Thrust! An IPA

Thrust! An IPA is a beer that I've enjoyed many times before, but never in a setting fit for writing a review. Whether I was washing down some dinner with pals or late in the evening after a few too many, I've always enjoyed the stuff, but never had the right moment to take notes. That all changed recently, since Great Lakes Brewery managed to get Thrust! onto the shelf at my local liquor store. No more friends and merriment in my way--now I can have a sad, solitary pint of the stuff in my backyard on a work night. Yay?

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.