Truth in advertising alert: I’m drinking a bottle of Green Flash Green Bullet Triple India Pale Ale that’s two years old. Where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday I bought this beer and stuck it in the beer fridge, but no. It’s been a lot longer. I thought I had had it at Taco Mac on tap, but I didn’t. That was the Green Flash Double Stout I had there on November 22nd of 2013.
I did buy a bottle of both beers at the same time, though, hence my confusion, and I know I bought them before I had the stout on tap at Taco Mac. There is no freshness dating on the bottle, so this is the only way I can tell how old the beer is.
From the website:
With the aim of finding new and unique ingredients, we honed in on New Zealand grown Pacific Gem and Green Bullet hops to create this adventurous Triple IPA. Green Bullet leaps onto your palate with bold, spicy pine and citrus flavors including tropical notes of mango and pineapple. The aggressive yet well-balanced finish will stun the senses of even the most skilled hop hunter.
Be that as it may, I do think this beer is a good candidate for aging at 10.1% alcohol by volume and 100 IBUs. It isn’t cheap, however, at $8.99 for a 22-ounce bomber or a whopping $12.99 for a 4-pack of 12-ounce bottles.
Green Flash Green Bullet Triple India Pale Ale pours to a bright orange color with a thick creamy head and a piney resin nose. A thick layer of Brussels lace forms on the sides of the glass and follows the liquid all the way to the bottom. Taking a sip the beer has thick caramel malt up front followed by waves of piney resin and a long, dry, very bitter finish. There’s a hint of citrus too in the palate as the beer warms, but the aging has cleaned out any tropical notes that might have been there fresh.
Actually, this is quite a delicious beer with age on it. Would I buy it again? My curiosity is piqued, so at some point I’ll have it again fresh in the bottle or on tap. I won’t, however, buy it as a rule. While tasty, $12.99 a 4-pack is just far too overpriced for me.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft