Green Man Brewery - IPA

Green Man’s IPA pours a golden copper hue with good clarity and a sizable head of off-white foam. Expect big citrus character in the aroma, boasting zesty notes of grapefruit, orange, and tangerine, with some secondary floral and herbal tones, all overlaid on a lightly toasty malt base. On the palate, those malts form a good backbone of moderate caramelization and that toasty, mild breadiness. Naturally, though, the stars of the show are a trio of American hops commonly called the “3 C’s” in the brewing world – Cascade, Centennial, and Columbus – which lend their bold citrus character and a very sturdy bitterness that easily counters a touch of residual sweetness to keep this brew quenchingly dry. For pairing options with this classic American IPA, spicy Asian fare is always a good call, along with dishes with a bit of fat such as cheesy enchiladas. The brewery also recommends barbacoa and bacon chesseburgers, as well. Chinese-style orange chicken will find a matching citrus note and a balancing bitter note in this IPA, and citrus glazed pork chops will pair up nicely too. Cheers!

Green Man Brewery got its start back in 1997 when it opened up as a brewpub in downtown Asheville, NC. The brewpub known as Jack of the Wood on Patton Ave was the original brewing home, with Dirty Jack’s on Buxton Ave serving as a tasting room and eventual brewing location. The Green Man moniker is a reference to a mythic spirit representing the cycle of yearly growth and spring rebirth, and is a motif common among English pubs. It’s a fitting reference for this brewery whose specialty has been the production of traditional English ales.

In 2010, the brewery came into the hands of Dennis Thies and his wife Wendy. Dennis was no stranger to the beer business, having grown up in it. His grandfather was operator of South Florida’s first Miller distributor back in the ‘50s. When Dennis, Wendy, and their kids moved to Asheville in 2008, the beer business still beckoned, and ultimately they bought Green Man and set to work expanding the business beyond the local Asheville area. In March of 2016, they opened a new facility they called the Green Mansion, a three-story, 20,000 sq. ft. facility featuring a packaging line, a retail shop where visitors can buy merch and get growler fills, and an indoor/outdoor tasting room with views of the Blue Mountains.

Green Man currently offers nine year-round brews, along with a rotating multitude of limited-run offerings including sour ales, chocolate stout, farmhouse ales, barrel-aged brews, and more. For more info about the brewery and their Asheville locations, visit them at www.greenmanbrewery.com.