Brewer Q & A (Issue 19)

95 Rating - Green Flash Brewing Co. - Silva Stout

Responses from Green Flash head brewer, Chuck Silva.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Chuck: Chuck Silva, VP of Brewing Operations and Brewmaster for Green Flash Brewing.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
Chuck: The silky smooth mouthfeel and bourbon barrel-enhanced flavors -- having hints of cherry, vanilla, oak, dark chocolate, toffee, coffee, and roasted barley.

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
Chuck: Silva Stout is a special occasion beer rather than my “desert island Beer."  It’s a great beer to share when opening a bottle with friends, and I also enjoy having it as my dessert.

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Chuck: Dark chocolate-covered cherry bourbon balls rolled in cocoa powder.

BC: Do you know a story -- or have a personal story -- that revolves around this beer?
Chuck: The naming of the beer was a bit of a surprise to me. In the beginning, it was simply called Bourbon Barrel Double Stout since the base beer is Green Flash Double Stout. As we continued to brew and age more of this beer in bourbon barrels with laudatory response, it seemed high time to put the beer in bottles. So in the spring of 2010, we set the stage to bottle the first run of Bourbon Barrel Double Stout. Needing a label for the bottle, Green Flash CEO Mike Hinkley secretly developed the label to include naming the beer Silva Stout to pay homage and surprise me with this singular honor. I was indeed surprised and very honored by this recognition.