Green Man Brewery - Trickster

Trickster presents a moderately hazy golden color topped by a fluffy crop of pale foam. On the nose, we picked up bold and juicy notes of citrus, prominent stone fruits, tropical fruits akin to a mélange of papaya, passion fruit, mango, and pineapple, and some pine and mint-like herbal overtones. That tropical fruit character really comes through front and center on the palate, too. A prominent peach-like note contributes to these softer hop flavors, which are balanced by edgier, zestier notes of citrus peel. The malt profile is faily clean with a touch of sweetness that’s sturdy enough to provide the necessary balance for the hops to do their thing. Expect the perceived bitterness to come across quite a bit lower than the IBUs on our spec sheet, but that’s not a bad thing as Green Man has built this brew for maximum hop flavor without bracing bitterness. The team employs almost 3 lbs of hops per barrel (which is on the high side, even for an IPA) while dry-hopping twice – leading to tons of flavor without introducing unwanted bitterness. The end result is a modern, luscious, fruity IPA which kept us coming back for more. For pairing options, an Asian salad with mandarins and ginger-soy dressing works nicely for lighter fare, as does a moderately spicy ceviche. Alternatively, citrus-marinated chicken, Thai pineapple fried rice, short ribs, smoked brisket, or a snack of young Cheddar or Emmental cheese should play nicely with Trickster, as well. 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.