I Plead The Fifth - Green Flash Brewing Co.

mltobin

Connecticut

3.45/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was enjoyed on-tap at The Pony Bar in NYC.

Appearance is a deep brown with one finger of tan head. Its` nose contains hops, pine, sweets. The taste is some roasted malt, more hops, all of it not too exciting, like a too far burnt aspect. Mouthfeel is medium, fairly crisp in the finish. An ipa that you could enjoy a couple of. but nothing worth investing very much time in tracking down.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2012 03:13:25 | More by mltobin

tobelerone

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the brewery, a tasty and fairly conventional Black IPA/Cascadian Ale. Appropriately black color with a decent coffee-colored head, so-so retention and lace. Aroma combines roasted malt and citrus and pine hop notes – no surprise there.

Flavor follows aroma; excellent balance between roasted taste and hops, again mostly of the citrus and pine variety. Nothing overwhelms anything else, it’s all very tasty and certainly extremely drinkable.

Finish lingers a little bit, with roasted char and much of the bitterness emerging at the end. Medium bodied with moderate carbonation, not overly fizzy, goes down easy.

I’m a fan of this style and found this one to be pretty much a prototypical example. Certainly not great, but pretty enjoyable to be sure. Doesn’t really stand out a ton next to others in this category though.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2012 14:58:20 | More by tobelerone

Merkur

Tennessee

3.65/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at the Green Flash brewery.

The beer pours a jet black color. I could hardly tell the difference between it and the Double stout I also got.

Smells of roasty, dark chocolate. Very little hops present.

Beer tastes much more bitter than I expected. Starts off a bit roasty with chocolate notes, and then finishes very bitter.

Overall, it was an OK Black IPA

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2012 16:34:13 | More by Merkur

Philousa

California

3.93/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Green Flash taproom 12/30/11.

Poured black with a good amount of tan head that laces well. Hint of burnt chocolate, mostly hoppy aroma. Grassy, piney, woodsy, the hops aroma fits the malt bill. Burnt chocolate, caramel, and woodsy hop oil flavors. Very well balanced and drinkable, despite the oily residue left on the tongue. Dry finish.

What more can I say about a good Black IPA? This is more of a burnt, smoky malt feel that goes well with the hops used in the brew. Plead the 5th makes me want to start a campfire so I can drink this next to it. Will try again if I get the chance. Unfortunately, I don't see this in the bay area because it's a collab.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2011 05:22:51 | More by Philousa

rand

California

4.18/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Blind Lady Ale House Christmas Eve, poured into a pint glass

Indistinguishable from a stout in appearce, Hami's 5th Anniversay Ale pours jet black with a frothy, sticky 2-inch head. Strong notes of pine and citrus stream from the grass, a touch of fresh bread and crisp alcohol in tow. The chocolate malts offset what would otherwise be a complete hopbomb, charecteristic of Green Flash's bitter hop profile.

Medium bodied, fully carbonated, this tastes a lot like West Coast IPA mixed with roasted, chocolate malts. Layered and tasty, I could throw a few of these back. Hope to see either Green Flash or Hami's brew this on a continual basis.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2011 05:16:59 | More by rand

Nugganooch

California

3.98/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at GreenFlash Brewery
11/06/11 – Full Pint

A: Pours an obsidian dark ale with some rootbeer brown edges and a dark beige two finger froth. Some draped lacing down the glass.

S: Smells of fruity and floral hops that succumb to a smoky and toasty chocolate aroma. Pretty much what I have come to expect from a Black IPA.

T: Taste is very smooth and balanced actually. It’s nicely hopped. Nothing too crazy or intense. Some nice pine and fruit flavors meld well with light notes of dark chocolates. Has that sort of roasted coffee smokiness to it. Nicely done really. Not too heavy one way or the other.

M: Very creamy texture. Real smooth med.- lighter body to it. Lower carbonation factor but doesn’t detract from the nice mouthfeel. Touch of slickness.

D: I found this to be a very nicely balanced Black IPA or Cascadian Dark Ale. Definitely hoppy with a nice rich and roasty character. Very drinkable actually.

Cool to hear a bit of the back story on this one as sort of a collab between Hamilton’s new project and GreenFlash. Would love to see Chuck brew his very own version of a Black IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2011 00:17:46 | More by Nugganooch

ehammond1

California

3.6/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On Tap

Churchill's Pub & Grille
San Marcos, CA

Black throughout with a very thin brown head. The beer leaves sticky lace and spots of lacing down the glass.

This is a subdued, though pleasant aroma, concentrating on roasted malts, a bit of chocolate, and just a touch of stinging citrus hop.

Initially, this is a very roasty beer, more akin to a porter than any kind of IPA. As the beer warms, however, the citrus hop elements shine through a bit. This is well balanced and very drinkable.

Medium bodied with ample carbonation.

An enjoyable black IPA, though there are far better always available.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2011 02:08:18 | More by ehammond1

notchucknorris

California

3.35/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Churchills

A: Black with a pretty nice fluffy light brown head. Good retention.

S: The hops are pretty subdued in the smell. I get a lot of darker roasted notes in the smell. Dark chocolate, powdery roasted malt and wet earth.

T: This wasn't bad by any means. It just felt a bit too light for me. Some pine hops upfront followed by roasted malt, chocolate and some espresso. An interesting black IPA, but it has nothing on Stone's 15th.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2011 21:47:22 | More by notchucknorris

HopHead84

California

3.03/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

10/30/2011

A: Black with a mountainous brown head. Good retention and much lacing.

S: Pine resin accompanies roasted malt and a little chocolate. Floral notes are pervasive. Alcohol is faint.

T: Strong roasted grain presence with lots of pine and an upper moderate bitterness. For only being 7% this tastes surprisingly alcoholic, like 10% alcoholic. I get a touch of chocolate.

M: Upper medium body with matching carbonation.

Overall: Okay, but the alcohol flavor ruins it for me.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2011 02:40:53 | More by HopHead84

mactrail

California

3.2/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Nice hoppy nose. Flavor is like a hundred other IPAs, but made interesting by a dark, roasted, slightly charred maltiness. Gets less interesting as you sip. Long, relentless bitter aftertaste takes over. Looks nice with a black Porter color and long-lasting head.

Hop enthusiasts may find something to enthuse about. A pleasant fizzy mouthfeel is some relief, but it's kind of sour with Black Patent malt and a bit harsh. Had most of a pint at Pizza Port OB.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2011 04:00:34 | More by mactrail