Green Flash Brewing Company was founded in 2002 by Lisa and Mike Hinkley in Vista, California. Now up to about 65,000 barrels per year, Green Flash moved to their headquarters in San Diego, California in 2011. Known for their consistent product, GF has a stellar example of the West Coast IPA, and hoppy beer in general. 2014 was a huge year for GF. They broke ground in Virginia for their first East Coast brewery and finalized a partnership with Alpine Beer Company. The brewery in Virginia Beach will allow GF to quickly increase their distribution channels and establish themselves as a soon-to-be powerhouse on the East Coast. With the new addition of Alpine, the brewery hopes to start bottling and distributing bottles in 2015. This is huge news and a treat for all the hop heads out there. Not only does GF push out some hop-forward beers, Alpine takes it to a whole other level. Excitement sets in thinking about what we have to look forward to in 2015 from these guys. Anyways, staying with the hop train, onto the review.

Green Flash – Palate Wrecker Imperial India Pale Ale (9.5% ABV, 55 IBU)

Date: October 2014, Batch 13

Served in cold tulip glass

Appearance – half finger foam on pour, amber in color, nice steady level of carbonation, clear and crisp

Aroma – piney, grapefruit on the nose, tropical citrus, grassy notes

Mouthfeel – full body, carbonation,  coats the mouth with nice punch of hops (which isn’t surprising with 6lbs per barrel), sweet notes that help even things out

Taste – piney hops, pineapple, hint of mango, slight resin taste, bitter grapefruit

Finish – little alcohol that shines through, very bitter finish, makes you thirsty for more with the bitter aftertaste

Personal recommendation for food/cheese pairings: grilled chicken, shrimp and pork tacos, veggie kebabs, blue cheese, sharp cheddar, Munster, Limburger.

Overall: 8.9

This is a top notch Imperial IPA. The huge notes of pine, grapefruit and resin immediately fill your nose with amazing aroma. The liquid coats the mouth and tongue as you begin to consume, making it extremely difficult to put down. Anytime I see this on the shelves I jump on it; the more more recent the bottle date, the better. Don’t sit on this guy – make sure to drink it as fresh as possible. Personally, I am super excited about the new location opening up in 2016. This is a short drive from central Virginia and is due to make a big splash in the ever-growing market on the East Coast. Just make sure to bring the Alpine along!

Cheers!