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Green Flash Brewing Co. IPA
I have been a fan of the Green Flash Brewing Company for some time now. I first encountered this brewery in Seattle at a beer store in the Green Lake area called Bottleworks. Bottleworks has a fantastic selection of beer and they also fill growlers, which is enough said in my book. Anyway, I am a fan of GF brewery and I will be visiting them in September so look for a post on a visit to Green Flash then.
The West Coast IPA brewed in the San Diego area, is a tasty brew. This IPA is exactly why I drink IPAs. With a 7.3% ABV and 95 IBUs, I can say that without even knowing what this beer taste like, this will be a delightful experience. Personally I gravitate towards a very bitter beer with a subtle sweetness throw in for good measure. This beer is just that.
When this beer is first opened you notice right away that it is different than most IPAs. The hoppy smell is very pungent and powerful. This tells you right away if you will like it based on your hops tolerance. Mine tolerance is through the roof. The smell also gives off a nice citrus tone that can be contributed to the Centennial and Simcoe hops that is used to craft this fine beer. The color that is seen in my American pint glass is copper with honey overtones. Another preconceived sign of delight or dissatisfaction is the large amount of sediment that is present. Another plus for me.
The sensation on your tongue that this beer produces in your mouth during your first gulp is radiating! The combination of the four hops, Centennial, Simcoe, Columbus, and Cascade, creates an extravaganza in your mouth that I can not convey in this post. First your tongue is dominated with bitterness, which turns into a sweet citrus inflection. After the next sip you will notice a very light oil in your mouth. This is over looked unless you are trying to notice it. During your consumption you also notice the fruity and floral tones given to this beer by the large amount of hops used to brew this IPA.
My overall experience of this beer is utter satisfaction. The West Coast IPA is fresh and I can not wait to have it again. This beer is an absolute compliment to my homemade spicy spaghetti and veggies. I was not sure at first if our spicy dinner would make the bitterness overpowering and I had thoughts to finish my beer before eating since I was enjoying it so much. I am glad I saved some for the meal. I give this beer a 1 on the EGS!
Like I said, I am going to California on a climbing trip and I will be taking a few days to visit six or seven breweries. I will be going to Green Flash to shake the hand of the Brew Master who crafted this “Extravagantly Hopped” IPA and ask for another one off the tap.
Go Drink an IPA!!!!