Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale - Green Flash Brewing Co.

chinchill

South Carolina

3.19/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

An East Coast/West Coast showdown tonight, with a Westbrook IPA (12 oz can; date stamp shows it was canned only 3 weeks ago) up against Green Flash Hop Head Red (12 oz bottle; marketed as a “red IPA”; plenty fresh with a best by date of 10 Dec., 2013). The Hop Head Red pours a hazy, dark red-amber with a small tan head that has poor retention; not unusual for an IPA.

Aroma: A solid sweet malt presence overlaid with earthy, fruity and spruce hops. Slightly musty. Less striking and fresh hop aroma than the Westbrook.

T: A less complex hop mix than in the Westbrook. The claimed IBU of 70 seems even higher than expected versus the 60 IBU of the Westbrook. Moderate-high grapefruit peel bitterness in the finish and aftertaste.

M: Medium body with medium carbonation; slightly harsh.

O: This red IPA had less hops in the aroma yet was more bitter and earthy. Disappointing and clearly less appealing than the Westbrook IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 00:00:43 | More by chinchill

Brenden

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This big red is indeed that, a nice-looking clear red-brown. A tan head forms a one finger tall cap that sets very well and for a good, long time. Lacing remains in good quantity, almost exclusively patching but with a little legging.
From the aroma, I can know easily that this beer is a big, raw, piney, West Coast style beer. Nicely hoppy, this is a pretty fragrant beer. A bit of grapefruit comes out as well. Caramel sweetness from malts drifts out, just enough for balance.
More malty sweet but with plenty of a more citrus-forward bitterness, there's a sturdy sweetness alongside the hops, though it certainly is nicely hopped. Pine and herbal bitterness pull through strongly, particularly from middle to finish. This is a fantastically flavorful beer in a typically weaker style. Nugget Nectar has some competition in this beer.
A medium-bodied brew, the mouthfeel is well-balanced, both crisp and smooth.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 00:10:30 | More by Brenden

mpedara429

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours out a very deep amber color that is cloudy with visible particulates. Three fingers of fluffy pale yellow head. Great retention and very sticky lacing.

S: Strong malty smell like red licorice. Maybe just a hint of orange in there too.

T: Red licorice is prominent balanced by a strong piney hop profile. Buttery biscuit. A slight herbal flavor in there too that is kind of minty. An earthy flavor is left in the mouth when the beer goes down. A lemon flavor starts appearing as the beer starts to warm.

M: Pretty standard medium body with medium carbonation. A slightly chewy texture.

O: This one is surely awesome. Much better than most I've tried of this style. Balance through and through, very smooth. Not much harshness to speak of here. The complexity is great. Hop heads might complain that there isn't enough hoppiness. What it lacks in that department, it makes up for in the synergy of the ASTM categories.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 04:22:46 | More by mpedara429

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Deep scarlet color. Lazy layer of beige head. Looked nice at its inch-height peak.

Truly grapefruit with notes of orange and pine. Light toastiness. Almost a rye-like spiciness. Very rounded out. Not as hoppy as I remember.

Deliciously crisp. Notes of grapefruit, toasted grain, red apple skins, pine, bitter orange, and a light hint of tobacco. Full-on realized hoppy red/red IPA. This is what you want.

Mellow effervescence. Lets a simple medium body try to host the show. It gets a little dry, which causes some throat-lodging. It works.

Hop Head Red is a classic. Maybe it's the addition of its parts that doesn't do well enough to represent the whole. Mighty tasty. Respectfully so.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2013 04:12:00 | More by thecheapies

AmitC

Indiana

4.23/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle.

Color is amber with a bit of redness. A nice over one finger thick off white colored head with good retention. Excellent lacing. A few bubbles seen rising up. Hazy and translucent.

Aroma is weedy and earthy. Slightly herbal. Advertised on the label as that coming from amarillo hops. Slight malt backbone. Good sign of things to come. Strength is good.

Taste is very much like nose. Bitterness is good as well. Earthy, herbal, spicy and floral notes. Some mild caramel.

Mouth feel is medium bodied with good carbonation. Some astringency coming from bitterness. No alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 00:57:04 | More by AmitC

bump8628

Oklahoma

4.23/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Deep crimson, light khaki head of creamy foam. Not quite the blast of hops I was expecting from Green Flash, but the sturdy malt backbone is probably partly to blame. Bready with a healthy dose of toffee and just a faint roastiness. Hops lend a big spiciness and floral note backed by orange flesh. Bitterness is balanced pretty evenly. Clean, West Coast style all the way. A big red ale loaded with character. Another properly brewed American craft ale from Green Flash.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 05:05:16 | More by bump8628

YieldToNothing

New York

4.76/5  rDev +17%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

12 oz bottl into a duvel tulip
pours a reddish brown with a 1/2 inch head.
right away you're hit with the citrus smell. tastes of grapefruit and the hops are very present. carbonation is present but not at all overpowering
haven't had a bad green flash beer yet, and this one certainly is good.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 22:47:44 | More by YieldToNothing

flydudehsv

California

4.75/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

12 ounce 4 pack. Nice red pour with a big tan head that sticks and laces a ton. Fresh hop kick in the aroma right away with citrus and bubblegum and follows with a touch if deep caramel and roast. The flavor shows more hops and bubblegum, slightly sweet, with some citrus and bitterness. There’s also caramel and a touch of chocolate. Nice!

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 08:11:42 | More by flydudehsv

Pegasus

Texas

3.78/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Reddish amber in color, with a large, sticky, light tan head, and thick, glass-coating lace.

Aroma: Dark caramel and hops vie for supremacy in the aroma, The hops carry a strong citric or grapefruit rind presence, combined with the dark caramel, this produces a dazzlingly complex aroma.

Taste: Opens with prominent grapefruit rind hops tempered by dark, rich caramel malt. The hops have a grapefruit and pine character, and the malt is sweet, dark caramel with some toasted malt. the taste progresses, no doubt can remain, the hops will triumph, leaving an oily bitterness at the back of the mouth.

Mouth feel: Smooth, soft, quite pleasant.

Drinkability/notes: Very well-made, a hop connoisseur's delight, but a bit heavy-handed for my taste.

Presentation: Packaged in a custom embossed short twelve ounce brown glass bottle with a pry-off crown, served in a New Belgium Brewing chalice.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 01:00:38 | More by Pegasus

capnamerica

Arkansas

3.86/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Green Flash Hop Head Red

A: Nice dark red, but still transparent.

S: Very floral, almost citrus.

T: Very hoppy, with a nice balance of sweetness.

M: Very nice feel, somewhat sticky on the finish.

O: Very nice beer. I would definitely recommend if you come across it.

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2013 23:17:17 | More by capnamerica

Redrover

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was glad to sample some beers from Green Flash; I don’t get many opportunities in the areas I travel to.

This was one of 4 beers from this brewery being offered by the Flying Saucer in Little Rock. Served in standard pint, the beer is garnet with a slight chill haze. It has a dense chiffon like tan head.

Inviting aroma of grains, caramel and pine.

Taste is good combination of slightly sweet grains, caramel malts and a bit of red apple all balanced by some pine resin from the hops.

It has a decent mouth with some slickness that works well with low carbonation.

It is a well-made and enjoyable amber.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2013 16:43:56 | More by Redrover

Bosoxfan20

Missouri

3.79/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A- Deep amber color, almost mahogany. Fairly decent head of about a finger with a light tan lacing.

S- Terrific flora and pine smell. You can really tell how the dry hopping has brought great character to this aspect. Lots of earthy hints here with a nice biscuit aroma.

T- Pine and earthy hops up front but not too bitter. Good balance with some sweetness in the finish. Has a very earthy flavor that resonates throughout each drink. Big biscuit notes. Fairly dry finish

M- To me, this seemed to be a very medium bodied ale. Didn't mind it, but expected it be be a little more. Dry finish

Overall, a very good beer that I would be very pleased to drink again. This is my first Green Flash beer and it has left me eager to experience some more. This is one of the better red IPA's that I have tried.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 04:16:16 | More by Bosoxfan20

chicagoish

Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours Red -brownish Cloudy with an off-white, head with soapy retention

Smell - Hints of sweetness and floral hop notes lying beneath.

Taste -Light camel with grapefruit soursweet. Hoppyness is not too prevalent. Not overbearing

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied. Cream. Fairly smooth.

Overall - A very good IPA. Nice balance. Not overly bitter.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 22:41:04 | More by chicagoish

arfenhouse

California

3.76/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

On tap, review from notes 1/28/13

A: Hazy amber with off-white head. Very good retention and very sticky lacing. Tap always looks better.

S: Pine, lemon, and some sweet breadiness. Aroma is quite small.

T: Getting a lot of pine and resiny hops. A bit of grapefruit and a touch of lemon. Biscuit, grainy sweetness. Not overly hoppy, good balance.

M: Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Drying.

O: Decent beer overall. There is a good balance between hop and malt profile.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2013 20:46:47 | More by arfenhouse

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

4.11/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Hop Head Red

Enjoyed on tap at the HoneyPie Cafe on 1/26/13. Serve chilled in a shaker pint glass.

A) An amber brew with a good amount of ruby red highlights. A full finger of fluffy off-white head. Excellent retention on the head, and ample lacing as well.

S) Very light roast and a little caramel sweetness. Then some nice floral hops, a little piney, a little citrus. Not a hop bomb, but a pleasing aroma nonetheless.

T) Follows the nose nicely with that mild amount of roast and caramel sweetness. I found the hops presence to be more piney and resiny, rather than having a citrus or tropical fruit sweetness to it. Finishes up nicely as well.

M) The medium body with moderate carbonation. Really quite smooth and easy drinking. Finishes a little crisp and semi-dry. A pretty refreshing mouthfeel.

O) I generally enjoy hoppy reds, and this is no exception. I'm also glad that Green Flash Brewing has expanded distribution into Wisconsin. I would gladly purchase this in bottles.

Paired with the roasted corn clam chowder and corn muffin.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2013 15:28:10 | More by RoamingGnome

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at TJ's, Paoli, PA

Reddish-copper pour with a small cap of bubbly white head that receded to a thin layer and left a bit of lacing on the glass. Lots of citrus and pine hops in the nose, with a definite malty sweetness in the background. My taste buds scream "WEST COAST!" upon the first sip, grapefruit and pine hop elements obvious, but quickly balanced out by a generous caramel maltiness that reminds you that this is not actually an IPA; sweet and bitter duke it out for the session, and perhaps the hops win overall, but not by much. Medium body, a bit resinous, but nothing a few sips of palate-cleansing water can't cure. Very good overall.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2013 20:08:07 | More by Rifugium

grahamboudreaux

Tennessee

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into snifter.

Appearance: Pours a hazy, sedimenty, deep red/orange/mahogany; 1.5 finger, thick, pillowy, caramel/off-white head with great retention and sticky, beautiful lacing.

Aroma: lots of Amarillo hops mixed with some solid molasses/caramel malts; piney hop notes up front soon give way to a uniquely earthy, what I call "muddled", hop aroma; very well balanced.

Taste: Up front, sweet and citrus from the hops, but not the typical fruit flavor I'm used to in West Coast IPAs; hops also give hints of pine and grapefruit the longer I let the beer sit on the tongue; Underneath, caramel malt, sweet molasses, and burnt sugar notes balance the flavor perfectly.

Mouthfeel: full-medium body, almost creamy, and wonderfully chewy; smooth and silky, but also a little bitter on the tongue; moderate carbonation, dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 09:09:53 | More by grahamboudreaux

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Green Flash Hop Head Red has a very thick, creamy, cream-colored head, an opaque, amber appearance, with visible beige chunks floating about, and an abundance of thick lacing left on the glass. The aroma is of piney, hop resin and bread. Taste is the same, with bread crust, grapefruit, and some sweetness present as well. Mouthfeel is medium to heavy, and Hop Head Red finishes mostly dry and bitter. Overall, this is terrific! Buy it, and try it!

RJT

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 15:09:27 | More by RonaldTheriot

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a hazy copper color with a 2 finger head, very nice lacing, and sediment in suspension.

S: Lots of citrus hops, caramel malts, and maybe a touch of alcohol.

T: Very much like the smell, there is a nice balance between the bitter hops and the sweet malts. Pretty tasty and hides the alcohol well.

M: Medium bodied with good carbonation.

O: This is a pretty solid beer. Easy to drink, nicely balanced, and does a good job concealing the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 23:13:58 | More by nUgZ

Chris_Cali_2o9

2.55/5  rDev -37.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams cup

A- Murky copper body, floaties everywhere, 1/2" bubbly off white head (something tells me this isn't how its suppose to look...)

S- Dank, funky hops, biscuit malts

T- Funky hops, not in a good way...

M- Medium bodied, average carbonation

O- I'm seriously thinking i got a bad batch, every Green Flash i've tried has been awesome, but i'm basically forcing myself to finish this one. No dates on the bottles or box, i might have to give this one another shot some other time.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 21:58:39 | More by Chris_Cali_2o9

beerpadawan

California

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Hazy orange, good head retention; lacing.

Smell is redolent hops. Orange zest and citrus; some pine and spice. Caramel malts evident; a sweet backing.

It is bitter but not super aggressive. Balanced well with malt, but sweetness does not override hops. Noticed a tiny bit of sweet dinner roll/bread flavor. Carbonation is soft and smooth, imparts some creaminess. Body is medium to full, nice round feel that prickles a bit from hops. Hoppy flavors include pine, slightly resinous; floral. Tangerine/citrus. Lingers nice and long on finish--medium sweet. Alcohol is very slight but evident as warmth on finish.

Drinkable yet bold beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 07:26:51 | More by beerpadawan

baxterbrew

Tennessee

3.88/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Is this an IPA or a red ale? Confusing.

The appearance was good- pours a hazy red with light but strong head retention- mucho lace.

Smell is biscuity. Evident yeast smell.

Mouthfeel- no astringency, feels milky.

Taste- floral, piney. Hops are strong as expected from the name. Not great but pretty good.

Overall- not blown away, but pretty good. I'd get more but wouldn't go out of my way.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 00:58:47 | More by baxterbrew

merc7186

New York

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at McGregors in Amherst NY, poured into an 11oz glass

A: Reddish/Orangish Hue, Passes Some Light, Thick Orangish Head, Great Lacing

S: Biscuits, Floral, Bittering Hops

T: Bittering Hops, Biscuits, Mildly Floral

M: Great Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Semi Bitter, Mildly Grainy

Overall, a really nice red ale with a good hoppy bitterness.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2012 21:35:50 | More by merc7186

DelMontiac

Oklahoma

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle shared between two Rose and Crown pub imperial pint glasses.

Nice clear red/orange color with 3 fingers of frost white foam that stays around. Pretty sticky coarse lace.

Smells of aromatic pine sap and caramel malts with some rye inspired grains.

Flavor is nice. Floral and woody hops, dark caramel malt, sweet stingy bittering hops. There is a bit of rye-like spice.

Medium bodied and adequately carbed. Smooth, but not boring by a long shot.

Good beer. Will purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 23:26:16 | More by DelMontiac

pburland23

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into my Portsmouth tulip. As an aside, I love the shape of the Green Flash bottles...nice change from the standard bottle.

Appearance: Pours a nice looking deep dark garnet red with mahogany hints around the edges of the glass. Two fingers of off-white head. Not much in terms of head retention or lacing but a nice looking pour nonetheless.

Smell: Hoppy but mildly sweet with some nice resinous notes. Slightly piney and musty with a nice earthiness.

Taste: I'm finding the hoppiness to be underwhelming. There's not much pop from the hops. Tastes a little bland. I've had a few other Green Flash beers and this beer is the least interesting in terms of taste of the bunch.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and nicely carbonated.

Overall: it's nice, as the bottle bills, a red IPA. It's definitely more of a hoppy red ale but, unfortunately, it doesn't match up to some of the better hoppy reds. A good beer but not a great one.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 02:48:16 | More by pburland23