Green Flash West Coast IPA

Brewed by Green Flash Brewing Co.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Vista, California USA

Piney hop aroma emerged when I popped the cap, pours a hazy orange gold copper, has a foamy white head with a few off-white bubbles here and there, look vicous in the glass, bubbles hung out for a while, leaves lots of bubbly lacing on the glass, aroma of sweet malt, some caramel, big fruit fragrance of orange and red grapefruit, lots of pine and floral hops on the nose, has a big hop bite with fruit malt flavor to balance, flavor of orange, red grapefruit, caramel and sweet pale malt, a touch of vanilla in the mouth, pine needles on the tongue, great bitterness that rises and stands firm through the finish, bitterness lingers past the finish a balanced brew, more then a medium mouth feel, not over carbonated, a great IPA.

(On tap) This was a typical "uber-hopped" IPA. I was not terribly impressed. The aroma is of hop, little else. The hops taste a little like caraway and have a lot of bite, but without being crisp. The high alcohol content makes this beer seem heavy, but without the malt being rich. Overall, I thought this beer left a lot to be desired. The fact that it gets such high ratings disturbs me so much...where is the subtly, the balance? There are far better IPA’s out there. In my opinion, you can’t make a good IPA by shoving lots of malt into a high-alcohol-content beer. You need to actually craft the beer to work as a whole, with malt that actually has flavour. This one tastes like it was thrown together hastily. It is poorly executed.

Pours a clear reddish amber color with a big lasting beige head. Smell is big and hoppy with sweet candy malt and pine and citrus hops. Very nice nose. Taste is piney and resiny hops and nicely balanced with some sweet fruity malt behind, but with the bitter, piney-ness lingering after each sip. Very solid, and nicely bittered IPA but a bit thinner of a mouthfeel than I find ideal.

7-15-08 bottle
Pours a rich red amber with a nice stiff ivory almost beige head that is solid and very pretty. Smell is nice grapefruit hops with a floral backbone in there. Flavor is hoppy and fruity and has a nice decently bold sharp bitterness to it. Mouthfeel has a medium carbonation and a nice presence. Overall, a very good and very drinkable beer. Two thumbs up for sure.

From a 22 oz bottle this poured rich ruby red color with a big thick off-white head with pink tinges. Beautiful. Nose of caramel malts and citrus and piney hops in great balance. Good rich yet clean mouthfeel. Flavor is bitter with hints of citrus. Long bitter finish. A simply super IPA.

12 oz bottle courtesy Durhambeer. Wow, nice looking beer, pours a deep copper color with a thick off white head. Beautiful grapefruit pine aroma. Bitter, grapefruit like taste with a nice malt balance. Very nice ipa that is not as chewy as a two hearted and slightly more bitterness in the palate after, yet still holds up very well.

deep ruby pour with a nice full cream head. awesome piney, hoppy esters that smell extra fresh. very well balanced on the palate. creamy malts at first with a nice bitter, fruity hop finish. i’m glad to see that tx gets this great beer now.

Bottle from Kegs & Barrels in Plano, TX. Pours a slight hazy orange/gold with nice off-white head. Aroma has grapefruit hoppiness. Flavor of hoppy grapefruit with nice tangy bitter. Medium body with high carbonation......Very refreshing for the summer.