

TTAmod

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

12 oz. Green Flash-shaped bottle poured into pint glass:

A: Pours a dark, slightly hazy orange. Thick, light white head. Looks effervescent. This beer is pretty lively for 9.5%.

S: Smell is actually pretty tropical and there's a touch of roasted caramel malt.

T: Yowza. There's a bit of grapefruit and pine up front, but it's brief and soon it gives way to a full onslaught of bitter, raw, resin-y hops. There's some marijuana, pine-needle, and just pure bitterness. You really have to be a hop-lover to enjoy this beer (thankfully I am.) There's a bit of roasted caramel malt and sugar somewhere in there, but it ends very dry and with a long, lingering bitterness.

M: Actually pretty smooth, light and palatable (if you can handle the extreme bitterness.) Drinks like a beer with a much lower ABV.

O: Let me reiterate: if you don't love hops (and I don't mean those girly hop varieties, like Citra,) you will probably not like this beer. This is a real man's beer. Green Flash pretty much symbolizes west coast IPAs, and this is the best IPA Green Flash makes. My bottle is a few months old, and the hop barrage is completely relentless. I can't even imagine this super-fresh. Anyways, yeah, the DIPA scene is heading toward the more tropical, fruity, hop varieties, but this one is completely old-school and completely awesome. It's a bit one-dimensional in its hoppiness, but it's a hophead's dream.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 03:00:22 | More by TTAmod

sevenarts

New York

4.1/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clear reddish gold. Modest head, strong lacing.

S: Lots of grapefruit and piney hops.

T/M: Bitter hops up front: grapefruit, citrus, some pine. The hops are layered and linger for quite a while, leaving behind a slightly bitter aftertaste. As the name suggests, this is big and bold, and very tasty.

O: Nice strong double IPA, as intense as you'd expect.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 22:48:00 | More by sevenarts

coldriver

Texas

4.4/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle pours a deep amber with beautiful fluffy head and massive lacing. Citrus, piney, aroma hangs heavy in the air deep with resin. Wow, very bitter and oily, with typically fantastic Green Flash citrus resinous hop profile. Thick mouthfeel with palate wrecking dry finish that hangs on the taste buds. Great hop forward imperial IPA - Chuck Silva does it again!

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 18:59:58 | More by coldriver

nickthegun12

Alabama

4.29/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

appearance is brownish red with little frothy head

smells of citrus hops grapefruit, and pineapple

taste extremely bitter...through that you can taste the bitter citrus hops

feel is dry and little dryer than expected

overall a very good ipa, i would buy it again

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 00:54:11 | More by nickthegun12

LtCracker20

Connecticut

4.04/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A- Pours a clear golden copper body with a 3-finger off white head that falls to about a 1/2 inch cap. Some good sticky lace.

S- A little sweetness comes through first, but it's quickly followed by piney and citrusy hop aroma. The caramel sweetness comes back through towards the end again. Not getting any kind of booziness though, which is good. Just a little too sweet on the nose.

T- Good resiny hop flavor...Nice and sticky. Pine comes through first, then some grapefruit flavors. There's still some sweetness there. I know it's a DIPA, but I would've liked a little less sweetness. Still very good.

MF- Almost a full body on this, still pretty thick. Carbonation levels are right for me. Flavor's like a slick sheet of oil on the tongue. Flavors seem to last a while.

O- A very good beer. I was expecting even more of a hop bomb, but it is very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 23:06:37 | More by LtCracker20

ncfranklin

Alabama

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

12oz bottle to a Duvel Tulip.

A: Golden orange, with a small off-white head that recedes to a ring. Probably the alcohol level keeping the head off this one.

S: A forest of hops here. Really potent citrus of orange and grapefruit, lemony almost, notes of floral character and pine. This is what west-coast hops is all about. Nothing else going on in the nose beyond this bouquet.

T: Hops. Sticky, resiny, citrus and pine hops all over the place. This is as flavorful of a hop bomb as any I've ever had. Grapefruit and floral are most prominent flavors, but theirs alot going on under this bitter tongue biter. Only the slightest biscuity malt is present, and you really have to strain to taste it.

M: I don't think I'm breaking new ground by saying this one is bitter. It finishes clean, has lots of aftertaste of resiny hops. But yeah, don't plan on tasting any beer after this one.

O: West Coast big IPA's always seem to be a little too syrupy and boozy for me. This one hit it perfectly. It's a bitter bruiser with a ton of flavor. Definitely want more of this soon.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 00:49:35 | More by ncfranklin

rfbenavi80

Missouri

4.08/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bomber bottle poured into a Tulip glass.
Bottle kept in fridge.
An aggressive pour.

A- Pours a very deep golden, almost orange color with tons of thick creamy white colored head that has a lot of staying power.

S- Mega hoppy. Plenty of pine, and citrus. Mainly grapefruit on the citrus side. Some tropical fruitiness, combined with a small amount of floral notes.

T- An explosion of hop flavor. A very strong piney, grapefruit rind bitterness. Malt is present, maybe some caramel malty flavor, but is very overpowered by the sticky, resinous hoppy flavor.

M- Thick and creamy. Not overly carbonated. I thought big carbonation when I saw the amount of head that this beer produced, but it is spot on.

O- A nice DIPA. Not the most balanced DIPA available. A real HOP BOMB. Hop heads, seek this one out.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 03:22:03 | More by rfbenavi80

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.73/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, copper amber colored with a huge fluffy off white head that lingers leaving good lacing, clear

S: fruity aromas of pineapple, orange, grapefruit, papaya, it literally smells like you just opened a can of tropical mixed fruit salad, citrus hops

T: pineapple and grapefruit up front, malt comes out in middle with a smooth caramel sweetness, finish is a hop explosion of grapefruit peel and pine resin

M: thick and creamy, alcohol makes itself well known, correct carbonation

O: buy it if you find it, the smell alone makes this a fantastic beer, let it warm for the flavors to fully develop

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 23:39:21 | More by M_C_Hampton

McStagger

California

4.3/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured for a 22 oz bomber. Brewed on 1/8/13. Well, let's see how it stood up.

A: Pours a nice, transparent orange copper. Stellar clarity. Moderate carbonation. One finger off khaki head. Good retention for the style,. Good lacing as well.

S: Doesn't smell like we've lost too much here. A bit malt heavy, with husky grain and bits of cooking spice. Still a serious pined hop edge though. Evergreen needles are dominant. As the beer warms a bit, touches of citrus and an almost herbal edge make themselves known.

T: Hot damn, this is bitter. Seriously bitter. Lot of alcohol warmth in the finish. Lacking the massive malt sweetness of so, so many DIPA's. The hops are leafy, almost vegetal, with a lot of bruised herb (rosemary) thrown into the mix. The fruity notes are subdued, but there are bits of citrus and tropical. The finish is incredibly dry and oh so bitter. Aftertaste of bitter citrus peel.

M: Very lean and very dry for a DIPA. While I wouldn't necessarily call it crisp, both the malt and the alcohol are exceptionally well hidden in the mouthfeel. It's ALMOST refreshing.

O: One of the better DIPA's I've had, and this beer is three months old. I would absolutely love to try this one fresh.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 07:18:39 | More by McStagger

CaptCleveland

Ohio

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

22oz bomber poured in SA glass.

Huge two-finger head froths over a pale orange elixir. Belgian lace covers the glass as the brew is tasted.

Heavy, dank resin, pine, no malt. Hop head's dream.

Nice bitterness coats the tongue. Feels like I've been chewing on cones of sticky hops. A bit boozy.

Dense, thick, alcohol.

This one takes it up a notch (or 10) and is very aptly named. A must try if hops are your thing.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 22:00:51 | More by CaptCleveland

dorianmarley

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance is pretty golden brown with a fluffy, white head and good lacing.

Nose is pineapple, fresh pine, caramel, and roasted hops.

Taste is bitter as expected, with plenty of sugars for balance. There is fresh bread and vanilla extract. There is some pine and lime.

Mouthfeel has plenty of hop bite with medium carbonation.

Overall, it is a hop bomb for sure, with enough sugar and complexity to not be over the top.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 02:25:18 | More by dorianmarley

dickieb

Rhode Island

4.04/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

Starts of a really nice looking beer, clear amber/ reddish in color with a small white head and above average lacing. The smell is piney citrusy and resiny with floral notes, everything a hop head is looking for. The flavor is strong and very bitter living up to its name, not exactly a hop bomb due to a good malt profile but still waves of bitter hops dominates the flavor. The mouthfeel is a bit rich for me but by no means bad and overall this is a very good beer. I would not session this one, but a good one to sip.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 22:12:15 | More by dickieb

travolta

California

3.9/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

App: A bright peach color with an eggshell head that develops a good head with decent lacing.

Nose: Fresh hops, apricot, clean and strong.

Taste: Crisp, which fades to syrupy, big hoppy profile. Grapefruit, apricot, lots of citrus and green.

Notes: Very clear hop profile in the nose and taste. Southern California is the land of "palate wreckers", so this does not stand up to the stated style. It would make for a great IPA, but not an imperial or double.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 02:17:31 | More by travolta

peacebone116

California

3.83/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12-oz bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Bright copper with a perky, soap-like off-white head that actually sticks around throughout enjoyment leaving thick lace at the edges.

N: The smells are overpowering, right from the pour. It SMELLS bitter. There are notes of pine, grass, and citrus...all very generic, but definitely complex.

T/M: The flavors in this are incredibly complex. There is pine and citrus and....a ton of bitterness--definitely the hint of onion-like hop notes. The malt backing is substantial and truly helps to balance out the bitterness, even toning down the nugget and/or summit hops' oniony flavors. The alcohol is evident but not hot in the medium body.

This is an excellent beer with an extreme complexity....but there is nothing really "special" about it. The beer is super bitter with lots of different flavors, but not one that stands out as excellent. It is an excellent sipping beer, but not one that would necessarily want to have on home-draft even though I am primarily a Imperial IPA fan. Overall, this beer just really does not do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 02:04:16 | More by peacebone116

stercomm

Ohio

4.23/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass

A - A hazy, organish honey color, with a big rich and thick white head that hangs around for a while. Very strong lacing.

S - Initial hit is all hops; pine, grapefruit, citrus. Lurking in the background is just a hint of malty sweets.

T - Awesome hops, lots of hops, but while there is a bitter dry taste, there is a subtle creaminess that kind of slides along the palate. Lots of citrus and grapefruit notes, pine notes, finish is very hoppy.

M - Medium bodied, lots of carbonation.

O - A hop heads delight, lots of strong hops but not over the top bitter. Good brew

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 21:43:32 | More by stercomm

FondueVoodoo

British Columbia (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a perfectly clear orange pumpkin colour with about 3 fingers of foamy white head that settles to thin foamy rim.

S: Strong initial scent of pine resin followed by sweet tropical fruit, pineapple and orange peel.

T: Strong herbal citrus bitterness upfront, reminiscent of Campari. A surprising amount of sweet maltiness in the middle which finishes with a lingering bitterness.

M: Medium bodied with a medium level of carbonation that nicely coats the mouth.

O: Surprisingly well balanced for such a hop forward beer. The alcohol is nearly undetectable.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 01:08:33 | More by FondueVoodoo

colforbin73

California

3.85/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

the first bottle i had, it was the first beer i had yesterday and it was really refreshing -- it had First Beer of the Day edge. this second one, today -- i already had a Dale;s Pale Ale.... and NOW.... it is the Palate Wrecker.

pours a rich amber... it looks resionous... syrupy and builds a small white foam that sticks to the glass. the smell... i am lost -- it is not overpowering, i am getting hops, some sugar and pine.

the taste mellows as you sip.... but DEFINITELY not one for the faint of heart if you don't like the Bitter. i come back to pine and lemon pith... there is a beautiful floral bouquet that hits the top of the palate... but upon your tongue lingers the deep burn of bitterness and alcohol.

if DOUBLE JACK is an A+ .... this is an A- at best. a little too boozy and acidic hops.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 03:19:15 | More by colforbin73

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Green Flash Brewing Co. - Palate Wrecker - 1pt 6fl oz bottle

Look - Pours golden amber/copper with a small fizzy head. Good lacing. Minimal carbonation.

Smell - Citrus and pine hops, sweet caramel malt, smooth mix, mouthwatering.

Taste - Snappy, turns smooth, followed by two hoppy waves, pine and then citrus.

Mouthfeel - Sits heavy and earrthy, decent drinkability. The mouthfeel was not the best aspect of this brew. It really does wreck your palate, but it was not in a good way for me.

Overall - Great brew, a bit raw on the palate (as advertised) but not quite what I expected. I would recommend trying though as taste is subjective.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 12:06:45 | More by JMScowcroft

Kaiser81

California

4.05/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had a 5 oz pour on cask from O'brien's Tuesday night

A - a golden amber color with no head, and no carbonation

S - A balanced hops/malt combination coupled withi lots of sweet fruit

T - Grapefruit taste up fron, maltiness on the back end. I'm not the biggest grapefruit fan, and this seemeed to dominate the taste

M - Flat with no body; probably due to the cask conditions. Also a little syrupy

D - Kind of disappointed; the grapefruit taste dominated, with none of the sweetness I had hoped for in the smell of it.

Wondering how this is normally when not on cask

Serving type: cask

11-12-2009 04:53:26 | More by Kaiser81