Written by : Corey Borchers
A little back-story on Green Flash Brewing Company:
Green Flash was started in 2002 when two pub owners decided to jump into brewing. In 2004, they got brewmaster Chuck Silva to join the team. Since then, they’ve brewed their own styles of beer, breaking traditional guidelines. Located in San Diego.
The West Coast I.P.A. has won many awards, including first place in the 2008 National IPA competition.
Iʼll typically look at the following things in a taste-test: head, color, aroma, taste, mouth-feel, and lacing. Here we go:
Head : Poured a good 2 finger thick head, cream in color. Took a while to dissipate.
Color : A nice copper color, mostly clear but a tiny bit of haze to it.
Aroma : Great hops aroma. Floral and citrus notes with a slight hint of pine.
Taste : Here’s where it gets good. A medium bodied beer hits your tongue with a little bit of saltiness to it. The carbonation is there, but not overpowering. The malts are barely present, but a bit biscuit like if I had to describe them. Then you swallow. Hops flavor Retro charges your taste buds with a strong resinous, grapefruit, pine flavor, with a little burnt hint behind it. Bitter, but balanced enough that it isn’t at all unpleasant. The bitterness lingers on your tongue for a good while, reminding you that you definitely want another sip.
Lacing :Very nice looking lacing clings to the glass. Not as much as a stout would typically provide, but enough to remind you of what once was in your glass.
So there you have it, an award winning, taste bud stabbing, helluva IPA. I wouldn’t try to MVPee chug it. Reserve it to be your “lost the match” sipper. See y’all at the other end of my chainsaw!
