West Coast IPA
Green Flash Brewing Co.

4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

From a 6-week-old can, so reasonably fresh. Pours a deep, clear copper. Off-white foam. Smells like pine and taste like grapefruit pith. Big bitterness, slightly offset with some sweet malt. A big West Coast IPA, as advertised. Delicious.

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4.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A traditional dry-feeling California IPA, where the bitterness outpaces the citrus flavors. Fairly malty as well. It is very well balanced and has prominent pine notes. Unique and excellent.

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3.98/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Nice amber with fluffy finger width head that leaves lacing, low citrus smell, medium bitterness bready leaves a hint of alcohol flavor like a vodka in the back of your throat, good body good carbonation

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4.59/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Look: Copper colored with an inch of orangish head. Minimal lacing
Smell: Pine is primary on the nose with some citrus in the background.
Taste: Resinous pine is at the forefront. Bitter is ahead of malt at first but the malt catches up.
Feel: Full and dry. Plenty of carbonation. Bubbles are so fine that it feels more like happiness than carbonation.
Overall: I had high hopes for this beer since it is very highly rated. I was not disappointed at all. This will be in my regular rotation from now on.

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4.27/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Old school West Coast IPA. Puts clear amber with a nice white head with good retention. Hop forward, piney aroma and taste. Classic beer type down very very well.

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3.17/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

"Best by 4/28/15"; drank 1/17/15 @ the Yarchives.

Clear dark orange appearance.

HUGE off-white head; frothy lace.

Honey, fresh pine, mango & caramel nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Grapefruit, caramel & mild mango flavors up front; a slightly bruising, bitter finish. Extreme cotton-mouth set in over the course of the session.

Nice flavors that are overwhelmed by bitterness.

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3.91/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Color was a bit darker than normal and the smell wasn't pleasant but maybe it was my glass that came straight from my freezer. Benefit of the doubt. I like Green Flash and am a fan of their beers. This West Coast IPA had a bit more carbonation than expected, but good citrus, pine, and hoppy tastes with a little more of a bitter aftertaste that lasted longer than I would have liked.

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4.49/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Been wanting to try this beer for 3-4 years now and finally here it is! Surpisingly it was much more a typical West Coast IPA than I imagined - but there was one thing about it: its originality, that makes it unforgettable.
As a West Coast IPA, it bears its trademarks in the aroma and the taste with earth and pine, resinous hops. But its taste has something more than that: the way the hops are blended together is very unique. It has this raw hop feeling to it but very in a refined and noble fashion. It has more hop bitterness than you would expect, has this raw hop quality but not overdoing it and in the end it turns into a kind of summer fruit I wasn’t able to decipher. Watermelon? Pink grapefruit? Not sure. But what I am sure is that I loved this beer and am very happy for finally having a chance to try it.
Oh, here are the liner notes:

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE HORIZON.
A MONUMENTAL ADVENTURE OF HOPS

MADE WITH FIVE DIFFERENT HOPS FOR COMPLEX LAYERS OF PINE, FLORAL, & RIPE CITRUS AROMAS

A TOAST FROM THE COAST
Part legend, part luck, the elusive green flash is a San Diego sensation. But to us, it's more than a burst of brilliant green light as the sun sets into the sea - it's a magical moment that signals the end of an extraordinary day and the start of an epic night on the horizon.

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3.97/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours a clear burnt orange. Some have commented on the head, but mine poured a bubbly mess and went flat immediately. Perhaps this was a bad bottle.

S: Lovely smell. Citrus, floral, and light bready notes. Extremely fragrant. Sweet with a touch of pine

T: Hops hops and more hops. Starts off sweet and goes to dry very quick. It's pungent with a bit of astringency. Ends with a long drawn out bitterness.

O: Not what I was expecting. Not as bitter as I expected with 90 IBU. Doesn't feel like I'm drinking straight hops, but it feels like hop essence was distilled. Not my cup of tea, but glad I tried it.

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4.19/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22 oz bomber - back in Canada for first time in ages. Note this is a 7.0% 95 IBU version.
Deep reddish copper pour - clear with a finger of slightly caramel coloured head.
Aroma initially a bit muted but as warmed straight up pine, grapefruit, with caramel malt in back.
Taste is piney hop forward, caramel malt, grapefruit, sweetness is there only to hit hard with the bitterness that keeps bringing you back.
Full bodied mouthfeel - carbonation perfect - bitterness lingers seemingly forever. An old time IPA - wonderful.

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4.31/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

From notes 8/23/13: Pours a chill hazed coppery orange producing 2 fingers of beige, frothy, somewhat lasting head that leaves a nice coating of lace. Aroma is heavenly resinous pine, floral, a touch of citrus and a faint tropical hint with caramel malt and hint of vanilla. Taste is up front pine, citrus (heavy to grapefruit) and tropical hops backed by caramel malt sweetness. Finishes with a hop bite and bitterness that intensifies and lingers long in the aftertaste. A solid example of the style.

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2.42/5  rDev -42.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

[Original rating 2015-11-26] Pours clear orange/gold with a medium off white head. Aroma is grass, pine, alcohol. Taste is bitter hops, way too bitter with not much balance. This is my second try with this beer. I didn’t care for it the first time but didn’t rate it at the time, gave it another shot. I won’t try it again, there are many better DIPAs out there.

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4.04/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

On tap. Loads of old school earthy hop flavors. Deep bitterness over fruity, pine and resinous hops. Medium body with moderate carbonation. Orange/gold and basically clear with a thick foamy head. Full flavored, not holding back on hop bitterness.

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4.21/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Great stuff. Hot day in SD and I wanted something refreshing. This hits the spot. One of the best-looking beers I've seen in a while. Crystal clear bronze color, glassy. Great mouthfeel and refreshing apple/grapefruit taste. Not a hop bomb (thank god). Smell is a bit weak, but that's OK.

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4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Wowzers. You better like hops.

Look: Copper, clear, densely carbonated and a thin, persistent white head.

Nose: Orange marmalade hoppy fruit honey flowers. Yep.

Taste: Sweet hop fruit funk. Bitter and piney with complex layers of stone fruits (apricot, mango, peach...) taking turns tickling your palate and fancy. Caramel malts present but hops overpower in a good way.

Mouthfeel: Active carbonation on the tongue, medium bodied with a dry fish. West Coast!

Damned fine beer.

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3.65/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottled 1/29/18 (67 days ago) poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass at fridge temp 8.1% ABV 95 IBU. The beer pours mostly bright with a tiny bit of sediment. It is light copper in color with sticky eggshell colored head. The aroma is a mix of pine, caramel, faint citrus and dank. The taste is partly bitter up front with some sweet caramel overtones and a heavily bitter, tea-like finish. Mouthfeel is thin bodied, adequately carbonated and dry in the finish. Overall, fair. I'm not sure what happened to this IPA. This bottle tastes like a session IPA with ABV cranked up to 8.1 with sugar. Thinnest body I've ever seen in a double IPA.

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4.36/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours orange haze with thick fine mesh head.
Smell is a real balanced one. Lots of fresh citrus notes a little spice and hints of biscuit and sweet bread.
Taste starts off really spicy then strong hop bitterness that we all have come to love, and finishes out nice to malty but not too malty cause that is not how we do it on the west coast.
For me not full bodied which I actually like kind of in between full bodied and light.
Overall this beer blew my mind one of the best ipas you can get ur lips around love this beer probably best IPA around.

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4.61/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured into a tulip glass: color is light amber with an off white head presenting about one finger thick then dissipating to a with a nice lacing on the glass.

Smell exactly what you would expect from a quality double ipa with good earthiness, solid pine, and great lingering citrus rind.

Taste equal to the aroma:very hop forward with pine, citrus rind, herbal notes and earthiness; malt is a good backbone.

Mouthfeel is big bitterness, solid malt backbone, light to moderate carbonation.

Overall: an excellent DIPA with big hop flavors that lean towards pine/herbal/floral with just enough bitter citrus rind and maltiness.

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4.04/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

L) Pours a honey colored amber with great retention and lacing.

S) Nose is dank, citrussy, and floral. There is a sweet, honey like aroma that is harmonious with the hoppage.

T) Everything in the nose is on the palate with the addition of grapefruit rind and spice. It is juicy and delicious.

F) Has a creamy mouthfeel for the style. Perfectly carbonated.

O) An easy recommendation to hotheads or anyone looking to get totally toasted on a 6 pack.

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4.02/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Cloudy orangish yellow with good white head and nice lacing. Fruity and kinda spicy smell and taste. Good finishing bitterness. Nice beer!

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3.43/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

A 330ml bottle with a BB of Feb 2019. Acquired recently from a webshop. Upon examining the label closely, I notice that this is contract-brewed by Brasserie St. Feuillien in Belgium. The label mentions that this has five layers of hops: Columbus, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe and Citra.

A: Poured into an IPA glass. Bottle conditioned. A deep orange-amber colour with intense carbonation and some floating sediment. Yields a huge head of creamy white foam that lasts for a while before slowly reducing to a patchy surface layer. Nice lacing.

S: Aroma of spicy yeast esters with hints of grass/hay, subtle floral notes, vague fruitiness, caramel malt, leafiness and faint pine. Pleasant enough in its own right but not to style. The expected hop character is either missing or faded, while the yeast character seems distinctly Belgian.

T: Tastes of fruity yeast esters with notes of light pine resin, mild weed, a touch of citrus, floral hints, grass/hay, subtle spice, earthiness, caramel malt and leafiness. Pretty dry, followed by a substantial hop bitterness upon swallowing. Again, the expected aromatic character seems to be almost absent.

M: Mouthfeel is smooth, tingly and dry, with spritzy carbonation and good body. Quite astringent; dries the palate. Aftertaste of fruity yeast esters, spice, leafy bitterness, grass/hay, faint fruitiness and subtle malt.

O: Hmmm - not what I was expecting. I can't tell if this is just old or has been made in a way that defies expectations. Looks alright, while the aroma and flavour are OK but lacking in the hop aroma and character that would usually be present in a DIPA. Nice body. Possesses a decidedly Belgian yeast profile but I don't know if Green Flash originally used a Belgian yeast to brew this beer. So, it might be old or it might be brewed to a different spec from the US version. Anyway, it's a nice enough brew but isn't really to style. Caveat emptor.

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3.94/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draft,taster at WL.

A: poured a surprisingly dark (these days) copper-orange with little visible carb, a little off-white head and decent lacing and retention.

S: hard time smelling this out of a taster. More aromatic than tropical IPA or Hi-5, but nothing special; citrus, floral, pine.

T: surprisingly less bitter than it was made out to be. Imbalances in favor of hops, but not overwhelmingly so. Fair enough malt balance that I am actually enjoying this. Not much sweetness, but plenty of floral, citrus, grassy hops. ABV is deceptively hidden - very drinkable.

M: lighter end of mid-weight. Relatively active carbonation makes it seem light, easy to drink. Clean finish, less lingering hops than expected.

O: I liked this more than I thought I would. Suppose I'll have to revisit at home.

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4.32/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a single-serve bottle into a simple pub glass.

Pours a fine slightly-hazy copper with a two-finger head and good sticky lacing throughout. A nice-looking beer.

The nose is a nice balance of malt and bitter. The malt backbone is readily apparent and hits first, and balances a strong back-blast of citrusy, not piney, hops. Overall, though, the aroma is perhaps a bit subdued.

The malt spine carries over to the palate, and is a great counterpoint to the undeniable hop storm that follows. Although the hops were almost exclusively citrus on the nose, resin/pine notes creep up on the back of the tongue not unlike a "stealth burn" from deceptively spicy food. There is just a touch of boozy warmth that completes the package. A nice quaff.

The mouthfeel is pretty spectacular. Medium to full bodied (thanks to the strong malt inspiration) but crisp and light nonetheless. Very drinkable, although the ABV will kick your you-know-what if you try to session it.

Overall, this is a very well-balanced IPA offering that I would strongly recommend. I am actually a "late arrival" to the IPA ball, having been put off by other offerings that were trying to win an IBU prize with little nuance. This is a truly-hoppy, yet very drinkable DIPA that checks every box.

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2.48/5  rDev -41.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Maybe I had a bad one.... But upon opening it smelled of stinky socks and hops. Almost no head after pour. The look was decent, though with a heavy amount of mysterious floaties. Sadly, the taste was just like the smell. Again, maybe I got a bad one, but as a guy who loves IPAs and DIPAs, this was rough. Definitely not exceptional. I, however, may give it the benefit of the doubt and try it again in hopes that mine was bad....

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4.04/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

It has a very classic IPA look coming out of the bottle - nothing to complain about there. The flavor is rich, very piney with some citrus, but without the sticky mouthfeel or bitter aftertaste that some IPAs have. I get a little bit of a boozy warm feeling going down, which I like. It doesn't blow me away but it's a solid, fairly drinkable double IPA.

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