Green Flash Distributing Alpine Bottles

At least from what I've heard, the Green Flash version of the Alpine beers aren't authentic reproductions. Maybe the bigger barrel brewing process. Maybe different material sources. Whatever the reason, not the same flavor.

 

tried both Nelson and Pure Hoppiness, both were top notch to me. I cant even imagine how good those beers are supposed to be when they come straight from Alpine (if there is a difference like everyone and their mother suggests).

havent seen Hoppy Birthday or Duet in CT yet.

 

Went to the brewery a week ago and got a growler of Nelson. As with my previous experience, it tasted far, far better than the GF-branded bottles I've been getting in northern California recently. The beer I'm getting in those bottles I wouldn't even consider remarkable. Not bad, but nothing I'd ever go out of my way to get, and wouldn't even be excited to have if that was the only beer on tap at a bar. Regular, classic Nelson, that I've known and loved from the past (and from this recent growler), however, would make me do everything in my power to remain in said bar until closing time.

I'm wondering if a lot of it just has to do with freshness. While the bottles I get up here are usually very new, as in they'll be gone within a day or two of hitting the shelves, the beer's probably not as fresh as when I get it at the brewery, where it's probably been brewed within the last week or so (have no idea if that's accurate, but it seems plausible)? Could make quite a bit of difference. Whatever it is, I'm definitely confident that the difference is not just in my head.

 

I bought some bottles of Duet, Hoppy Birthday, Willy Vanilly and Mandarin Nectar from Belmont Station yesterday. All the labels said they were brewed at Alpine and the bottles were branded Alpine. Did I luck out and get stuff from Alpine or have they changed their labeling system?

Either way, they were all top notch.

 

The beers brewed in Alpine will say "Brewed and bottled in Alpine, CA" or something similar. The GF bottles will say "Brewed and bottled in San Diego, CA" or maybe "brewed and bottled by Alpine Brewing Co in San Diego, CA". The main difference will be whether or not the bottle says "brewed in Alpine" or "brewed in San Diego".

I believe that EVERY bottle going into National distribution was brewed & bottled at Green Flash. The Alpine brewery is very small, and from what I've been told the only way to get Alpine-brewed Alpine beers is to go the brewery or pub itself.

 

Everything we get in Oregon comes from Green Flash's facility.

 

Even the kegs around San Diego come from GF now.