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

Uncle_Jimmy

California

3.66/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

bottled on 11/06/12

Appearance- ruddy ruby red. 2 fingers of fine tan head linger a bit and leaves some lcing . dissapated and keeps a thin "skin" on top of the beer

Aroma- very hoppy, fresh cut grass very floral.

Taste - Hop forward flowers, soap, lavendar a lot of citrus chracater like lemon lime soda and the after taste is slightly carmel or burnt sugar.

Mouthfeel- carbonation spot on, medium bodied despit the hop character not sticky or sweet. alcohol is nicely hidden

Over all- If I was sick of a friend ordering IPA's all night i would sit him/her down with a Hop Head Red. More of an IPA than a red ale though. but tasty.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 00:25:31 | More by Uncle_Jimmy

arizcards

Arizona

3.95/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a 4 pack from Total Wine in early January for $7.99. Bottled on 9-4-12 per the stamp at the bottom of the label.

Beer poured an amber red with a robust off white head that is leaving lacing behind. Yeast sentiment is floating around.

Nose is floral hops with some citrus.

Taste is a nice caramel malt backbone that gets overtaken by a grapefruit rind dry hop finish.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and somewhat lively.

Overall this is a very solid beer, would love to experience it a bit fresher!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 00:09:51 | More by arizcards

harrymel

Washington

2.16/5  rDev -44.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2

Bottled: unk

Ugly brown with flecks of yeast and a solid sheet of fine creamy foam. Smells like malt, some spice and more malt. Not really picking up any hops on the nose here. Taste is bitter and malty with some bits of tea and bitter - well bitter. medium bodied with medium carb and a dry finish. Not impressed. Wish I knew how old this was.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 06:43:04 | More by harrymel

tylerprince

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a fresh bottle into a pint glass and enjoyed.

A: Dark, opaque amber with copper hues. Off-white head with decent retention and great lacing. Minimal bubbling.

S: Hoppy! Oils and esters, sweet biscuity background with a hint of yeast. Alcohol is clearly present.

T: More IPA than red. Citrusy with a nice bitter bite at the end. Malts seem to be lacking in freshness, although hops are not. Slight roasty qualities indicative of a red ale, although the malt is admittedly rye-like.

M: Medium body; slightly syrupy. Good carbonation. Warming alcohol is pleasant.

O: Delicious IPA with a twist on the malt; I'd like to see a little more irish red malt character to compliment the hops in future batches.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 21:47:06 | More by tylerprince

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.31/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- pours a dark rusty amber color with some dark orange hue, murky with some sediment floating toward the bottom, two finger cream colored head with good retention and some sticking patches of lace.

S- citrus hops with some grapefruit, ground black pepper, some toasted bread with a touch if caramel

T- sweet sugary malt makes the first impression on the palate, the hops don't kick in until near the end, some citrus notes, finish is dry and clean.

M- medium body with moderate carbonation, creamy mouthfeel with a smooth, yet slightly watery finish

O- this one seemed a bit watery and lacking in the hop department, very drinkable but just seemed off balance

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 05:13:17 | More by Treyliff

russwaddell

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Not a ton of head, not a ton of lacing. Pours cloudy red with a quite a lot of particulates. The smell is okay but kinda dirty for my preference. I'd prefer more floral or fruity notes from the hops, but it's more like the red/amber graininess is the only thing you can smell.

The taste is great though, with a lot of bitterness throughout. I generally like anything that can be described as "[fill in the blank style], but for hopheads" better than straight up IPAs or hoppy Pale Ales, and this did not disappoint at all.

It's not too thick or too sweet to throw back a few, but still has plenty of body.

Ultimately it is a good beer but a bit pricey at $10 for 4; worth a try if you like the sound of the name but otherwise not a must have.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 19:27:16 | More by russwaddell

SmashPants

Australia

3.53/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: solid brown longneck, with an acceptable non-macro label.

Appearance: dark amber in colour with some flecks of red against the light. A two-finger off-white head drops with some decent lacing.

Aroma: a number of different hops play out on the nose - grapefruit citrus, floral and pine. Quite strong, per the traditional American IPA.

Taste: the level of hops at first appear to make this beer another typically overwrought American IPA, but as the initial bitterness wears off, a lovely citric and peppery flavour comes through.

Aftertaste: the aftertaste is where the real magic lies - the peppery flavours are joined by the various hop flavours in the aroma.

Mouth feel: medium-to-full bodied with light carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: certainly not the best AIPA I have had - too much hop bitterness and not enough discernible flavour. But hey - not bad as either a sipper or a few gulps of ABV wipe-out.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 03:40:06 | More by SmashPants

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.31/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

12 oz bottle poured into a Samuel Smith pint glass.

A: Pours a glowing reddish orange color. Small yeast particles seem to be suspended in the body. The head is a three finger offwhite shade featuring good texture and lacing

S: The aroma features a good mix of caramel malts blended with some grapefruity, piny hops. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary, at all really, but it works well.

T: I swear this almost has a chocolaty flavor to, especially near the front end. The midtaste transitions to burnt toast and caramel, while it finishes with subtle grapefruit peel and black pepper. Quite biscuity in its general flavor, as well.

M: The body itself is creamy smooth until the piny hops dry out the palate some. Otherwise, the finish is mostly a vaguely sweet linger that could use a touch more delicacy. Befitting the style, it's weakly carbonated.

O: This is a decent example in a style that I'm not a huge fan of, with one glorious Hershey chocolate-covered exception. This will satiate me nicely 'til Nugget Nectar arrives in my area, but I doubt I'd buy a 4 pack of it.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 21:50:14 | More by ThisWangsChung

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Semi-hazed burnt ruby color with a big sticky amber tinged head. Pungent hop nose, grapefruit, mango papaya, citrus peel. Touch of sweet caramel malt and hop resin.

Explosive hop character and big bitterness over a creamy medium sized body. Raw leafy hop flavor up front followed by bright citrus character and sweet roasted caramel malts. Dried sugared papayas on the back end of the tongue balanced by a bit underlying earthy hop bitterness. Giant beer packed into a medium sized package. Long spicy finish lingers in the mouth, almost tannic in quality.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 03:04:05 | More by jtierney89

Steamer

Missouri

4.14/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A thick and cream colored head compliments the beers brownish red tint nicely. Rusty hops aroma. The first sip was smooth at first, then the hops bitterness pushes through and stays with you, but not as bitter as I was expecting. Also, a smooth mouthfeel that is surprisingly mellow. A very good IPA that fits my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 00:24:17 | More by Steamer

LambicPentameter

Kansas

3.94/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured out of a 12 oz bottle into tumbler pint glass. Aggressive pour yields about a finger of head.

Appearance - Gingerbread hue at the core, with hints of blood orange and clover honey around the edges and as the light catches it. A noticeable amassing of fine-particle sediment is present, presumably from the dry-hopping. The sediment stays nicely suspended for easy drinking. Very little cling to the head, which is made of densely-packed small bubbles and the color of toasted marshmallow.

Smell - Difficult to pick up the aroma at first, but becomes more present as the beer warms slightly. Initially the woodsy hops dominate the smell, giving way to notes of caramelization. Becomes earthier as temperature rises.

Taste - Nose is refreshing and light, with the bitterness of the hops coming on as a secondary impression. Slightly metallic to the tongue, but that sensation doesn't linger long. Finish is crisp and clean, with a hint of the mild maltiness of an amber ale.

Mouthfeel - Clean and refreshing

Overall a pretty good beer. It makes me think more of a hoppier, less-malty amber ale than a red IPA, but I suppose that distinction is a bit semantic. Either way, it captures elements of both classic styles. As a side note, I do prefer the new, reddish-clay branded packaging to the older green label with red lettering. Seems to fit the style a bit more for some reason.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 02:32:20 | More by LambicPentameter

scootpolute

Washington

2.63/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12OZs poured into a cone pint glass...

A: A murky deep reddish brew with a 1 inch head...Good lacing...

S: Sweet caramel in the nose blended nicely with a floral hop aroma. Some rye and mild citrus scents bring up the back...

T: A sweet sugary malt upfront starts out on the palate and slowly your taste buds become submerged in a light easy drinking watery hop bite. The bite resonates through to the backend...Not very balanced...

M: medium body with a heavy carbonation. A sweet and dry finish..

O: Kind of a 'WEIRD-BEER'...Also, I think it is mis-categorized. This one is more of an amber than an IPA. The hop seems too subtle for a standard american IPA, but does have a nice hop malt balance which seems more characteristic of an amber ale. If you're looking for a standard hop bomb, this is not for you. If you want a beer that blends sweet malt with a mild hop bitterness, then this is for you. Again, too weird, no thanks!!

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 20:53:55 | More by scootpolute

rawfish

California

3.53/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a rusty amber with obvious sediment, old parchment coloration in the two finger head. Frothy with good retention and decent speckling of lacing on the glass.

Toffee, grain husks, pine hops profile and ample booze backing it, odd mingle of iron, vinous fruit and herbaceous notes accompany the alcohol, not really digging it.

Meld of husky grain, bread and toffee sweetness, rather thin before hops hit with a flavor similar to that indicated in the nose. Lots of pine with a tingle of herbal tones and dark fruit skins. Bitterness is prevalent on this one, long lasting and dries the sticky malt and cuts through just a bit of the stingy alcohol.

Rather thin but smooth carbonation, malt is not enough here to cover the ABV, a bit of a mess really.

Eh, ipa hoppy but really doesn't impress, color, malt profile and just the overall feel of this beer doesn't fit right. I don't get much of the Amarillo hopping either, old bottle perhaps. Overall, a loosely held together beer that isn't quite the sum of its parts.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 03:42:32 | More by rawfish

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.11/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

It pours a semi-clear, medium brown color with a beige head. There is a good strong scent of Amarillo hops. The taste is rich with a complex blend of hops. The taste is crisp and refreshing with a mouthful of grains that finishes with a mild bitter after taste. The texture is smooth and keeps you coming back for more. Not quite a red ale and not quite an IPA, but very tasty nevertheless.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 05:41:34 | More by Lemke10

steve8robin

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this one on a whim. 22oz bottle...

A: A murky deep reddish brew with a 1 inch khaki colored head that fades very slowly. Very good.

S: I get a sweet caramel in the nose blended nicely with a floral hop aroma. Some rye and mild citrus scents bring up the back. Good.

T: A sweet sugary malt upfront starts out on the palate and slowly your taste buds become submerged in a light easy drinking watery hop bite. The bite resonates through to the backend. Decent.

M: medium body with a heavy carbonation. A sweet and dry finish. Good.

O: All in all, this is a good beer, but I think it is mis-categorized. This one is more of an amber than an IPA. The hop seems too subtle for a standard american IPA, but does have a nice hop malt balance which seems more characteristic of an amber ale. If you're looking for a standard hop bomb, this is not for you. If you want a beer that blends sweet malt with a mild hop bitterness, then this is for you. Not a bad beer by any means, but not an IPA, IMO.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 23:59:23 | More by steve8robin

Dave1999

Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark amber colour with a nice white head.

The smell is sweet, bready with some piney hops.

The taste is powerful, bitter from the hops and sweet from the malts, there is also some caramel and licorice .

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Overall a very tasty beer the sweet malts and interesting but it's definitely the bitter piney hops that are the center stage.

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2012 22:22:16 | More by Dave1999

tectactoe

Michigan

3.73/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this one thanks to Johnny Ramirez. Pours a deep amber with hints of red here and there. Light-tan colored head; very volatile beer on the pour, producing a big, thick, fluffy head that has pretty nice staying power. Initial smell is almost a bit reminiscent of a barleywine; sweet licorice, fruit, plums, figs, apples, nice doses of pines everywhere in between.

Taste is hoppy and bitter around the edges with a sharp, intense moment of abrupt sweetness in the form of those dark fruits mentioned earlier. The alcohol is noticeable in this one, blending with the fruity sweetness to give it that almost-barleywine type of taste to it. Heavy malt on the end of the brew; tastes like caramel malts were used. Very sweet for the most part, with the bitterness coming in at first, but slowly giving way to the malts and the fruits. As the beer warms up, some more noticeable fruits come out; oranges, citrus, grapefruit rinds. Aftertaste is full of bread and caramel malt. Medium body, above-average carbonation.

Interesting beer, and it would be hard to pinpoint this one with an exact "style". I enjoyed the blend of fruitiness but it may have benefited from just a little more bitterness all-around, to help offset some of the intense sweetness spikes that come through. Thanks again to Johnny for this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 12:26:18 | More by tectactoe

Johnnyramirez

California

3.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip pint glass.

A - dark amber with a 3 finger head from a vigorous pour. AMAZING retention. Retained some head until the last 2-3 ounces. Excellent lacing.

S - I get sweet apple juice in a good way, almost like Martinelli's Cider. Some pine notes, citrus but dominant of a real good apple juice.

T - sweet, piney, malty. Very balanced. I read reviews and expected a hoppy beer but this is sweet IMO. Maybe I got an older bottle. Some grapefruit on the finish but I get lots of sweet malts upfront. Toffee, caramel. Very balanced and enjoyable. Goes better than I expected.

M - leaves a nice coating of your mouth with enough bitter notes to make you want to drink more.

O - pleasantly surprised. While I probably won't drink this on a frequent basis, it is a very balanced beer and something I can imagine using to convert someone to hoppier beers. Very well done and not too overwhelming in any aspect.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 07:05:56 | More by Johnnyramirez

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz served in a Sam Adams perfect pint glass

A - Pours a hazy russet brown with 2 fingers of dense foam ontop. A big collar of sticky lacing around the top of the glass.

S - Sweet citrus and pine needles, very bready, caramel, nutty yeast,

T - Evergreen/pine hop oils flood in and attack the palate, very green and spicy along with some juicy spearmint, the caramel malts underneath hold thier ground but the hops are clearly the center point. The nutty yeast stands out as well. Finishes with alot of juicy green hops but has a spicy earthy edge to it. Aftertaste is like you just chewed and swallowed grapefruit pith and a Christmas tree.

M - Body is heavy side of medium and chewy. Moderate lushy carbonation.

Delicious! I love the spiciness from the amarillo hops and they use plenty in this beer. The yeast plays of the malt to create and dense and sweet base and as strong as the hops are they meld instead of stick out like a sore thumb like other hoppy ambers I've had.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 23:26:19 | More by StaveHooks

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into Globe glass.

A. Pours 3 fingers of head. Thick lacing. Good retention. Color is very dark amber brown.

S. Lots of piney hop aroma, amid a nice amber malt base. Definitely hop forward. Overall bitter, but has a pretty substantial malt aroma.

T. Taste is pretty damn good. Very well balanced between malt and hops. Have to say that the malt might take the lead in the flavor. Has a nice bitterness on the back of the tongue. Easy drinking beer. Piney hops take second stage to a really nice smooth amber malt sweetness.

M. Medium boided. Medium carbonation. Finishes with some sweetness.

O. I am a fan of red IPAs. This one pretty damn good. I would/will seek this out on a pretty regular basis after trying it for the first time on this review. Pretty pleasant discovery. I like this more than the Green Flash West Coast IPA. For serious hopheads this is a nice change of pace, for the IPAs we crave.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 22:37:47 | More by siradmiralnelson

beergoot

Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Excellent copper-red body covered with a rich, sticky, white head; lacing clings to the glass from start to finish. Sweet bread aroma encased in a piney, very floral hop scent; citrus-like. Nice malt sweetness in the taste, well-balanced with hop bitterness; hint of esters rolling around in the taste. Medium bodied; smooth; clean.

A pretty decent AIPA. Nothing stands out per se to make it really exceptional, but this would be a beer I wouldn't mind selecting if given a choice. Good quality overall and easy drinking...

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 22:29:31 | More by beergoot

ThePaleRider

California

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Nice dark red/brown. Almost the color of light leather. Nice off white head that leave a little lacing down the glass.

S - Malts, sweet baked goods, and hops. Smells almost like a strong lager that has some hops added in.

T - Earthy flavor that is followed with bitter hops and then sweet malts. Lots of citrus peel that results in a dull bitterness. I think the big malts really make this beer special as Green Flash has done an amazing job mixing these two types of ales.

M - Full bodied with good carbonation. Hops really stick to the tongue and leave full flavor until the malts show up.

O - Amazing job combining two styles of beer. Really drinkable and a really great way to introduce hops to someone that isn't into hoppy beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 06:52:39 | More by ThePaleRider

nickfl

Florida

3.63/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours with two fingers of off white foam on top of a slightly hazy, amber body. The foam settles at a moderate pace and leave excellent lace.

S - Pone hops and caramel malt with a bit of a spicy hop character in the background.

T - Toasted malt and a bit of toffee up front. Seem pine hops with a bit of orange in the middle. Finishes with fairly strong, slightly soapy bitterness and dry, toasted malt.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, and a dry finish.

D - Kind of a subdued hop character for a green flash beer and while the malt is strong enough to balance, the bitterness is a bit harsh and it is emphasized by the dry finish. Drinkable, but there are much better hoppy red ales out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 04:41:03 | More by nickfl

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hop Head Red opens with the kind of hop blast that fans of Green Flash have come to expect: huge levels of pine resin and dandelion stem rush the nose, followed by grapefruit rind, eucalyptus, pink grapefruit, mint, anise, and rosewater. The hops are geared heavily toward the more bitter end of the spectrum, and make up a good two-thirds of the seeming strength of the aroma, kept somewhat in check by the promise of good levels of brown sugar, and orange liqueur, cherry, apricot, and nectarine fruit esters. Toast crust and biscuit fight for attention deep in the background. As a whole, the nose is good, though the heavy levels of pine resin in the hops almost lend the beer a burnt leaf overtone, and are definitely strong enough (perhaps overly so) to ward off anyone not a fan of massive hops.

On the tongue, the beer opens with an expected blast of hops, searing the tongue with pine resin, dandelion stem, and grapefruit rind, followed by mint, eucalyptus, and anise. So strong are the hops that it almost tastes like you’re simply chewing on raw cones. Sugars, including brown sugar, as well as orange liqueur, nectarine, and berry fight to get themselves noticed, and a thin thread of burnt toast and biscuit linger somewhere far behind. Some vodka-like alcohol overtones are present as well, mixing with the hops in an almost gin-like fashion. The hops get stronger as the beer is held on the tongue and the sugars die off, until pine resin and eucalyptus seem to be all the flavors left in the world, heavily dominating the aftertaste as well, which lingers on the tongue for a very long time. Mouthfeel is medium, and carbonation is medium to medium-high, adding to the burning sensation on the tongue and soft palate.

Overall, this is good fare, especially for hopheads. But for the casual drinker, this is simply going to be too much; the equivalent of starting off a third-grade math class with a discussion of the differences between string theory and loop quantum gravity. The beer is also so hoppy that it comes across as out of balance, the sugars and malts almost lost beneath the bitter onslaught. Try, but beware the bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 19:08:52 | More by jondeelee

UCLABrewN84

California

4.05/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

UPDATED REVIEW TO CORRECT LISTING.

On tap at Green Flash Brewing Company in San Diego, CA.

Pours a clear amber with a foamy orange-tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus fruit, citrus zest, and alcohol. Taste is much the same with a medium amount of hop bitterness on the palate after each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with a great aroma and tasty flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2012 04:11:25 | More by UCLABrewN84