Mark CarmignaniBased in San Diego, Calif., Green Flash Brewing Co. is the creation of Mike and Lisa Hinkley. The name comes from the optical phenomena that can occur during sunset under the right conditions. Coastal California just so happens to be a great place to view these green flashes. Since its opening in 2002, Green Flash has grown to include the 4,000-square-foot main brewery, a 12,000-square-foot dedicated barrel aging facility dubbed “Cellar 3,” a massive still-in-progress 58,000-square-foot brewery in Virginia Beach, and the famous Alpine Brewing Co.
Today’s beer is brewed with charity in mind. Treasure Chest is an annual release that is usually reserved for the coinciding festival that the beer is named for, however, this year it is seeing limited national distribution. The funds raised go to various breast cancer charities and throughout the past four years has garnered over one $150,000 towards the cause.
This fifth anniversary version of Treasure Chest is a Mosaic hopped IPA with additions of grapefruit juice, prickly pear juice and hibiscus flowers.
Poured into an IPA glass, Treasure Chest is a brilliantly clear burnt orange color with a slightly off-white large head. Carbonation bubbles up steadily from the bottom and adds to the superb look of this beer. Olfactory receptors pick up the grapefruit right away, as well as, some bready malt and creamed corn in the background. Overall, it smells like a tropical herbal tea.
Upon ingesting the beer the first thing I notice is the mouthfeel. It is surprisingly creamy and reminds me of some of the English beers I’ve enjoyed hand pulled from the cask in London. Bitterness starts off low but builds over time eventually settling and lingering near the uvula. Again, the grapefruit is very apparent and has a nice juicy quality to it. Malty sweetness is perceptible and makes for a middle of the road balance for an American IPA. As the beer warms I am detecting more and more of a creamed corn aroma. Dimethyl Sulfide or DMS to all the chemistry nerds out there. It’s not super prevalent but once I notice it, it ends up becoming the focus point with each successive sip.
