Green Flash Brewing Company - Extra Pale Ale

It's not easy to find a well hopped, light-bodied ale. But this here is one of 'em. An extra pale gem, this beer has a floral hop nose, with some citrus notes and a hint of peppery spice. The hoppy character is somehow subdued in the flavor, permitting the premium pale malted barley malts to pique with notes of caramel and fruit. The finish showcases a hops resurgence as a prominent bitterness balances the sweetish malt tones with a floral, bitterly crisp Chinook hop finish. Tasty and good with just about any meal, this beer took home the 2005 Bronze medal from the Great American Beer Festival and the 2006 Silver medal from the World Beer Cup. Enjoy!

The Green Flash Brewing Company was founded in 2002 in Vista, CA about 30 miles north of downtown San Diego. Founder and President Mike Hinkley had owned a popular beer bar for years and while providing better beer to the community was indeed a noble public service, he longed to start his own brewery. After taking some start up capital from the sale of his beer bar business, partnering with some other investors, brewing multiple test beer batches, and working countless hours to pull the whole endeavor together, the Green Flash Brewing Company was born. This is a very 'micro' brewery, with just five employees, yet they have enjoyed impressive success in their relatively brief history—they're currently distributed in 10 states, and they brew an impressive line up of at least twelve different beers. Brewmaster Chuck Silva is a gifted brewer with a difficult task—to brew a line up that is spread equally between traditional, full-flavored, session-style beers with modest ABVs, and big-bodied, massively hopped, borderline extreme beers. He's managed to pull this off, catering all at once to those who prefer traditional, easy-drinking microbrews and those who gravitate toward the big, assertive brews currently blossoming throughout the country. This month we've opted to run with a couple of their session style beers—but we encourage you to seek out all of their beers! They're available in various states, from CA to NJ. You can always reorder the brews we've featured here from us, or contact the brewery to find out where you can get access to some of their other tasty beers. So what's a green flash? It's a rarely witnessed phenomenon. But basically, it's a moment that occurs when the sun is low on the horizon and a part of the sun, typically the top, suddenly changes color, resembling the flicker of a green-flamed candle. It lasts only a fraction to a couple of seconds. But if you catch one, it's something you're not likely to forget—just like the Green Flash B.C.'s beers. As they say, "taste it once, remember it forever." To catch a glimpse of the mysterious green flash, visit these URLs: http://www.intersoft.it/galaxlux/GF250501_17 http://www.intersoft.it/galaxlux/GFseq250501 For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (760) 597-9012 or check out their web site at www.greenflashbrew.com.