Green Flash Brewing invading the Chicago market might be an understatement when you take into consideration just how many beers from this celebrated brewery are now on our shelves.  Seven beers from the Vista, California based Green Flash Brewing are now on hand at select locations, including:  Double Stout, Imperial IPA, West Coast IPA, Barleywine Style Ale, Le Freak Belgian Style IPA, Trippel Ale, and Hop Head Red Ale.

We had the chance to sample the West Coast IPA and the Hop Head Red last night at the Windy City Distribution Beer Expo.  It was agreed that these were probably the two hoppiest beers we savored all night, with the soon to be released Tyranena Hop Whore not far behind.  The West Coast IPA starts out with citrusy hops followed by a brief instant of malt flavor; all of this leading into a barrage of piney hop bitterness that launches an all out offensive on the palate.  The Hop Head Red had a very similar hop profile as the West Coast IPA, but where it differed was in it’s heftier malt backbone  Non hop-heads will have their bitter beer faces out in full while trying these two;  the die hard hop-heads will be drooling for more.

Unfortunately Green Flash is a smaller brewery that is in very high demand, and the first shipment that Green Flash unleashed upon Chicago seems to already be thinning out.  We are all hoping for a larger drop next time around, which will hopefully ensue soon.  Email kyle@binnys.com to check if these beers are available at your local Binny’s, or give your neighborhood Binny’s a call.  Will you be seeking out the light on your next trip to Binny's?