Green Flash Le Freak - Green Flash Brewing Co.

Foxman

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

It pours a very hazy honey golden amber. Two fingers of sculpted off-white head scoop and sink slowly. Escher prints of dimensional lacing print the inside of the glass.

In the aroma, there's a mildly sweet and tart melding of caramel malt and earthy wheat. Candy sugar and citrusy hops intersperse crisp esters carrying clove and banana. A brush of alcohol tickles the sinuses.

Upon sipping, a very brief glimpse of grain and sugar clinches to a singeing crisp ester blast that layers clove and green apple. As well, hops assert a broad push of gritty bitterness along with some dry citrus. Alcohol soft-shoes it here as well. A mild slide of biscuit and citrus hops lead into an enveloping bitter edge that finishes with a crisp, dry sustain. It's two strong characters agreeing to co-exist happily.

Medium bodied, the flow is just sticky enough to plaster a clean, crisp glow on the palate as it fades.

Unlike many of similar style, this beer is content being both distantly Belgian and American in style. It never blurs so much that it loses its intriguingly dual personality. Whatever the ABV, now known to be hefty indeed, it mixes well but it lays on a buzz quite capably. For me, this is one more reason to go on being a Green Flash fan.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2008 16:33:55 | More by Foxman

Michael_20P

California

4/5  rDev -1%

05-23-2013 23:17:01 | More by Michael_20P

DRTBrewster

Arizona

4.75/5  rDev +17.6%

05-23-2013 21:47:23 | More by DRTBrewster

mxchap

California

2.5/5  rDev -38.1%

05-21-2013 04:07:19 | More by mxchap

johntfox

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-20-2013 22:20:28 | More by johntfox

CDCNAM

Louisiana

4.75/5  rDev +17.6%

05-20-2013 16:20:23 | More by CDCNAM

Geno206

Washington

4/5  rDev -1%

05-20-2013 04:20:17 | More by Geno206

AdamP

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

05-20-2013 01:48:38 | More by AdamP

capnamerica

Arkansas

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

05-19-2013 23:53:24 | More by capnamerica

Glibber

Idaho

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

05-19-2013 21:58:50 | More by Glibber

mc4z

California

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

05-19-2013 05:44:07 | More by mc4z

anteater

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-19-2013 01:26:15 | More by anteater

dwagner003

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-17-2013 13:25:31 | More by dwagner003

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Nothing better than walking into a gas station and seeing rows of Green Flash bombers; I’ve got to go to Missouri more often.

A: Pouring this into a Duvel tulip was a great idea, because Le Freak fits the Belgian pale look perfectly. Half-and-half white head and hazy amber body, with the foam looking nice and chunky as it slowly disappears. Bubbly lacing webs spread all the way around.

S: Pepper, ginger root, and white wine hop notes provide an uplifting aroma to a nose that broods with the caramel butteriness of American DIPA malt. It has a hint of age to it, almost old enough to provide an overpowering mustiness to the nose; however, the molasses and plum scent of Belgian candi sugar paint over most of the flaw with a hefty, in-style meatiness.

T: Candi sugar oozes tastes of plum and black cherry cobbler from the start, with a slight black licorice quality. A familiar hop pattern of pine and grapefruit make this distinctly American, exciting the palate to a momentary crispness as it melds with a slightly cheesy yeast funk. A buildup of brine sweeps across as the aftertaste hits, as bright, dry, and catty as any Belgian ale, but with a lingering note of biting fusel alcohol.

M: Try to swirl it around your mouth at all and you’re left with a frothy remnant of the beer you first drank – this is as softly carbonated as they come. A sign of bottle conditioning, sure, but a little crispness would help battle the thickness of the palate.

O: I’m left wondering whether I got all that I paid for. I know that Green Flash started bottle-dating recently, but it’s possible that the light yellow ink had been rubbed off, which is frustrating. Now, I don’t think every brewer should make their beers like Stone, with the “Enjoy By” date in huge letters on the label, but it wouldn’t hurt to date bottles in a manner that couldn’t be sabotaged by any bottle shop employee with a wet rag and a desire to sell old beer. At any rate, this is a beer that did pretty well with a little age on it. Though I wished it were fresher, I’m glad I got to try – because it was an excellent Belgo-American ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 23:34:20 | More by BarryMFBurton

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-16-2013 23:07:19 | More by Slatetank

KingEdward

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

05-15-2013 21:34:29 | More by KingEdward

Zbeetleman

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-15-2013 03:23:46 | More by Zbeetleman

jburd19

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%

05-14-2013 22:58:48 | More by jburd19

4amepiphany

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%

05-14-2013 05:03:57 | More by 4amepiphany

Tshack

North Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +17.6%

05-13-2013 12:37:28 | More by Tshack

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1%

05-13-2013 10:44:06 | More by MDDMD

SadMachine

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-13-2013 05:07:09 | More by SadMachine

Jamison85

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-13-2013 01:35:13 | More by Jamison85

Gww1864

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1%

05-12-2013 21:18:53 | More by Gww1864

ryanpj

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1%

05-12-2013 21:16:17 | More by ryanpj