Name: Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster
Brewer: Half Baked Brewing Collective (Philippines)
Style: Mixed-Style Beer (Base Style: Specialty IPA: New England IPA)
ABV: 10.8%
Review Year: 2021
The Half Baked Brewing Collective mothership is bound for another realm. Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster is the last solo-brewed concoction of the Collective’s founder, Chris, and was inspired by The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy. This hazy Triple IPA clocks in at 10.8% ABV and was brewed with Citra Incognito, Citra, Mosaic, and loaded with Nelson Sauvin hops.
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as a Mixed-Style Beer (34B) with the Specialty IPA: New England IPA (21B) as the base style in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.
As of this writing, the “Triple IPA” is not an official and explicit style in the BJCP; thus, these beers still lack a comprehensive set of style guidelines. For the hazy and juicy variants, these Triple IPAs could simply be bigger-than-double versions of a New England IPA or Hazy IPA with an ABV of around 10%.
TASTING NOTES
Opaque pale straw with a low white head. The initial aroma was of moderate mango peel. As the beer settled, the noted mango peel was joined by a kaleidoscope of citrus, tropical, and stone fruit aromas with low accents of pungent sulfury hop characteristics (e.g., garlic and onion) as well as resin. Medium-full body with moderate carbonation. A wave of prominent hop flavors rushed in on the first sip: think of lemon zest, pineapple, resin, peach, berries, and mango. These flavors were backed by a moderately low bready malt backbone with hints of oats. Bitterness was assertive; off-dry finish (low residual sweetness). A low peppery “hop burn” was present while others noted a subtle umami quality. Impressions of lemon zest, resin, and the noted bitterness lingered as these brought this beer to a proper close. No harsh/ burning alcohol perceived.
THE VERDICT
Triple IPAs, particularly the hazy and juicy variants, still lack a comprehensive set of formal guidelines. But based on the Triple IPAs we have tried so far, it seems these beers tend to be very rich and exude explosive hop aromas and flavors despite weighing in at an ABV somewhere around 10%.
Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster is a massive beer that unleashed waves and waves of fruity hop characteristics. Alcohol was nowhere to be found in the aroma and flavor, but we noticed that the perceived bitterness was higher than the other Triple IPAs we have tried so far. From the mosaic of hop aromas and flavors, the distinct lemon zest and mango peel were familiar as these are recurring themes in Half Baked’s (Chris) hazy beers. The pungent hop qualities (e.g., onion, garlic), which are associated with the newer American hop varieties, were subtle and ultimately did not get in the way of the fruity characteristics mentioned. All in all, we think Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster is an excellent beer.
So long and thanks for all the fish, Chris!
Related Reviews:
Half Baked Brewing Collective
Craft Beer from the Philippines
