Beer Valley Leafer Madness Imperial Pale Ale gives Green Flash IPA a run for its money

Meeting Karl for a $5 burger and a beer at Whole Foods after work. Wine is 1/2 off on Mondays so his glass is only $2 bucks, and it ain't now two buck chuck. I chose a Beer Valley Leafer Madness, a brewery named after a magical Shangri-La where the beer flows like wine.

It's a 9% Imperial IPA, which puts the beer in the same league as Sierra Nevada's Hoptimum. It's super bitter, filled with grassy hops like the Green Coast IPA. They didn't pull any punches here, this is like a wacked out of his mind Mike Tyson. 

Karl and I disagree here, because I'm not a huge fan but he believe it's excellent, far better than the Hoptimum and I disagree. The Hoptimum hid the alcohol well and the hops hit you but didn't knock your teeth out. It was subtle but powerful. This is simply a difference in style, whether you enjoy a very raw IPA or something a little bit smoother. For me, it's the later but if you enjoy the former, check this feller out. ARMAGEDDON rating.