A flash of green to go with my Green Flash…
Several weeks ago, Mrs. G-LO and I joined Mr. and Mrs. Alemonger for dinner at the Blue Monkey Tavern in Merchantville, NJ. The Blue Monkey Tavern is not new to us, but it’s one of those places that is far enough off the beaten path that it simply slips our mind to go there. So how did we wind up at the Blue Monkey and what does any of this have to do with the Green Flash Green Bullet? Here’s the simple answer: Blue Monkey Tavern has 40 beers available on tap!
One of the beers available that night was the Green Flash Green Bullet, but I didn’t order it. I went with the latest from Victory Brewing Company instead, i.e. their DirtWolf Double IPA. The Alemonger had a glass of the Green Bullet and was kind enough to let me try it. I liked what I tasted, so when I saw it on the shelf during a recent beer run, I knew that I had to pick one up for an upcoming review.
Here are a few words about this beer from the Green Flash website:
Named after a super-robust New Zealand hop, Green Bullet™ is a well-balanced Triple IPA being bottled today for the 1st time ever. Brewmaster, Chuck Silva initially released this Pacific Gem to celebrate the Green Flash 9th Anniversary in 2011, and it was an immediate hit! Now, this cult favorite will be available from coast-to-coast as a seasonal release from September through December 2013. Be on the lookout for this high-caliber addition to our arsenal in 4-packs, 22oz bottles and on draft, because you do not want to miss the release.
Let’s find out if this beer is #1 with a (Green) Bullet…
- Appearance: Cloudy, pale orange color with a good bit of sediment floating throughout. Not much in the way of foam, but what is there clings to the inside of the glass as you drink it down.
- Aroma: Really interesting blend of tropical and piney hops along with a healthy dose of sweet malt. I’m getting ripe pineapple and caramelized sugar (think pineapple upside down cake) along with some strong pine resin notes.
- Taste: Lightly carbonated with a medium mouthfeel. Tropical hops and a hint of sweetness at the onset. Piney bitterness comes on strong at mid-palate and is concentrated on the middle and back of my tongue. The bitterness mellows a wee bit and then the booziness kicks in as you approach the finish. The finish is somewhat astringent with those bitter hops hanging around for a long while.
- ABV: 10.1%
A definite sipper! That’s how I would describe the Green Flash Green Bullet. Overall, I really enjoyed the medley of flavors in this beer along with the bigness of it all. Not something I would drink all the time, but when I’m looking for a high octane IPA, this is definitely a beer that I would consider.
If you want an alternative view, click here to check out Beerbecue’s hilarious and spot on review. And speaking of Steve McQueen…
Categories: Brew Review, Green Flash
AMKrouse
The Alemonger
G-LO
limpd
The Wookie
The ROK
Sarah -BeautifulTangibleThings
The Astounding Prism
It's just the booze dancing... 
I love Green Flash and if they do one thing well, it’s BIG HOPS! I’m lucky enough to find Green Flash pretty everywhere but you’re right, their penchant for intense bitterness lends itself to occasional drinking.
Great review as always!
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Many thanks! I’m a big fan of this brewery. They definitely know their way around a hoppy beer. Then again, they’re not too shabby when it comes to Stouts and Belgian Style beers either.
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Thanks for the linky linky. Nice review. I love that pic.
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You’re very welcome! Glad you liked the pic. Since there was no way in hell I could upstage your Steve McQueen analogy, I figured the only way I could compete was via a bit of beertography. Not that blogging is a competition or anything… 😉
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One of the few lessons I learned in law school that I still agree with to this day is to never underestimate your adversary and to chose your battles carefully (OK, that’s two related lessons). While I agree with them, I often ignore them to add a bit of spice. That said, I’d never attempt to upstage or compete with beerbecue, period.
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First of all, I wasn’t being “kind”, I was merely assisting in the global craft beer research effort. I had extinguished my quota of kind behavior much, much earlier in the week.
Blue Monkey is pretty much as an odd a place as the name implies but what do expect of a Belgian-forward craft beer bar/restaurant in a decidedly light blue collared neighborhood owned by a Turk ? Strange but tasty menu and really well designed tap list.
A normal person wouldn’t study draft lists before heading out the door but the fact that I still engage in craft beer blog commentary anarchy (and VERY rarely still publish my own posts) pretty much seals the “I’m not a normal person” deal. There are many other indications tending to establish that fact but I have little patience for my own lunacy right now so I’ll skip them.
Green Flash: Easily one of my top 10 breweries – probably top 5.
Big, Bold IPAs (doubles and triples): My favorite style
Green Flash West Coast IPA: Defines the west coast IPA – perfectly named.
Green Bullet: Slightly off target for me. Perhaps my modest disappointment is primarily due to the high standards I hold Green Flash to but I felt Green Bullet was just a tad unbalanced and too astringent in the finish. I also thought the flavor profile more closely matched – though with more aggressiveness – an “in your face” East Coast IIPA then a West Coast or Southern Hemisphere variety. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it and would look forward to another but it just wasn’t as great as I expected it to be. My bad for bringing the bias (though it was good one).
Did I mention the flatbed loaded with circa 1980s golf carts?
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