Green Flash Le Freak - Green Flash Brewing Co.

jera1350

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Burnt orange color that is slightly muddy looking. Massive head of foam that leaves lots of lace clinging to the glass.

Huge fruity and hoppy nose. Smells more belgian than american. Lemon and belgian yeast esters fill the nostrils. Like a hopped up belgian style brew which is supposed to be the aim I guess.

The taste is more belgian also, but the american hops are not to be outdone. Really tastes like a tripel at the base with tons of belgian yeast characters. The hops are big, but low on the bitterness scale. More fruity and piney with citrus also. Medium amount of sweetness with a citrus peel finish.

Close to a full body with lots of pillowy soft carbonation sweeping across the tongue. Very smooth with a drier finish.

Wonderful take on a belgian IPA. Really more like a true belgian tripel with loads of american hops added. Typically, this style just has the belgian yeast, but this one adds the sweetness and malt/candi sugar flavors that are found in tripels. A very tasty beer that stands out for the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 02:53:39 | More by jera1350

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

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1%

05-12-2013 17:58:38 | More by mikeburd1128

fitzy84

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Had on tap at the Sierra Grille. Beverage had a great and orange-copper appearance with a rich, frothy head. Aromas included smells of yeast and hops. Wish I could have pin-pointed the fruit aroma I smelled, but there was a nice ripe, fruit aroma to the drink. Taste was a good mix of fruits and hops. I felt like I could taste a flavor of pineapple and bready hops. Good mouthful of a medium carbonation that helps the flavors come out without being muted. Overall, a pretty good drink. Never tried too many Belgian IPAs, but this definitely makes me want to try more.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 14:09:29 | More by fitzy84

drinkAK

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-12-2013 00:30:56 | More by drinkAK

YobroitsJoe

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

05-11-2013 06:28:23 | More by YobroitsJoe

ScottieD

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-11-2013 02:02:29 | More by ScottieD

TheBadger0289

New Zealand (Aotearoa)

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

05-11-2013 01:40:18 | More by TheBadger0289

shigg85

Japan

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

05-10-2013 15:33:07 | More by shigg85

MCDub

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -1%

05-10-2013 14:27:14 | More by MCDub

BlueMoon10

Mississippi

4/5  rDev -1%

05-09-2013 23:39:52 | More by BlueMoon10