SAN DIEGO — With their roots firmly planted in the land of sunshine and IPA, Green Flash Brewing Co. has pioneered the west coast’s signature hop-forward brewing style for over a decade. Inspired by their own long journey of hop-exploration, Green Flash co-founders Mike and Lisa Hinkley are pleased to introduce “Hop Odyssey” – the national release of 6 diverse, hop-centric beers on draft-only, a brewery voyage that will extend over the next 12-months.
The 1st Hop Odyssey beer (a Black IPA) will debut in February, with a new release slated for every other month in 2013. Through Hop Odyssey, Green Flash places a renewed emphasis on their notoriously hoppy foundation and embarks on a year-long journey that will offer a dynamic, flavorful draft lineup to ignite the palates of craft beer enthusiasts and devoted hop heads everywhere.
“We wanted to hone our focus on the range of flavor that can be achieved with the use of different hop varietals,” explains Green Flash Brewmaster, Chuck Silva. “By utilizing new hop varietals coming out of the Hop Breading Company in Yakima, WA as well as the previously developed hops, we have the opportunity to be innovative while we continue to re-brew some of our favorite hoppy recipes from the past.” Several of the offerings in the 2013 Hop Odyssey lineup are from beers that were originally brewed for limited release, now slated to be produced on a much larger scale. The lineup, release timing and descriptions of each Hop Odyssey beer is as follows:
February – Black IPA:
This American-style Black IPA is nearly jet black and perceived to have high hop bitterness, flavor and aroma with medium-high alcohol content, balanced with a medium body. The appearance may trick you into thinking you are about to enjoy a traditional stout beer when in fact your senses are about to be overwhelmed with our Black IPA. Juicy, fruity, floral, and pine from Pacific Northwest hops gives the beer a classic West Coast IPA hop character. The Black IPA is further characterized by a balanced and moderate degree of caramel malt and subdued dark roasted malt flavor and aroma. 7.2% ABV, 85 IBU
Hops used: Warrior, Citra, Cascade
April – Imperial Red Rye IPA:
Bigger, bolder, and hoppier is what you get in Green Flash’s Imperial Red Rye IPA…how unusual! This is quite possibly the most amount of flavor that can be packed into a glass of red ale. Columbus hops set the stage for the newly available Mosaic hops (released in 2013) to shine through the rich crystal malt base and a touch of rye malt adds a spicy dryness to accentuate the hop character further. 8.5% ABV, 80 IBU
Hops used: Columbus and Mosaic
June – Citra Session IPA:
When new and unique ingredients become available we often feel inspired to make a new brew highlighting that ingredient, here we are highlighting a newer hop variety called Citra. This pale gold Session IPA is brewed with high quality Maris Otter and Vienna Malt but the flavor is dominated by the Citra hop. 100% Citra hop is used to bitter and flavor the brew with additional Citra in the dry hop for aroma intensity. Citrus notes of lemon, orange and grapefruit are the main traits of the hop with light floral and lemon grass undertones. The abv at only 4.5% makes this hop laden brew an easily sessionable quaffer. 4.5% ABV, 45 IBU
Hops used: Citra
August – Cedar Plank Pale Ale:
This hoppy pale ale starts out as 30th Street Pale Ale and then undergoes Spanish cedar aging. Wood aging imparts an intense cedar aroma which dominates the dry hop. The flavor contributions from the Spanish cedar include peppercorn spiciness and a tannic dry mouth feel that makes the hop flavor and bitterness linger in the finish. The wood adds a fun and unique twist on a classic American Strong Pale Ale, “The wood is good!” 6.3 % ABV, 45 IBU
Hops used: Warrior, El Dorado, Cascade
October – Symposium IPA:
We originally brewed this beer for the 2008 Craft Brewers Conference for the attendees that came from all around the world. The 2008 Symposium IPA was brewed a la San Diego Style with inputs from several brewers around town. This IPA is highly quaffable, pale copper in color, and lighter in body with a profound emphasis on hop extravagance as we added hops at every step throughout the brewing process. We all enjoyed the beer so much that we just had to bring it back for our 8th Anniversary in 2010. Now it’s being released as key brew for our 2013 Hop Odyssey. 7% ABV, 75 IBU
Hops used: Simcoe, Tomahawk, Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial
December – Double Columbus IPA:
Brewed with 100% Columbus hops this double IPA is an absolute Columbus hop bomb! Its resinous hop character comes through with huge grapefruit zest and pine notes throughout the brew. The big juicy, fruity, citrus hops add a resinous and almost sticky hop presence in the body making the medium body from crystal malts seem even richer and fuller. This is a hop head’s treat! 8.8% ABV, 98 IBU
Hops used: Columbus
How Hop Odyssey Will Reach The Consumer:
“We believe in continuously evolving and to us this means exploring, tasting and discovering new beer recipes that inspire, astonish and delight the palate,” says Lisa Hinkley, Green Flash Co-Founder and Vice President of Marketing. “An iconic identifying brand graphic and the messaging of Hop Odyssey will be applied to a series of merchandise and promotional materials to engage directly with consumers so that they are ready to set sail on six hoppy adventures.”
All 6 Hop Odyssey drafts will be available at taprooms, bars and restaurants in the 37 states where Green Flash is now distributed as an addition to the expansive Green Flash Brewing Co. national lineup of bottled and draft beers, seasonal introductions as well as an impressive rotation of brewery collaborations and other limited releases.
About Green Flash Brewing Co.
Green Flash Brewing Co. is located in San Diego, California, and was founded in 2002 by Mike and Lisa Hinkley. Brewmaster, Chuck Silva, leads brewing operations. Green Flash is an award-winning brewer of fine, hand-crafted ales, and specializes in brewing assertive and distinctive beers, such as the nationally acclaimed West Coast I.P.A.: an award-winning beer whose wide acceptance has helped define a category. Green Flash brews ten styles of beer regularly, on draught and in bottles as well as a growing lineup of seasonal and special offerings, including several barrel-aged beers, throughout the year.