Green Flash Brewing–Palate Wrecker (NOW in Bottles!), Rayon Vert, Shaggy, Hop Head Red, Le Freak, Grand Cru & Trippel

I’ve always enjoyed the brews coming out of Green Flash Brewing from San Diego, CA, so it was fun to see some 12oz and 22oz packaging updates (make that lots of packaging updates) coming out of Green Flash today.  Other than the overhaul on Le Freak, Grand Cru & Trippel, these appear to be all design and color changes to their original packages.   The big news here is that Palate Wrecker DIPA  (Hamilton’s Ale) will go from a keg-only brew to a 12oz bottle, and the new names Rayon Vert (formerly Belgian Pale) and Shaggy (formerly Barleywine) will now be used.  UPDATE 5/25:  West Coast IPA &Double Stout (12 & 22oz) approved today.

Palate Wrecker Coming Mid-March 2012:

(San Diego, CA) – Green Flash Brewing Co. proudly announces the national seasonal release of Palate Wrecker™.

Until now, the San Diego craft brewery’s legendary Triple IPA has been available solely on draft and in limited release quantities. Beginning in March 2012, Palate Wrecker will be available on store shelves in 22oz bottle and 12 oz 4-packs as a 2012 Spring offering. This beer gets its name from the strong effect it has on the palate and it’s likelihood to cause “palate fatigue” because it is so intensely hoppy and flavorful. It was first brewed in 2008 through an innovative double brewing process developed by Green Flash’s Brewmaster, Chuck Silva.

“Palate Wrecker is a highly sought after beer, the most complicated West Coast–inspired IPA we have ever brewed,” says Mike Hinkley, Co-Founder and President of Green Flash Brewing Co. “Fans of Green Flash and hoppy beer know when it’s coming to taps in their area and they will belly up to the bar to get a rare taste of what has been called ‘the hoppiest beer on the planet’.” It was this ale’s ardent fan following that inspired the brewery to bottle and sell Palate Wrecker nationally.

The Technical Process:
Because of the volume of hops (6 lbs. per barrel) and the complicated special processes utilized, is a exciting challenge for the Green Flash brewing team. Ironically, it was originally brewed during the 2008 hop crisis as a special release in honor of San Diego’s beloved craft beer-focused tavern, Hamilton’s, in celebration of their 2nd Anniversary. Chuck Silva came up with a new method to make intensely hoppy IPA by performing a double brew to make a single beer. First, there is a single infusion mash and subsequent boil at 65 IBU with Columbus and Centennial hops. Then a second, duplicate mash using the 65 IBU wort instead of water and another 65 IBU boil using the same hop schedule. The result is a higher gravity beer with kettle caramelizing in place of crystal malts, an elevated hop flavor and bitterness that could not be achieved in a single brew.

The Flavor Profile:
Because of the hops used and the innovative double brewing process, Palate Wrecker has a rich bitterness with a sophisticated quality of depth. The aroma is floral and tropical with notes of ruby red grapefruit, pineapple, subtle malt, caramel, biscuit, mango and apricot. On the palate, it is extraordinarily hoppy, zesty, citrusy with grapefruit and malt notes. It strikes a balance that is both refreshing and flavorful, with an intensely hopped character. In 2011, Palate Wrecker won the Michael Jackson American Cask Award at the Great British Beer Festival out of more than 100 entries.

Palate Wrecker will be on store shelves nationally in 22oz bottles and four-packs by mid-March 2012 as a seasonal release for the spring. It is 100+ IBUS and 9.5% ABV.