Green Flash West Coast IPA

Beer Name: West Coast IPA
Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co. (San Diego, CA)
ABV: 8.1% (used to be 7.3% before 2014)

How sold: 22 oz. bottle (650.6 mL)
Where bought: John's Marketplace (Portland, OR)
Price: $6.39
IBU: 95
Best By Date: March 18, 2015. I opened and drank this beer on February 13, 2015.

What's on the Label: "As craft beer pioneers, we embarked on an expedition to brew the benchmark West Coast IPA. We ventured into the unknown and struck gold, discovering a tantalizing menagerie of hops. Simcoe for tropical and grapefruit zest, Columbus for hop pungency, Centennial for pine notes, Citra for citrus zest and Cascade for floral aroma are layered throughout the brewing process. West Coast IPA exemplifies the Green Flash spirit of adventure and discovery."

When brewed? Year-round beer.

Where distributed: Green Flash ships to several states in 12 oz. bottles, 22 oz. bottles, and kegs. The beer should be found in many bottle shops, taprooms, and pubs.

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Poured an attractive orange-copper into a pint glass. Head of about a few millimeters that held up for some time. 4.75/5

Smell (25%): Immediate inviting blend of pine, hops, and citrus-grapefruit Yes, please. 4.5/5

Taste (40%): Incredibly delicious citrus-grapefruit from start to finish. Pine and hop notes also there. It is listed at 95 IBUs, but the hoppiness doesn't linger. Instead, it's the grapefruit hangs around, and I'm a sucker for grapefruit or anything else citrus. No alcohol taste at the beginning and still extremely minimal as I finish the pint. Probably the best you can do at 8% ABV. 5/5

Mouthfeel (10%): The beer coats the tongue and mouth nicely, probably again described as medium body. Some carbonation. Considering this is a beer to savor -- and I always looked forward to the next sip -- it'd be safe to say the mouthfeel got a great score. 4.5/5

Overall (20%): Outstanding Double IPA, easily one of the best I've had. Green Flash has produced some gems, and this is one of them. At $6.39 a bottle, the West Coast IPA is well worth the money. I would not hesitate in drinking the entire bottle -- then getting another. 5/5

Final Weighted Rating: 4.813/5