Green Flash Brewing Delivers Big Hops and Freaky Goodness

I have a confession to make: I just discovered Green Flash Brewing Company this past year. Maybe it's the fact that here in Colorado we have a seemingly endless selection of local craft beer, but somehow this San Diego brewery had eluded me. As a self-professed hop head, all I can say is, "better late than never." Green Flash, like a lot of California breweries, brews a vast array of assertive and complex hop-centric beers.

Green Flash opened in 2002, and has grown into a major player in the booming San Diego craft beer scene. The city has established itself as one of the best beer cities in America, luring beer enthusiasts in with names such as Stone Brewing, The Lost Abbey, and Ballast Point. Green Flash prides itself on brewing delicious, creative beer that combines styles and creates new ones. Their portfolio includes IPAs of all different types and strength, Belgians, black ales, and more. I recently tried one of their hybrid beers that combines two of my favorite beer characterics, which are aggressive hops and the complexities of a Belgian ale. This amazing beer is called Le Freak.

Green Flash calls Le Freak a combination of a Belgian-style tripel and an American Imperial IPA. Since I had really enjoyed several big Belgian IPAs or double IPAs in the past year, I knew I had to try it. Le Freak pours a hazy orange color with a moderate head that hangs around and forms a nice lace on the glass. The aroma is heavy on fruit, including banana and orange from the Belgian yeast esters, and citrus and tropical fruit from the large amount of American hop varieties. The flavors are simply delicious - a crisp, complex combination of fruitiness and spiciness. Although Le Freak is very heavily hopped, the Belgian yeast subdues and smooths out the bitterness for a dry finish.

My experience with Le Freak, the third Green Flash beer I've had, is further proof to me that this brewery is a force to be reckoned with. In a consumer market whose thirst for hop-forward beers is hard to satisfy, Green Flash will continue to turn heads and pick up steam. Now I just need to get my hands on some Palate Wrecker Double IPA, the Green Flash spring seasonal.