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

jjchristiano

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Hops and Alcohol.
One of the hoppiest beers I've tried and the ABV is 9.2%.
Appearance is a little murky as I poured into a wine glass and there was active yeast still bubbling away in the glass. Drank it at temperature in the 45-50 degree range which was just right. smell and taste are a perfect match in this beer as the very hop flavor you anticipate is what you get. No other off flavors to surprise.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 05:08:49 | More by jjchristiano

magictacosinus

California

4.6/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

About time I picked up another Green Flash brew. This one looks intriguing for the Belgian beer fanatic in me! Poured into a snifter from a 22oz bomber.

Produces a fabulous golden yellow, orange toned color, complete with a head that sticks around for a surprisingly long while considering the ABV. The head is creamy and yeasty, and large bubbles appear at the top, especially during the process of sinking. In fact, this whole thing is quite delightfully bubbly, almost in the way that champagne is. There's a good yeasty tone in the center of the beer, and it seems pretty dense, especially considering the massive alcohol leggings going on here. Is it a tripel or a Belgian IPA though? A combination of both, it seems! Fun stuff.

The aroma is, as expected from the description, a combo of zesty citrus (especially on the orange/clementine variety) and fruity, full-bodied Belgian yeast strands. For that matter, it pretty much reminds me of two of my favorite styles (the West Coast IPA and the tripel), and in this case, it's a true match made in heaven. Unsure still how this will hold up in the flavor. The boozy notes come off quite strong, but not as much as the hops or yeast. I can barely gather any malty aromas right here, but perhaps its for the best. It smells pretty terrific as it is, as it is quite fresh and flavorful overall.

The flavor definitely expands what I was trying to find in this beer, however! Other than the obvious dry hopped bitter flavor at first, it's quickly replaced with fruity aromas ranging from orange to sweetened lemon to candied sugar. Tripels usually have a ton of dried hops in them, but in this case, the West Coast variety from Green Flash is earthier, more on the zesty and grassy side, and also the malts are slightly sweeter as well. However, the yeasty flavors and thickness are as great as any good tripel I've had from Belgium. It's truly stunning how close they've gotten the style down in this case. There's an undeniable freshness that permeates throughout, and it tastes as such no matter how much it sits around. The alcohol is quite present, but there's a smoothness amongst the dryness that makes this a fine drinking experience indeed. I also enjoyed adding the yeast to this by the end, as it thickened the experience, but definitely reduced the hoppiness!

Fantastic job once again from the people at Green Flash. If this weren't such a hybrid, I'd say this is one of the best tripel-styled beers in America. However, the better news that because it's a hybrid recipe, it's a beer that's *unlike* any other I've ever had! Excellent stuff, and will definitely buy more in the future.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 07:27:36 | More by magictacosinus

Takahiro

Oregon

4.35/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

poured into a duvel glass for the tasting

A: clear, deep golden, with thick melengue-like foam
S: yogurty yeastiness, that reminds me of Belgian-saison yeast, bit of strawberry
T: fruity candi flavor (can't describe actual fruit) upfront then quickly transition to hop-flavor and bitterness which linger on the tongue.
M: soft and silky smoothness, light on the malt side. the bitterness is relatively sticky
O: nice Belgian pale with hoppy twist. very good

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 04:59:03 | More by Takahiro

BeerManDan

California

4.48/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

There is at least 1" of white foam against an hazy golden orange color in my clear glass. The smell of spices, fruit and mild pine filled the nose with a pleasant aroma. The taste of cloves, banana and alcoholic fruit put a surprising finish to the "zesty brew". This has a great balance of components in on 12 fl. oz. bottle. This is a #1 brew from Green Flash. I'll be back for more!

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 23:50:54 | More by BeerManDan

UnkleFester

Kansas

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a golden orange with over two fingers of foamy white head that sticks around, this one has an excellent lacing.

S: Belgian yeast, cloves, spices and floral hops. Wow there is a lot going on here.

T: Upfront there is Banana, clove, and spices then it starts to transition to the IPA qualities citrusy grapefruit, orange and pine.

M: A medium body that is highly carbonated. The finish is surprisingly smooth.

O: My first beer from Green Flash I really like this one it's an amazing blend of the two styles. Refreshing complex and well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 02:08:13 | More by UnkleFester

DocJitsu

California

3.78/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a murky, yet vibrant golden color with a nearly pure white head. Some white lace drags the edges of the glass. The aroma is inviting with creamy Belgian yeast and balanced tartness and sweetness. Mouthfeel is pretty full and not too dry, which is a criticism I have of a lot of Belgians. A little bready, a little raisiny, but not too much of anything. Get's a little spicy. The hops help that component. A pretty unoffensive Belgian. Very drinkable and mild despite its 9.2% ABV.

ADDENDUM: As beer gets a little warmer, the tartness fades and the sweetness from the grain expresses itself, making it a little more appealing.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 00:57:09 | More by DocJitsu

Mic-Lee

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Two fingers of head minimum; big, thick, creamy and foamy. Nice caramel color, medium translucence. Smells of sweet Belgian yeast, bready. Bread and fruit flavors, spicy hops. Light bitterness. Creamy mouthfeel; smooth. Hides the alcohol extremely well, little to no boozy taste.

Overall: This is tasty. It has a nice hit of hops for a Belgian style beer. Overall, the Belgian flavor is the dominant one, so only get this if you’re in the mood for that, but it’s a nice taste that mixes well with the hops and it is definitely gulpable. Also, it is shockingly non-boozy for being 9.2%, making it a great beer to get a buzz from.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 00:28:31 | More by Mic-Lee

rickyleepotts

Arizona

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I find it funny that this beer is listed on page 420. With the recent election, marijuana has been legalized in Washington state and in Colorado. The state of Arizona has also given permission for medical marijuana grow houses. Anyway, just a funny time for us to be drinking the beer on page 420. Does anyone know where the 4:20 thing came from?

The beer we are drinking is… well, a good one. Sheryl said, "Pick a good one." OK, I will. And I did. Tonight we are drinking a bottle of the Green Flash Le Freak, a huge Belgian IPA. I have had this beer before, and actually bought a case of it from Total Wine & More. They dropped the price to $3.99, so I grabbed a case. Can't beat that for an IPA that is over 9% ABV. Let's see what this beer tastes like.

In the Glass: It is thick, and has a nice orange color to it. It was poured right out of the fridge, and has a weak thin white head on top. The lace is nice, but quickly finds itself back on top of the beer. Probably because the bubbles want back in the best beer Green Flash makes! Well, their Palate Wrecker is pretty great, too.

Nose: At first, I smell flowers. It has a very nice aroma to it. On a second whiff I am picking up some dirty grassy notes on the nose. Like I said, it's ice cold, so I am sure the aroma is being masked just a little. But it has a nice aroma that you wouldn't expect from a 9.2% beer. You don't smell the booze at all.

Flavor: Oh. My. Goodness. This is a great IPA. It has all of the same characteristics that you picked up on the aroma, but then it leads to a dry, somewhat sweet aftertaste. But I will get to the aftertaste in a minute. Some tastings notes I read online talk about a citrus flavor, but I am just not getting much citrus here. The grass that I mentioned in the aroma is really obvious here on the palate. Yes, I like drinking grass. Lay off!

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is nice. Not a ton of bubbles, and while we are drinking this WAY too cold, the feeling on the tongue is totally worth writing home about. It slides across the tongue nice and cold, and leaves a thin layer of sweetness that I didn't expect. Then I swallow, and my mouth is still excited. This beer has a very nice mouthfeel that I wish more brews modeled themselves after.

Aftertaste: Nice. It's really nice. It has a quick finish that leads to the aftertaste, and it's so good, I don't even want to take another drink. it's not dry at first, but quickly my mouth feels like cotton balls. There is a super dry finish that literally leaves me licking the inside of my mouth for more flavor. But that's OK, because that dryness is what I hang on to. It hangs on for a few minutes, too. And all of those flavors that I am having along the way… the burp brings them all back to the center of the palate. I encourage you to burp on this one just to experience that flavor one more time.

This is a great beer, and even though I am a hop head, I would say this is a great place for a craft beer drinker to start when wanting to experience the true hops that a beer can produce. This one has a HUGE IBU, coming in over 100. There are some beers out there that do the same thing, hit triple digits… but they are always masked by the malt. Not here. Green Flash continues to impress me, and has done so again with the Le Freak. Bottoms up, people!

Le Freak - The bottle says: "ZESTY BREW"

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 23:34:53 | More by rickyleepotts

babaracas

Florida

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy darker amber, dense offwhite head, settles slowly to a thin layer; spray of lace on the glass. Smell: bubblegum, pepper, medicinal, funky (horseblanket) whiff, lemon peel. Taste: a little grainy and funky, sweet-ish, some peppery and citric balance, then finishes dry with citrus rind reemerging. Booze note.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 07:25:01 | More by babaracas

mattbk

New York

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Nice big thick head, orange/ruby, just a bit cloudy.
S: Subdued aroma, some subtle Belgian yeast, candi sugar sweetness, light citrus hops, maybe a bit musty, maybe a bit hot.
M: Medium mouthfeel, a bit low on carbonation, like that the mouthfeel isn't syrupy like the taste, but not too thin either. Nice.
T: Nice orange/citrus taste, the yeast coming through more in the aroma than the flavor, slight alcohol burn going down. Some sweetness too, a bit syrupy, but I don't mind it. Not out of balance. The alcohol is fairly faint for a 9.2% beer. Very good.
O: Solid Belgian IPA, like the orange/citrus thing, like the way the alcohol is well hidden, could be a bit more Belgian-y, the yeast is more prominent in the nose than in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 01:47:55 | More by mattbk

outdoor7or24

Georgia

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass.
A: cloudy-light golden copper color, some carbonation, nice 2 finger off-white foamy head that is huge, lacing is present
S: This is my favorite part of this beer, the belgian yeast, citrus, floral hops, tropical fruit aroma, peppery spice, some caramel malt
M: medium body, with a syrup like feel that coats the tongue but has a clean finish. I wonder if the hop complex contributes to the syrup like feel???
T: banana, belgian yeast, sugary caramel malt sweetness, then hoppy bitterness with a piney and citrus kick.
O: Solid beer that is big on aroma and taste, very impressive. I would buy this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 00:44:00 | More by outdoor7or24

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

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

12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass. No bottling info, which indicates it is older than May when they started dating them (or it has been rubbed off to the point of no trace).

A - Pours a hazy golden with a thick cream colored head. The head is long lasting with irregular topography. Tiered lacing clings to the glass.

S - In a word, I would call the aroma "Belgian." Peppery spice, cloves, and plantains dominate. Cotton candy malts as well with a little floral hops presence.

T - Starts sweet with big belgian flavors. Banana and coriander along with the candy malts form the nose. A little bit bitter on the back end with some drying hops and the slightest alcohol astringency.

M - Lively carbonation lasts for the duration, despite my slow sipping. Clean, dry finish and a medium body.

O - Another solid beer from Green Flash. They impress me in a variety of styles, perhaps none better than their belgian offerings. This one has big belgian flavors, improved upon by the hop additions. A little bit more expensive than I would like, but a very solid beer I will probably get again.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 00:57:12 | More by NoLeafClover44

rundocrun

Iowa

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Body is a pale coppery honey color. Three full fingers of billowy head form. Ridiculous retention and lacing all the way down the glass.

S - Subtle grassy, fruity notes. Belgian yeast definitely has a presence here too. THere is a hefty, bready aroma mixed with ripe berries - very Belgian.

T - Up front there are lots of lush, juicy hop flavors. Just a touch of bitterness to go along with it. Mild tang and berry-like quality from the Belgian yeast strain. Undertones of hearty cereal grains and just a touch of bitter orange peel.

M - Thick! This is one big IPA. Very full body and subdued carbonation (I could actually stand for a bit more here). Finish is not dry, but not overwhelmingly sweet either.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 03:03:25 | More by rundocrun

BlackBearForge

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Le Freak pours a pale golden yellow with amber highlights and a foamy white head that subside quickly to a rocky froth leaving oily lacing on the glass.

The nose picks up citusy hops and pale malts with a hint of spiciness.

The flavor is aggressive with citrusy hops in abundance, full pale somewhat biscuity malts and an earthy/spicy background that builds as the beer warms. Nicely balanced between the three elements.

The body is medium and the prickly carbonation accentuates this aggressive beer.

A very nice take on the style, combining American double IPA and Belgian Trippel.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 22:52:47 | More by BlackBearForge

Beejay

Virginia

3.2/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Holy Gigantic Font Batman! Been a while since I've been on, the screen is all sorts of huge..
Much thanks to Richard for this brew!

A: A light tan apricot color, mostly clear, with a nice off-white, pillowy head on top.

S: Hoppiness with an underlying sweet character. Touches of pine, but there is also orange and grapefruit peel. A touch of raisins, and perhaps brown sugar. Possibly banana or clove in there as well.

T: The bitterness is certainly present. There is a bit of banana, with grapefruit hop flavors dominating. A slight sweet caramel flavor, but it is barely perceptible over the bitterness.

M: Fairly thick, with pretty good carbonation. There is certainly an oily afterfeel to it.

O: Overall, I think it is over hopped, and the bitterness detracts from anything interesting that the yeast is doing for it. It's good, but it's hard to see this as anything but an overhopped beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 23:42:19 | More by Beejay

Cobrito

Georgia

4.65/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear, very slightly hazy golden with not much head action. The aroma is a combination of autumnal fruit and an almost barbecued pork smell. Slightly offputting but intriguing. But then bam, the first taste is a chewy, Thanksgiving stuffing, savory Belgian nougat, and then the citrusy, resiny hops kick in mid-palate. I find the combination to work very well--manages to combine the two styles in a way that both stand out equally and neither cancels the other out. Way better than Stone's Cali-Belgian. Impressive.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 02:12:06 | More by Cobrito

CampusCrew

Florida

4.93/5  rDev +22%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Nearly flawless beer.... beatiful beer... nice amber colorkng with huge fluffy white head... nice head retention. Huge aromas... the name fits the nose... freaky funky aromas.. lots of belgian yeast fighting with a huge helping of citrus hop presence.. medium bodied and green flashes best beer... atleast from the oned ive had.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 16:29:45 | More by CampusCrew

Immortale25

Florida

4.89/5  rDev +21%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had at the Local in coral gables, FL. Arrives in a duvel snifter.

A- Is overflowing in the tulip glass due to a hasty pour from the bartender. What results is a two-finger white head atop a medium amber colored body. What a crouzen. It slowly recedes down the glass with beautiful cobwebs of lacing following.

S- Tropical fruit aroma of pineapple and pear with some citrus hops trailing and amplifying the bouquet. Very apparent Belgian yeast that's rich and tangy.

T- Heaven. Yeast, hops and some spice all commingle to create a bittersweet citrus flavor that's irresistible. Inevitable pineapple notes plus grapefruit, tangerine and apricots. The grassy bitterness lingers on the palate and begs for more sips to which I quickly submit. Every ingredient and every taste seems to work in perfect unison delivering a knockout of taste.

M- Highly prickly and tight, especially in the aftertaste, but not overly dry. Medium-high carbonation and a malt body that's certainly strong enough to compete with an IPA which further constitutes its BIPA style.

O- In many aspects, this is the king of Belgian IPAs. All of the key factors are there: intense fruity bitterness from the hops; rich, somewhat chalky yeast character; complimentary malt body; vibrant carbonation. Truly a world-class beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 01:04:45 | More by Immortale25

mpedara429

Massachusetts

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

A: A light burnt orange in color, 3 fingers worth of off white head with good retention. a lot of heavy duty lacing stuck around the glass

S: Mostly spicy belgian yeast, bananas and clove. A hint of piney hops.

T: everything in the smell is tasted but mellowed out and paired with an intense hoppiness. The two blend together very well.

M: Smooth, medium body with medium-high carbonation.

O: Seems a little more Belgian than IPA. Usually, not a fan of Belgian IPAs but I would come back to this one. Green Flash never fails to impress.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 07:13:44 | More by mpedara429

beergoot

Colorado

3.83/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Golden amber body, thick white head. Fruity, malty aroma; banana, apple, figs, caramel; some alcohol notes. Light biscuit flavor followed by a strong hop bitterness and equally strong alcohol bite. Medium body, effervescent; dry finish.

An interesting combo beer. Bold and tasty but somewhat chaotic balance overall. But, it does exude some interest and intrigue with everything that is going on with this beer. I'm sure another serving at another time would present me with a different impression. Worth checking out...

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 01:51:45 | More by beergoot

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz Bottle from the Potsdam NY IGA for 4$

Appearance - |Hazy copper colour with an average size fizzy off-white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation and there is some great lacing. The head lasted for around 5 minutes.

Smell - Malts, hops, grapefruit, bananas, yeast

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste hops, malts, and caramel. There is also some light banana mixed with grapefruit zest/pith and yeasty notes. It finishes with a yeasty hoppy aftertaste.

Overall - Another winner from Green Flash - one of my favourite brewers. While this beer does have a lot of vibrant flavours; I was expecting a little more punch. I guess that makes it more drinkable however. The booze is very well hidden.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 00:33:15 | More by spinrsx

hardy008

Minnesota

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

Pours a hazy light orange color with a 3 finger off white head with good retention and lacing. Smells like citrus, Belgian yeast, and pepper.

The taste is much like the aroma. It is sweet, with some bitterness to balance provided by the hops and pepper flavor. In addition to pepper and citrus, there is Belgian yeast, cloves, and pale malts.

Medium bodied with above average carbonation, and a sweet aftertaste, balanced out somewhat by pepper. This is a nice Belgian IPA, which I would gladly buy again.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 02:18:29 | More by hardy008

MadScientist

New York

4.55/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A: a slightly hazy, glowing amber with orange highlights. The persistant, rocky, off-white leaves some light lacing on the glass.

S: An intense hop aroma that is mostly pineapple and citrus with some pine. There is a grassy note mixed with a more herbaceous note like sage. A moderately-light candy sugar like malt aroma blends with orange esters. Light peppery phenols and a soft alcohol aroma round out the nose for this delicious smelling beer.

T: There is high hops bitterness but it's supported by a moderate, clean malt sweetness. There is moderately-strong hops flavors of pineapple, citrus with some pine. The grassiness os from the dry hopping but the sage and rosemary might be from the fermentation or actual herb additions. Moderate orange flavors from the yeast. The balance is firmly bitter having a dry finish with a lingering bitterness and pine.

M: medium-light bodied with moderately-high carbonation. There is no creaminess, a little dryness from the high CO2 and a moderate warming from the alcohol.

O: I love this West Coast Belgian; it combines my favorite element of each in an assertive yet balanced beer. It'll make hop head somewhat happy , just don't except a total hop bomb.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 23:11:58 | More by MadScientist

Willytee3

New York

4.65/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Rating on my 2nd bottle into the 4 pack. The first was too good to stop and write.

Pours a rich clear orange with yellow tinge around the edges. Nice two finger head settles to a thick film with good lacing.

Incredible smelling beer! Bubble gum and spice with some bright funk. Candy apple and flowers.

Tastes of bubble gum and spice with green flowers and light Brett funk! Bitter through drink carries all with a piney hops on the finish. Nice carbonation.

Great beer with lots going on funky and just works! Daring to combine a Trippel with an IPA and it comes up a winner!

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 04:46:53 | More by Willytee3