Green Flash Le Freak - Green Flash Brewing Co.

pmcadamis

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Glowing orange-tangerine with a nice head that's small, but firm and tightly bubbled. Lots of really fine lace sticks to the glass, and while head retention isn't stellar, it is good for the abv and builds right back up to a finger after a swirl. That lace is beautiful and that, along with the pretty color is a win-win combo.

S - Oooh, Hops! Floral, flowery, and slightly citrusy. Creamy and slightly reminiscent of vanilla. Reminds me of Orval with a shitload of hops thrown in for good measure. Something in there almost reminds me of musky cologne, combined with a floral perfume. Maybe like an old couple... he wearing English Leather and she wearing something lilac-y and stuffy. I can appreciate some toasted caramel malt tones, but floral hops are the star of the show.

T - Even hoppier on the palate than on the nose. This moves from a floral and perfumey aroma to a more citric and piney flavor. Deep, complex, and very much true to the Belgian tripel style... but with a very much California level of hops. Apple, white grapes, and vague cinnamon undertones, but these are all second fiddle to the glory that is HOPS. Outstanding!

M - Medium bodied with a very muscular and lean mouthfeel. this is a greyhound of beers... lean, ripped and firm, but powerful in an angular way. The alcohol is detectable and it almost reminds me of good sherry. The finish is very dry and lasts for days.

D - This hybrid brew presents the best of both worlds: complex Belgian hop characteristics, only amped up to west coast levels. Good stuff!

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2009 00:29:34 | More by pmcadamis

BrazilianAussie

Brazil

4/5  rDev -1%

05-24-2013 23:58:13 | More by BrazilianAussie

JWP

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-24-2013 23:16:43 | More by JWP

BradtheGreat7

Ohio

4.23/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

12 oz brown Green Flash style bottle. Label is of traditional Green Flash style on their 12 oz bottlings. Poured this into a Belgian style stemmed tulip glass.

A - straw like golden with some haze to it. Pretty velvety white head blends well with the body color. The head finds its way to a steady and frothy ring of lace leaving good stick.

S - good Belgian style yeast up front. Yeast aroma is very well done. Lots of fruitiness going on with some citrusy and pine like hop aromas. Everything gets almost floral toward the back with the addition of funky spices and the yeast takes on bready notes.

T - this ale is definitely well hoped, but the style of Belgian yeast used sets everything in motion while controlling the hop bitterness. Big light colored fruits, resinous hops, citrus, bread like with some nice spices. Finish is zesty and semi dry, but the touch of alcohol Booz remind you it's a big brew.

M - a definite Belgian styled ale. It has a lot going on and takes a moment to sort everything out as everything seem to hit you at once, but even with the 9.2% on the tag it's still a pretty damn enjoyable beer. I can't say its the smoothest I've ever had, but it does have a lot of drinkability to it.

O - it scores 100 based on pure uniqueness and the brewers ball size of even attempting to pull off a Belgian style ipa with a tripel lol. This is what I love about Green Flash.. The have the imagination to attempt something like this yet the class to pull it off. A pretty refreshing Belgian ipa. Something ill buy again no doubt.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 21:45:50 | More by BradtheGreat7

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