West Coast IPA

Since 2002, Green Flash Brewing Company has been delivering superbly crafted, idiosyncratic brews to what has become a nationwide audience.With annual production approaching 90,000 barrels, Green Flash’s recent expansion has resulted in a broadened appreciation of its West Coast IPA. Loaded with piney, citrusy hops, yet still showing off a clean maltiness, this beer’s aroma embraces its Southern California roots. Tom admired the intertwining of malt and hop in the nose, praising the “complex, yet pleasant blend of lemon, orange peel, and pine resin.” He also picked up some alcohol, but felt the “light caramel sweetness keeps it at bay.” Big, juicy pineapple and lychee aromas jumped out at Pete, who thought they worked well with the more subdued notes of lemon zest and Ritz crackers. A brilliantly clear beer, West Coast IPA pours saturated amber, almost touching on bronze, draped in a creamy, pure white head that refuses to subside. Lee found the overall flavor profile “very IPA-ish and doing a workhorse job,” but thought it lacked punch and definition of truly classic examples. Tim liked the “robust, malty backbone” accentuated by slightly sour grapefruit, lemon and peach jam flavors, saying the overall effort was “perfectly integrated, with all elements working in harmony.” West Coast IPA is intensely flavorful, bracingly bitter, and dangerously quaffable – which is exactly why it deserves a place in any beer fridge.