Ingredient Insight: Hops abound in Green Flash Brewing Co.’s Hop Odyssey Series

Green Flash Brewing Co. is celebrating its hoppy roots with the final release of its 2015 Hop Odyssey series, the boldly hoppy Segal Ranch Session IPA, and the debut of its fourth annual Hop Odyssey series — a national beer program that focuses on exploring new hop varietals, fresh combinations and innovative brewing methods.

Hop Odyssey 2016 is comprised of three pale ales that showcase carefully selected hop varieties from around the world, an ode to Green Flash’s dedication to brewing adventure. The 2016 series will traverse three international destinations, kicking off with the release of single-hop ale Pacific Gem Pale Ale (New Zealand), followed by Styrian Golding Pale Ale (Slovenia) and culminating with Nugget Pale Ale (United States). By focusing on each individual hop variety, Green Flash brewers are again taking craft beer aficionados on an epic journey by putting their own bold take on the classic, drinkable Pale Ale.

The 2015 Hop Odyssey was a study of the Session IPA style. For the 2016 series, Green Flash brewers brought their attention to the pale ale style to explore an interest in Simpsons Golden Promise, a classic UK pale malt.

“For this year’s National Homebrewers Conference in San Diego, we crafted a British-inspired pale ale, Golden Naked Promise, for which we selected Golden Promise malt,” explains Green Flash brewmaster Erik Jensen. “This was my first recipe for Green Flash and we wanted to further delve into and experiment with Golden Promise as our malt base for the 2016 Hop Odyssey.”

For the second consecutive year, an identical malt profile is the foundation of the Hop Odyssey series so the characteristics of each unique hop variety are able to dominate. Each 2016 series single-hop ale is built on a malt base of domestic two-row malted barley, English Golden Promise and Premium English Caramalt.

The 4.5 percent ABV and 65 IBU Segal Ranch, the third and final 2015 Hop Odyssey release, will be available nationwide through the end of the year on tap and in bottles. The first release of the 2016 series, Pacific Gem Pale Ale, will make its debut in January 2016 and will be available for a limited time nationwide on tap and in six-packs. The ales are 5.5 percent ABV with 40 IBUs.

“Through the Hop Odyssey series, we’re able to take craft consumers along on the brewer’s process of discovery to really explore the characteristics of each individual hop,” says Green Flash CEO and Co-Founder Mike Hinkley. “Erik pursued the hops that interested him most, and used them in a manner that’s consistent with what Green Flash is known for — boldly hoppy craft beers.”