Brain-stabbing

The sky was gray and dead. Great! he thought. Another day stuck in this boarded-up rat hole! He slammed the door viciously, then winced, groaning, at the brain-stabbing noise.

[…] it's particularly strong (up to 12% alcohol by volume), but what does this complex, distinctive monk mix mean to you and me? For starters, you can get the same brain-stabbing hangover you get from malt liquor at nearly three times the price.