I stopped in to Kasey's to grab a beer with Steve Figg and b.s. about the Louisville Ironman course and what I'm doing in school. Long story short, we caught up.
What really inspired me to write today, was the beer I decided to enjoy on my way out the door. A Green Flash, West Coast IPA.
I've been living in Chicago for three years now and I have to admit that I've gotten used to Midwestern brews. While that's not a problem, it highlights how my expectations have changed. Much like one would expect a Sierra Nevada to be off-palate of you live in Connecticut, the Green Flash sharply reminded me of how a West Coast Ale should taste.
There's something inherent in the bitterness that permeates this IPA - a fruity and ever-present hoppiness reminds me of the (many) days I spent in San Diego while in the Navy. It should be no surprise that Green Flash is located in San Diego, but to be perfectly honest, I don't remember where I've tasted this brew before (can you blame me? I was a sailor on shore leave!) but they've certainly managed to embody what I consider a quintessential West Coast beer.
I've been to Fleet Week in San Francisco, tried to make my mark on the Gaslamp (left its mark[s]on me) in San Diego, and have sampled brews from Long Beach to Santa Monica... I'm very happy right now to have chosen this brew, in this, the oldest tavern in Chicago's South Loop, only to find myself transported to the Pacific Coast - if only for a few minutes.
...and for those of you who know what it is, I once caught one on video!
