Green Flash West Coast I.P.A.
Picked this up recently when I was out of state, even though I have seen this in local liquor stores. I haven't had a hoppy beer in a while, and this looked like it would be good - on the level of Sierra Nevada or Stone. Thankfully, my suspicions were correct, as I enjoyed this very much, and am glad I took a chance on this during the winter months! The pour was pretty unique - a nice, warm apricot hue could be seen, but this beer had the appearance of a lava lamp or a bottle of Orbitz (anyone remember that?). It was VERY cloudy with quite a bit of sediment floating in it, and it just this very unique and silently engaging look to it. The head was a good half-inch thick took, with a nice aroma to boot. The taste was what I expected and bit more - bitter, citrusy, hoppy, slighty metallic, and even a dry-hopped undercurrent to this. It's not a brash as Sierra Nevada, and not as floral and citrus dominated as Three Floyd's, but this silently sneaks up and settles in on the tongue and the aftertaste...well, it's addicting! I've listened to enough of the Red Hot Chili Peppers lately to want to jump in my Mustang and get back to California. After enjoying a brew like this, it's even more of a reason to make the trek. Another reason why the Golden State is great for microbrews - this beer is worth the effort to find and sample!