May 6th, 2017 - Like The Palate Wrecker, You Should Practice What You Preach!

Good evening head-bangers and hop-lovers!  In honor and preparation of tomorrow night's Testament concert here in Utah (cannot freakin' wait!!), tonight I'm pairing "Practice What You Preach" by Testament and a Palate Wrecker Imperial India Pale Ale from Green Flash Brewing Company! 

Album Info:

• Artist: Testament
• Title: "Practice What You Preach"
• Recorded: 1989 at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California
• Release date: August 4th, 1989 (3rd studio album by Testament
• Record company: Atlantic Records / Megaforce
• Production: Alex Perialas
• Album cover art: William Benson
• Personnel:  Chuck Billy (lead vocals), Greg Christian (bass), Louie Clemente (drums), Eric Peterson (lead and rhythm guitars), and Alex Skolnick (lead and rhythm guitars)
• Additional musicians: Elliot Cahn (backing vocals), Bogdan Jablonski (baking vocals), Willy Lang (backing vocals), and Mark Walters (backing vocals)
• Musical style: Thrash metal, speed metal, heavy metal
• Sound: Powerful and aggressive, the sound on "Practice What You Preach" is not only definitive Testament, but definitive thrash metal... thunderous and pounding bass from Christian, machine gun fire drumming from Clemente, fiery and masterful guitar intensity from Peterson and Skolnick, and Chuck Billy's unique, honest, and aggressive vocals!!  Perfection!!
• Major themes: Social, religious, and political criticisms, the occult, greed, corruption, freedom, hypocrisy, etc.
• Tracks:

1. "Practice What You Preach"
2. "Perilous Nation"
3. "Envy Life"
4. "Time Is Coming"
5. "Blessed In Contempt"
6. "Greenhouse Effect"
7. "Sins Of Omission"
8. "The Ballad"
9. "Nightmare (Coming Back to You)"
10. "Confusion Fusion"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Company (San Diego, California)
• Website: http://www.greenflashbrew.com/
• Brew: Palate Wrecker Imperial India Pale Ale
• Style: Imperial India Pale Ale (IIPA) / Double IPA (DIPA)
• Serving: 12 ounce bottle
• ABV: 9.5%
• IBUs: 100+
• Ingredients: Centennial, Columbus, and Simcoe hops
• Pour: The Palate Wrecker pours a clear, deep bronze with a thin, yet firm white head with lots of layered lacing throughout.
• Nose: The nose is a very hop-forward punch of pine and citrus along with a solid caramel backbone.  There are aromas of grapefruit rind, lemon zest, pine resin, cedar, juniper, and kettle caramel.
• Taste: The taste is a bold, bitter, and very hoppy blast of earthy, citrusy, and sweet flavors.  There are notes of bitter and biting grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, black tea, bitter herbs, pine, juniper, and sweet caramel / toffee.
• Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied and moderately carbonated, the mouthfeel of the Palate Wrecker is very biting and gripping bitterness coupled with sticky, syrupy, and an oily feel with a very dry and very bitter finish.

Overall pairing: Like Testament's "Practice What You Preach", the Palate Wrecker from Green Flash Brewing is a very aggressive, wonderfully crafted beast that will kick your ass... and you'll like it!!  This is the real deal folks... no whiners allowed!  :) 

Cheers and hails rockers!!