Thrust! is an
India pale ale by way of Toronto. A member of GLB's Tank Ten series,
it's sold in 650mL bottles adorned with a goofy space travel scene. At
6.5% alcohol, it's neither too strong nor is it disappointingly soft. We're
dealing here with a very murky, auburn-orange ale that pours with a
thick and juicy cream-hued head. Juicy is a good adjective for this
beer's nose too, as its bursting with papaya, mango, and peach notes,
laid over a modestly hoppy foundation. According to the bottle, 72 IBUs
are the name of the Thrust! game, though it doesn't feel quite that
bitter. The flavour won't knock you out with fruity notes, but it might
pack enough of a wallop to give you a fat lip or a black eye. Among
other things, the bottle promised lychee, and they weren't lying. It's
not particularly dry or crisp; rather, there is a jovial, bouncy
mouthfeel. My only beef comes at the finish, where a bit more zeal could
have clinched it--for all the verve out front, the back end it a tad
ordinary. But just a tad.
While I was glad to
spot bottles of Thrust! at the store for me to bring home and review,
it's really a beer to be enjoyed in good company, making lots of noise.
Boisterous, I'd call it. I've reviewed a lot of IPAs from GLB. While
they tend to be very good (easily among Ontario's finest), Thrust!
offers a little something different. It certainly doesn't taste like an
Upper Canadian craft beer. With all of the fruit nectar coursing through
this stuff, I'da guessed it hailed from the hop mad Oregon/Washington
belt or someplace exotic like New Zealand. A saucy, sexy ale that you
should buy. And we should all lobby GLB to make this stuff a part of
their regular rotation.
Rating: 9.0 out of 10.
Thrust is one of the most bitter IPA that GLB has made...Somewhere between Octopus wants to Fight and Robohop. Karma Citra is far more sessionable and tasty...
ReplyDeleteThe bitter backend of Thrust makes it hard to share with non-hopheads and even more hard to session. 1 or 2 bottles shared with 3 or 4 friends seems about right.