Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale Review

Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co. | Beer: Hop Head Red Ale
Style: American Red Ale | ABV: 6.0% | IBUs: 45
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

The first Green Flash brew I sampled here on PintLog was their flagship West Coast IPA, which I absolutely loved, so I was excited to pick up their American Red Ale, Hop Head Red.

These guys are known for their typically west-coast hoppy beers, so there's no doubt this is going to be a hoppy red. In fact, Green Flash themselves imply this might be more of a red/IPA hybrid.

The brewery only reveals that it's dry hopped with Amarillos, but others online have speculated that Chinooks are used for bittering. They describe the beer thusly: "Resinous hop character and bitterness balance the rich caramel malt base."

You guys ready for a red-head?

Appearance: A deep orange-brown body with a hell of a lot of sediment in solution. Up top, a finger and a half of pillowy, caramel-tinged head that features great retention and lacing.

Aroma: Just as the bottle leads you to expect: lots of Amarillo hops on top of a solid caramel base. Good stuff.

Taste: More of the same. Up front, citrusy, nicely bitter hops. Underneath, the caramel malt backbone is strong enough to keep everything from being unbalanced. The aftertaste is of bitter grapefruit.

Mouthfeel: Perhaps a little fuller than medium and smooth with moderate carbonation. Dry finish.

Drinkability: As long as you aren't afraid of hops, this is pretty sessionable brew.

Verdict: Well, the bottle really says it all, this is a generously Amarillo hopped Red Ale with a lots of caramel malt. It may blur the line between Red Ale and Pale Ale a bit, but who cares?

Grade: A

Green Flash West Coast IPA Review

Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co. | Beer: West Coast IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 7.3% | IBUs: 95
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Green Flash is a brewery with a lot of positive buzz, so when I first saw their neon green six-packs here on the shelves of Houston last year, I was pretty excited. Founded in Vista, California in 2002, Green Flash Brewing Company is the brainchild of Mike and Lisa Hinkley. The company brews up a combination of west coast and Belgian inspired beers and has racked up an impressive collection of awards and accolades.

West Coast IPA is Green Flash's flagship brew, so that's where we're starting off. The beer is pitched as an "extravagantly hopped, full flavored, medium bodied and copper colored" American IPA. The brewery doesn't disclose anything about the malt bill, but here's how they describe the hopping process:

A menagerie of hops are layered throughout the brewing process. Simcoe for unique fruitiness and grapefruit zest, Columbus for strong hop pungency, Centennial for pine and citrus notes, Cascade for floral aroma. A multi-dimensional hop experience.

Sounds like it's just up my alley. Let's dive in.

Appearance: The body is a lovely hazy and red-orange with tons of sediment in suspension (like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale). On top, a generous, fluffy, off-white head with great retention and lacing. Top-notch presentation.

Aroma: Tons of pungent, brassy, citrusy (grapefruit and orange), and piney hops fill your nose as soon as the bottle is cracked. It's almost perfumey. There's a rich caramel malt base underneath it all and a few hints of booze. There's a complex tale to unravel here.

Taste: The hops are just as present in the flavor as they are in the aroma, but more bitter and less sweet. Still very citrusy with plenty of grapefruit and juicy orange flavors. As for the caramel malt backbone, it's there, but it lets the hops take the spotlight. Lingering bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and smooth with moderate carbonation. Leaves a good resiny coating in the mouth to ensure a long bitter aftertaste.

Drinkability: Providing you're a hop fan, this goes back pretty easily.

Verdict: This is a great American IPA, with a hop profile that certainly lives up to the West Coast moniker. Many times when I find myself craving hops I'm not in the mood for an all-out high-ABV hopbomb, and this is exactly the kind of beer I'm after. I'm looking forward to trying the other Green Flash offerings showing up here in Houston (and my fridge).

Grade: A