Despite sharing a certain amount of namesake with Green Flash Brewery, I'm a relative noob when it comes to their product line. And I have to admit, I'm a little put off by anything with the word "style" after it. On a basic level it means inauthentic; a knock-off. Take the infamous "kosher-style deli". When I see that, it tells me "hey, this delicious food of observant Jews could be made kosher, but lets enjoy it in a restaurant where observant Jews aren't allowed to eat." And don't get me started on digital music services that offer me songs "in the style of Radiohead".
Recently I was gifted with a mix and match sixer from a beer nerd I trust, and it included some of this flavor. Given my disdain for for the word, I think a subconscious part of me was ready to dislike it. Alas, this is one of those rare times when you can't trust your dogma or your subconscious; this stuff is delicious.
I pound my taste buds with the piney citrus that is American hops week after week. I love Simcoe, Citra and Cascade like I love my children (and I'm suddenly lamenting not working them into my actual children's names somehow...maybe there's still time). But the magic working here is completely different. The bitterness is clear star of the show here, but the flavors that serve as its opening act are rich, complex and to this veteran IPA drinker, completely unexpected. I found myself repeatedly staring down at the bottle, as if it were going to somehow start explaining where it had been all my life.
Praise aside, I still take umbrage with the name. There is nothing "style" about this. This bad boy IS soul. This IPA is way more Barry White than it is Shaun White. This drink is about making sweet, sweet love down by the fire.
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