Green Flash Palate Wrecker - Green Flash Brewing Co.

emmasdad

Colorado

3.15/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Another double IPA from Green Flash, and although I was unimpressed with their bottled imperial IPA, I was eager to give this one a shot (mainly based on my love for the IPA and red). Again, I was disappointed. Poured a fairly clear orange-amber color, with a fairly solid white head. Big hoppy nose (shock!)--grapefruit, orange zest, weed leads to a body that is similarly overrun with hops, along with a little malt, apparently in an effort to keep this one balanced. Like with the IIPA, it doesn't work. For whatever reason, Green Flash's IIPAs just don't work for me, although I generally love the style as well as pretty much everything else Green Flash brews.

Serving type: on-tap

10-10-2010 22:08:20 | More by emmasdad

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.63/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A darker orange pour, clean and clear. somewhat rocky white head, but it didn't last too long.
Aroma is chalk full of citrus bite and some old bark. Alcohol is present. Just shy of Pine-Sol.
Palate Wrecker almost lives up to it's name, but even after I finished it I could still sense that the malt was weak. Good? Bad? Meh, you be the judge of that. For me it was nice, but would like to see more malt to counter the hops as they strive for Lemon Pine Sol level. This might be very good with spicy dishes, if you like spice and pain. Otherwise it would be a bit tough to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2010 19:22:49 | More by Mebuzzard

snogglethorpe

Japan

4.2/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very assertive, super hoppy, high-alcohol, thick, chewy, bitter as all get out (supposedly more than 100 IBUs), but... really quite good too. I find it hard to drink all that much, simply because of the high-alcohol, but it's a good lesson in how you can make a super bitter hoppy beer that simply does not take any prisoners, and yet keeps you coming back for another sip.

The taste underneath the bitterness is very american, fruity, a bit sour, slightly sweet, and does a good job of keeping you interested.

This beer isn't for everybody, but it has a bold, assertive, and focused taste that makes one think that the makers really knew what they were aiming for.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2010 02:18:18 | More by snogglethorpe

beertooth

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Maproom. Served in a big goblet.

This beer is a brilliant shade of honey orange with a thick and creamy two fingers of off white head. The bubbles die down and leave a nice layer and trail of lacing behind.

The nose is really tropical. Tons of pineapple, candied grapefruit, mango, more citrus and a touch of pine. There are also some pale malts hanging on in there as well.

The taste isn't as hop forward as it would seem from the nose. It's actually a little balanced(gasp!). Tropical hops mingle with bready malts really well in this beer. It finishes a little dry and isn't destroying my taste buds as much as I thought it would.

Mouthfeel is full with a nice little bubble bite.

This is one really well made DIPA. I'm going to eat something before having another though. One of the better DIPA's I've had in a while.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2010 21:13:15 | More by beertooth

CHickman

New York

4.35/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Rattle-N-Hum in NYC. Pours orange with a creamy 1/4 inch off white head; great lacing that leaves rings clinging to the glass.

Smells of huge hops, floral, piney and citrus hops, sweet malt, caramel, grapefruit and bread/grains.

Tastes of huge hops, floral hops, piney hops and citrus hops, sweet malt, caramel, grapefruit, lemon, grass, a touch of brown sugar, a hint of syrup and some mild spices - what a tasty brew, it is delicious! It bombarded my palate, but didn't wreck it.

Mouthfeel is creamy, with little to no carbonation, a light crisp feel and a very smooth feel overall. I guess it was balanced, but it's hard to judge since this was a hop assault and just a very tasty beer that any hop-head will enjoy. The 9% ABV was well hidden and this beer went down very easy. A definite recommendation.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2010 03:02:05 | More by CHickman

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.18/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Another beer from the Bistro DIPA fest. Bright orange hue, minimal head. Not cask, but lacking carbonation, could have been the end of the keg, had it towards the end of the day.

Citrus aroma, moreso than grapefruit, comes off orange or tangerine. Uber hoppy, duh. Very bitter. Perfect malt pairing, just a notch under balanced.

I've since had bottles of this, it seems to go back and forth descriptor wise between a barleywine and a dipa. I prefer it fresh, and subsequent batches (like even the Toronado BW fest) have been heavier malt wise at times, but then the last one was lighter and more dipa tropical fruit edges to it. Either way, drink asap on the first one to decide where you want it to go from there. Good with or without age.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2010 19:02:30 | More by Beerandraiderfan

plaid75

New York

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a dark copper hue with a one and a half finger frothy white head. There was very good retention and sticky lacing.

The smell featured a juicy orange and grapefruit hop.

The taste consisted of a full blown citrus hop with some pine and herbal elements.

The mouthfeel was typical of the style.

Overall a superior hop bomb.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2010 16:55:34 | More by plaid75

Andreji

Colombia

3.63/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

So choice no. 3 last night. palate wrecker? i wasn't scared it would ruin the rest of my beers....rather intrigued. how's this wrecking?

Pour is amber hued with a rather thin "dark white" head. nothing special, although it seemed to pour rather like those english bitters i haven't learned to like.

Smell...overwhelmingly hoppy. even though in itself it's not too strong, there's no malt here. it's hop paradise if you know....sort of heading down this metallic astringency. i'm not sure i crave it...

And the taste confirmed what i suspected. overwhelmingly bitter. palate-wrecking indeed. not disabling, as in: this won't stop me from having more beers, but it certainly stops you from enjoying this one past its first sip. and if you choose to wait between them, then every sip seems like the first and you'll just feel bitter-ed somehow.

Not my kinda brew but seems well elaborate so i won't flunk it. someone out there must love it i have no doubt.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2010 05:08:54 | More by Andreji

kaseydad

California

3.88/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Not sure if this is the same as Palate Wrecker but here goes....

Consumed at the 2010 Hayward Bistro DIPA Festival. The brew is brewed by Chuck Silva.

Hazy yellow pour with a small white foamy head. A big grapefruit present on the aroma with some malty tones as well. The taste is big time bitter! Pallet wrecker indeed! Grapefruit kick with a small malty backbone, which doesn't come through very well....I like. The bitterness lingers for a long time but if you like grapefruit (like me) there are no complaints. It was listed at 9.5% and did go down a lot smoother than most higher alcohol brews.

Overall I feel this was a nice attempt in the DIPA field and would be definitely worthy for bottling. Another well done brew from the Green Flash crew.

Serving type: on-tap

02-24-2010 02:33:29 | More by kaseydad

womencantsail

California

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Stone. I was super excited to get to try this one!

A: The pour looks innocent enough, a pale copper color with a thin layer of white foam on top.

S: This is what I expect from Green Flash, pure hops in the nose. Very citrusy, mostly grapefruit and a bit of lemon with a substantial hit of pine as well.

T: A very intense grapefruit flavor leads the charge, followed by a bit of caramel malt. The finish is quite bitter and has some very nice resinous pine character to it.

M: This is a medium to full bodied beer with a moderate level of carbonation.

D: One of the better IPAs I've had in awhile. The typical flavors you expect from a Green Flash IPA and it definitely lives up to the name. Just watch out for this one because it packs a punch.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2010 16:51:04 | More by womencantsail

HopHead84

California

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed on tap at the Taproom on 11/11/2009 in a 6oz glass. The beer is dark orange with a frothy one finger white head. Great retention and scattered lacing. Great clarity.

The nose is strong pine and grapefruit notes, as I remembered it from last year. Some light caramel notes are present, but it's mainly aromatic pine and grapefruit.

The name is befitting, as this beer is bitter as hell. It attacks my palate with fury and malice. The bitterness has a nice backing of hop flavor with resiny pine and grapefruit. A low level of caramel sweetness is evident, but it doesn't approach balancing. The finish is dry and very, very bitter with noticeable alcohol lingering line. The mouthfeel is dry and sticky. A damn fine and very bitter double IPA. This is a veritable palate wrecker.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2009 21:57:06 | More by HopHead84

augustgarage

California

3.83/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On-tap during Green Flash night at Blue Palms Brewhouse in Hollywood. Served in a tulip glass.

Persimmon body with ECE/SAE amber highlights. Brilliant clarity. Distinguished creamy and delicate (albeit slender) magnolia head. Glorious lacing, barely broken up by thin strands of legs.

Interesting balance of scents: leather, malt, earth, apricot pits, indistinct hops. Mild pine. Alcohol adds some interesting notes as well.

Having braced myself to be overwhelmed by hops, I was pleasantly surprised to find a good balance on the palate. Certainly hops are here in abundance, but the potently bitter grapefruit and herbal notes are joined by bread crust, licorice, earth, and alcohol. Bitter finish with hints of menthol. The bitterness builds slowly, gradually becoming very intense, though not really out of balance. A real lumbering giant of an Imperial IPA.

Not quite medium-bodied; sticky; well carbonated.

By the end of the glass, the name seems much more apt. Drinkability is rather low compared to Pliny the Elder, 90 minute, etc

Overall, this remains with you for quite some time...

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2009 04:07:04 | More by augustgarage

GRG1313

California

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

A very clear and clean amber with almost a sparkle to it with a pure white thick head. Lovely.

Nose cooked ripe pineapple with hints of cooked apricots and rich malt in nose.

Mouthfeel is thick, rich, filling and creamy. Flavors are huge, rich and bold.

Giant flavors of grapefruit skin, lemon oil with an incredible balance of underlying rich malt. The malt is here almost as an afterthought but perfectly balances the giant hop character.

Very long pine resin/grapefruit skin finish. Super drinkable. This is Le Freak with more character and balance; Le Freak "kicked up a notch!"

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2009 01:02:35 | More by GRG1313

HalfFull

California

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

Served on tap in a pint glass, the Wrecker is a clear orange amber in color with half an inch of just off white head. Retention and lacing are pretty strong initially yet a bit scarce by mid pint. Though I might have forced all the carbonation out by constantly swirling this beer to drink the hops through my nose. Lots of resiny pine hops and some complimentary malts on the nose. Malts get more complex as the carbonation lessens and the hops subside a bit.

Taste follows the nose well with a hop barrage up front some balancing malts in the middle and a firm bitterness on the finish. It all blends together pretty well in a complimentary fashion, in a light molasses/grapefruit hop kind of way. Full bodied enough to hide the alcohol well though a bit one sided in an 'in your face' kind of way. Gets a bit chalky in the end, not surprisingly given the hop factor, which along with the
ABV keep the drinkability in check.

This years batch weighs in at 10.0% I believe.

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2009 03:32:23 | More by HalfFull

magictrokini

California

4.47/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Umm, wow. Pours hazy orange-gold with an impressive short-but-thick white head. Colossal citrus/floral hop aroma. Grapefruit and pine oil just pound you in the face. The taste surpasses the nose. Grapefruit, pineapple, mango, and truckloads of resin. A tad more citrus than earthy pine, but who cares. Just a little caramel malt to give it a hint of sweetness. I really have to thank the Green Flash guys for not making the chronic mistake of putting too much malt in and making this a sour-candy DIPA. Its nearly perfect the way it is.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2008 00:08:09 | More by magictrokini

Halcyondays

California

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours a dark amber with a medium white head, good retention, leaving lots of lacing.

S: Pine forest, it smells like a Christmas tree.

T: While the pine is overt in the smell, the flavour gives more of a balance in the various hop elements. Lots of pine along with a pink grapefruit character and a bit of booze. Certainly an interesting flavour.

M; Nice full body, full of hop resin, aftertaste didn't last as long as I thought it would due to the name, but nice.

D: Another real good beer from Green Flash, I'd definitely have it again, but I'd make sure to make it my last beer of the day.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2008 07:11:43 | More by Halcyondays

seaoflament

California

4.03/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Went over to Hamilton's Tavern to get a pint of this beer, it is described as:

This is a mouth puckering HOP BOMB and just what we hoped for. "Palate Wrecker" is a compilations of 2 brews. When the first brew was finished they mashed in with the hop'd Wort and used it for the sparge on the 2nd Brew. I can tell you what to expect -> A "sick sticky columbus and centennial hop bomb". It's a chewy West Coast IIPA that will sit on your tongue and engrave it ;). Disclaimer: This is not a gateway beer, this is not a introductory WEST COAST IIPA.

This is a beer made by Green Flash Brewing for Hamilton's 2nd Anniversary.

Pours the color of caramel or an amber maple syrup. Half an inch of foam on the glass, great ¼ of an inch retention with some lacing. What I love about beers is that when you give it a swirl the head comes back to life and keeps releasing aromas and this beer is just that.

This beer is a pine and citrus hop bomb! A little grassy too. Huge centennial nose. Toasted and caramel malts. Pungent and resiny hops.

Wow, one of the bitterest beers I have tried. Citrus bitterness, pine needles, bitter tangerine; flowery and earthy hops. Toasted bread and dry crackers. The thing is that I'm not a huge fan of Centennial.

Full, thick, almost syrupy. Very dry finish at first.

Very heavy beer. I could drink one pint but after that it would seem like a chore. Feels like a meal to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2008 07:32:42 | More by seaoflament

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

Beaver13

Colorado

3.8/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle. Pours hazy copper orange with a medium pillowy white head that retains well and leaves some lacing.

The aroma is a little subdued - piney, resiny, dank hops with some sweet caramel malt and a little melon.

The flavor is a little caramel malt and fruit with a ton of resiny, piney, very bitter hops that linger in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with smooth carbonation.

Overall, a monster hop bomb. Tons of bitterness, but not a lot of good hop flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2013 04:43:54 | More by Beaver13

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

4.83/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Pours glowing peach with a dense, pillowy white head that lasts forever. Enormous patches of laces stick to the glass on the way down. Hops fill the air when I pop the cap of the beer, huge citrus and orange hop flavors and some pine and cookie dough in the background. The taste is immensely hoppy with an immediate mouthcoating intense bitterness that pervades the whole glass. Grapefruit and lemon notes mix with a resinous pine bitterness. The timid malt profile is doughy and light. The mouthfeel is full bodied with a sparse carbonation - intense hop resin mouthcoating makes for a lot of numbing. The finish is infinitely long and bitter. Delicious. Alcohol isn't prominent for the strenghth and is only complimentary to the bitterness attack.

This is one of my favorite DIPAs ever. Super hoppy and also very multi-faceted. I will say it will probably put off anyone who isn't into hops, it's pretty intense. Still one of the best. Green Flash rocks.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2013 02:31:35 | More by CAMRAhardliner

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.96/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours a slightly hazy deep golden orange in color with light amounts of visible carbonation and some burnt orange + copper highlights. The beer has a finger tall dense foamy off-white head that very slowly reduces to a large patch of very thin film and a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of citrus/orange rind hops along with some much lighter notes of pine hops and just a hint of caramel malts.

T: Light amounts of caramel malt sweetness initially but that is quickly overtaken by the flavors of the hops - citrus/orange rind and Light hints of alcohol are present in the finish along with the moderate to strong amounts of bitterness.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Light to moderate amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: As the name would indicate, this is a seriously hop heavy beer and slightly out of balance (tons of bitterness compared with just a light hint of sweetness). This is not the easiest of beers to drink both from the hop intensity and the not so hidden alcohol. Not sure I would have another of these but glad to have tried it.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2013 00:28:10 | More by dbrauneis

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

edit: I now see this brew has been bottled 12/17/12 making this over 5 months old. Guess that really does make the difference for an IPA...

A - An impressive 1/2 inch of sticky rocky head atop of a quite hazy colored amber brown beer. Not bad.
S - Not as piney as I figured which is kind of a relief, citrus and melon hops dominate with a mild bit of sweet malts to the balance.
T - Ok this has to be old because it's hardly bitter. In fact I am kind of digging it since it has a nice bittering hop to woody sweeter malt bill. I want to say it's like a barleywine but that's simply not true. It does have some hops clinging to the palate so it does have some edge. Reminds me of ruination...
M - Light to medium dangerously drinkable despite the age. Not bad.

Overall not that I regret picking up a whole six pack for 10 bucks this is one drinkable old DIPA. Not notable alcohol taste and great balance of hops to malt make for a very drink able brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2013 23:52:29 | More by DrDemento456

CloudStrife

New York

4.18/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip.

A: Pours a clear amber with a one finger slightly yellowed head. Not much visible carbonation in the body. Leaves some spots of lacing on the glass.

S: Loads of fresh hop are the first thing you smell, reminds me of a brewhouse. A blend of resinous pine, earthiness and citrus. Solid malt backing on this baby, can tell this is going to be a heavy brew.

T: As the name hints, this is one hop bomb of a palate wrecker. Dominant hops and strong bitterness permeate this brew. Malts make an attempt to back it up but hops win over. Pinyness and earthiness come from the hop. Quite a bitter beer.

M: Full body with a nectar like feel, a bit sticky from the abundance of hops. Low carbonation. Booze is warming but doesnt show up too much on the tongue.

Overall this is a tasty beer for serious hop heads only. Great hop profile that nails the double IPA category.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2013 19:35:43 | More by CloudStrife

adam42381

Florida

4.18/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a goblet. Bottled on 3/13/13 printed on bottle.

Appearance: Pours a medium golden color with yellow-orange highlights and a 2 finger fluffy off-white head. Very good lacing throughout.

Smell: Sweet candied fruit, pineapple, bitter citrus, a touch of pine. Extremely hoppy with just a touch of malty sweetness in the background.

Taste: Lemon zest up front followed by pine in the middle before ending with a blast of grapefruit rind at the finish. The alcohol comes through a little as it warms up. Aftertaste is extremely bitter and long-lasting. The name definitely rings true on this one.

Mouthfeel: Medium-to-full-bodied with a good amount of carbonation. The hop oils really coat the entire mouth.

Drinkability: Decent drinkability. You probably wouldn't want multiples due to the fact that your palate probably can't handle more than one bottle.

Overall: Very good beer overall. Quite possibly the most bitter beer I've tried to date with the possible exception of Moylan's Hopsickle. I'd recommend this one to the true hopheads out there.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 23:42:07 | More by adam42381