Thursday, October 15, 2009

107. Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale

Green Flash Brewing Company is located in Vista, CA. We had this beer on tap @ South Park Tavern. Yes, again. And in case you were wondering what the name of the brewery means...

Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale has, unsurprisingly, a strong hoppy nose with the citrus, floral, and resin notes reminiscent of Simcoe hops. It is slightly hazy with a deep copper/orange color and a light white head. In terms of the flavor profile, Hop Head has a dry biscuit malt front that quickly transitions into a sizeable amount of bitterness and a large hop body—there are tart citrus and grapefruit flavors as well as some smaller resin and grassy flavors—before ending with resiny bitterness that lingers pleasantly on the palate. Hop Head has a medium body that is slightly creamy, along with some bite from the carbonation and a bit of dryness from the hops in the mouth at the end. The malt profile is subtle, but works with the large hop body effectively; the body is big enough to balance out the hops, but does not interfere with the hop flavor and bitterness itself—it is only as malty as it needs to be. An enjoyable and delicious beer with a big hop punch that sits well on the palate. Hop Head is a Top 10 Best contender for the year.

From the Green Flash website: “Resinous hop character and bitterness balance the rich carmel malt base. We took it a step further and Amarillo dry-hopped the brew to 45 ibu’s, creating refreshing and savory hop flavors and aromas. Is it red IPA? That’s your call.”

ABV: 6%
IBU: 45

(10/15/2009)

No comments:

Post a Comment