Green Flash West Coast IPA

Green Flash West Coast IPA. Extravagantly Hopped. 7.3% aBV.

Green Flash West Coast IPA, San Diego, CA. 7.3% ABV.

Very hazed, deep crimson coloration, under a copious cap of of creamy foamation. Lookin' good.

Aroma: dank, rank, damp, and obtuse. Rich fruitification, citrus all over, cherry and berry, apple and grape, with whispers of cognac around. Piney a bit, as well.

Taste: Boom, boom, boom, there it is, vast and fat, luscious and loose. A cacophony of bitter hop sensations exploding on the tongue. It jumps off the tongue and spills all over the mouth, the back, the front, the attic, the front porch, the backyard and the rain gutters. Prickly potent pungent trickily tickling bristling bitter bounty…or something. Right on the money. Massive bitterness. Astringency aplenty.


This is exactly an exemplar of the very synonym of what is known as the West Coast IPA. I wonder why a San Diego brewery bothers with a label like that. Are they doing a MidWest IPA next? I'm going to read the label to find out.

"A menagerie of hops is layered throughout the brewing process: Simcoe for unique fruitiness and grapefruit zest, Columbus for strong hop pungency, Centennial for pine and citrus notes and cascade for floral aroma. A multi-dimensional hop experience."

There are many layers here, and many dimensions, tons of flavor, magnificent zest and it's just an incredible ale. I like it a lot.

Just as with the last entry, their trip(p)el, I found that I'd had this one before, after taking new notes. And because I hate waste, I'll share those notes from April, 2006 with you now. See how generous I am? It's two reviews in one!

"Cloudy amber hue, big, pudding-y, lace-leaver of a head, 1/2" and long-lasting.

Aroma: wide-open hoppitude, big, bold and brassy, loads of citric tones, piney resins, lemon rinds, pineapple, bristling bitterness...ni-i-ice.

Big, bad, full mouthfeel. Large occupation of palate. Dominant bitterness, but utterly delicious. Extremeness to the extreme. A blast of flavor, sizzling the tongue, and delivering unremittently, absolutely, astonishingly fantastically...wait, what was I saying? Oh, yeah, ...tastes great!
More please!

(I could go for a few of these, yessirree...)"