Ripe Invader
Great Notion Brewing

I'll be honest, I've never been a huge fan of Space Invader; there's absolutely no denying that it's a superbly brewed beer, but I'm just not that big on the pineapple, raw onion, pseudo-tropical fruit notes that tend to accompany Galaxy, and to the delight of Galaxy fans everywhere, Space Invader's cup runneth over.

But combine those elements with those found in my second favorite beer from Great Notion, and you get a combination as prolific as coffee and creme. Orange, pineapple, sweet papaya, and soft juicy peaches coalition to form the primary olfactory impression of this brew. As time and temperature take their toll on the beer, however, the more "raw" and bitter elements come out to play: sharp onion, dank grass, grapefruit rinds, and light cracker-y malts become relevant points of consideration.

Ah yes, the flavors. An intoxicating amalgamation of bright juicy citrus, honeyed pineapple, passionfruit, yellow grapefruit, and an almost spicy raw onion / vegetal flavor just dominates your palate upon first sip. A similar pattern arises upon the palate as it did on the nose as some of the more bitter and dry elements take over with the passage of time: the onion, grass, and a powder-like grainy oat flavor become more dominant as you let the brew lay dormant in your glass.

Medium-light bodied, with a sticky, creamy, slick consistency. Carbonation is somewhat prickly but not in any way burdensome; and like all of the Great Notion offerings I've tried thus far, the brew finishes dry without a semblance of heat. I said it in my story, and I'll say it again: the biggest quality of life improvement of last year was moving to some place within a 40-minute driving distance to 2204 NE Alberta St #101, Portland, OR 97211.