Green Bullet

Most of the best big and bold IPAs that hopheads go gaga over come out of breweries in the western states, and arguably the largest cluster of great single, double and triple IPAs can be found in the San Diego area. Ballast Point Sculpin, Stone Ruination and Green Flash West Coast IPA are some of the best examples of the style that you can find anywhere, and all can readily be found at affordable prices on shelves and taps around Chico. One look at Green Flash’s portfolio in particular, and you see the brewery is committed to hop-heavy brews. One of the biggest in the bunch is Green Bullet, a triple IPA that’s released each fall and clocks in at 10.1 percent ABV and more than 100 IBUs (international bitterness units). Brewed with a couple of varieties of New Zealand hops—Pacific Gem and Green Bullet—it’s an aggressively bitter beer that bites hard with a piney, zesty spiciness, that gives way to a lingering sweetness that’s on the edge of being too sticky. A fun experience if you’re in the mood for something bold.