Double Stout - Green Flash Brewing Co.

mscudder

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler into a pint. Enjoying on the evening of Alabama winning the national title. Roll tide.

A - Black hue with a thin tan head. Fair retention and lacing.

S - Chocolate, malts and a pinch of coffee.

T - Simple, nothing crazy here. Big smooth malts and roasted chocolate. Nothing complex, yet nothing sub-par.

M - Large medium body with low carbonation. Remains bold while not being creamy and overbearing.

O - Solid brew that I would like to enjoy again. Full growler fill at $17 was a bit high though...

Serving type: growler

01-08-2013 05:39:24 | More by mscudder

argock

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 64 oz brown growler into a Shaker pint. Purchased at The Lodge (Hilton Head Island, SC).

A: Black and completely light-swallowing with 1-finger cappuccino colored head even with a growler pour. The head has good retention with lace sheeting the top of the glass.

S: There is a good dose of roast, coffee, and oily dark chocolate in the aroma. There is a citrusy, floral hops note as well. There isn't a bunch of dark malt complexity however.

T: This is a very good tasting brew with roast and char being most prominent followed by bitter dark chocolate and a little bit of raisin and date dark malt flavors and a touch of dark malt sourness. There is some orange-lemon citrus with floral notes on the hops side. The alcohol adds a little bit of steely bitterness. A complete IS, but you need to like roast or you will be disappointed.

M: Full body with fairly dry finish and very active carbonation for the style. Long, long aftertaste with lingering roast and hops bitterness.

O: A fine American IS that hits a ton of different spots with the flavor. It is roast heavy, and had that been toned down, I would have liked it even more.

Serving type: growler

06-25-2012 02:55:45 | More by argock

MacQ32

South Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark dark brown, as close to black as could be. A nice full finger of rich chocolate colored head, decent retention, thickish tan outer ring remains. Solid lacing.

S - Roasty and bold bitter/dark chocolate aromas. A little smokey/ashy too.

T - Roasty/smokey and bitter, sweet bitter chocolates at the back end. Pretty simple but pretty bold and delightful. Slightly boozy

M - Medium bodied-Full bodied, appropriate carbonation. Almost a sipper

O - A nice bold flavorful double stout, definitely a fan. Should be a fun 64 oz's.

Serving type: growler

04-05-2012 21:33:14 | More by MacQ32

Nugganooch

California

4.08/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Filled up my growler on 03/11/11 - Double Stouty Goodness!!!

A: Obama's Papa dark! Oh my. Dense velvetty smooth esspresso-like foamy head. Great retention and some tracks of lace

S: Dark roasted malts and rich chocolate aromas

T: Rich, Dark chocolate bitterness. Roasty malts throughout. Floral hops come in. Touch of licorice. Alcohol warming nice and slightly present.

M: Smooth and velvetty texture. Coats the tongue. Slight alcohol burn going down but doesn't detract from overall enjoyment.

D: Moderate. Relatively lighter in body compared to all the crazy RIS's out there which allows for a bit more sessionability.
Still somewhat of bigger brew that one should probably enjoy in moderation.

One of my fav stouts for sure. Deep rich and complex malty flavors but not a syrup bomb by any means. Nice smooth mouthfeel from the use of oats. A very well balanced brew at 8.8%ABV.

Serving type: growler

03-14-2011 22:53:02 | More by Nugganooch

tprokop7

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured into a Yeti glass with BA's balberts and rbuckstar, from a Beirkraft growler gotten in trade with Jw347.

A - Jet black with a dark brown 2-finger head that dissipates quickly.

S - Roasted malts dominate the smell, followed by notes of bitter chocolate.

T - Sweet and chocolaty, with a nice roasted finish.

M - Just a little sticky, like I found with the LA Serpent's Stout. Other than that, the carbonation is pleasant and the beer is smooth.

D - This is a great beer overall, and I wish I could get more. I'm reaching for another glass right now...

Serving type: growler

05-04-2008 20:20:05 | More by tprokop7

koopa

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This stout had one predominant feature upon my sampling...an extreme taste of coffee. Now do understand that I do not drink coffee and do not prefer the taste of coffee. But this stout was still very drinkable pouring a ruby brown with a dark mocha head that fades after a few minutes. You can't taste any presence of alcohol yet a bitterness persists far beyond your sip. I was fortunate enough to get a tap sample in a growler from Bierkraft in Brooklyn NYC. www.bierkraft.com

Serving type: growler

04-23-2008 02:24:30 | More by koopa

grandq

New York

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured from a growler picked up from Bierkraft into a snifter. Nice two finger dark tan head with a chocolate brown body. The smell is perfect, thought not overly complex - toasted oat, baker's chocolate, tiny bit of coffee bean. Taking a sip, the first thing I think it "smooth." Quite a bit lighter than some of the monsters out there in the style and finishes quite dry. The flavors are fairly tame - roasty barley, a hint of some prune, a healthy dose of bittersweet chocolate and nutty coffee, and just the faintest alcoholic burn to let you know its got some oomph. Hops pipe up just as the chocolate malt bitterness rears its toasty head. Again, so dry its all wiped away in a couple seconds.

This isn't one of those holy grail hype hounds, just a nice solid go-to imperial stout. Hope to see it around more often.

Serving type: growler

04-10-2008 22:59:08 | More by grandq

kojevergas

California

3.03/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

8.8% ABV confirmed. Bottled: 09/25/12. That makes this about 8 months shy by my count. Self-identifies as a Double Stout, but it also includes the confusing epithet "Black Ale." 12 fl oz brown glass bottle with uninteresting label art, good bottle design, and blue branded standard pressure cap acquired at a local SoCal beer store and served into a Mitchell's of Lancaster flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are high given its current ratings.

Served cold, straight from the fridge, and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a two finger dark milky tan colour head of good milky lightly creamy complexion, nice soft appearance, good thickness, and pretty good (~4 minute) retention for the high ABV. Body colour is a nontransparent opaque solid black. Not quite a jet black but close; quite dark. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Lacing is light and uneven. A spot-on appearance for the style, but little stands out. You have to bring a lot to the table rise to the top of this style, and there's just nothing unique or special here.

Sm: Dark malts, caramel, peat, cream, the lightest hint of weak coffee (lacking roast or anything of interest), vague light molasses, chocolate malt, and the lightest hint of roasted malt. Nowhere near enough roast. The chocolate and coffee aren't at all evocative; there's no depth here. Not very impressed with the malts either. No hop aromatics are detectable, nor is any yeast character or alcohol. An average strength aroma for the style, and rather muted. Not bold or confident; very timid - not a good trait for an imperial stout. It's not horribly inviting as a result. No overt flaws, though.

T: A pretty run-of-the-mill dark malt build with some light smoked malt and chocolate malt. Coffee presence is minimal. Overly bitter. Lacks roast, a key flaw. Light peaty bitterness on the climax isn't at all satisfying. No yeast character, hop character, or alcohol comes through. Oats seem strangely out of place here. Caramel. It's quite a malt bomb all around, with none of the good aspects of a solid imperial stout. Very underwhelming. Timid. Badly balanced - in particular that naked grainy bitternes. Touches of molasses don't do this any favors. Badly built and constructed. Not a fan of this one.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Too slick for the style, which requires more body, coarseness, and dryness. Oats lend it a strange smoothness and almost acrid astringency. Too thick for its lack of flavour depth and/or diversity. Decent carbonation. Below average execution for the style. Doesn't suit the flavour profile well. Chewy and grainy.

Dr: A very subpar effort from Green Flash. One of the more underwhelming imperial stouts I've had in awhile. Almost everything good that I look for in beers of this style is not present here. I wouldn't get this again and I wouldn't recommend it. Really disappointed in this one. Somewhat drinkable but very underwhelming. Hides its ABV decently.

Low C+

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 05:50:53 | More by kojevergas

da_beers

Vermont

3.95/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured a beautiful black, with a tan head of almost two fingers. Decent lacing.

S - Chocolates, espresso, sweet malts all hit right away. Some roasted scents from the malts as well. Has a bite to it on the nose, but also a sweetness from the malts - I dig the smell.

T - Has a nice bite at the front from the hops, then evens with a smooth warmness, followed at the end with the espresso. Roasted/smokey chocolate notes dance around the palate as well.

M - Not as full bodied as some stouts I've had, but has a nice smoothness and warming qualities.

O - Overall decent stout, definitely not Green Flashes best brew, but not bad at all. Worth a try and I overall enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 01:27:10 | More by da_beers

snaotheus

Washington

4.28/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into a big snifter. Bottle says "02/05/13" on it, but it's not clear to me if that's a best by, sell by, or bottled on date. Tasting it at home on 12 May 2013.

Pours black with a light tan head, fair amount of carbonation. Basically opaque. Smell is rich and roasty, a little bit of coffee. I get something slightly nutty out of it.

Taste is coffee, sweetness, more of that roastiness. Not sure I can describe what I like about it, but I do like it.

Mouthfeel is rich and creamy. Overall, this is a very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 20:28:11 | More by snaotheus

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Pours an oily black with a beautifully creamy, chocolate-coloured head. The head doesn't have the retention I expected from its density, but results in decent lacing and still a very good looking beer.

Aroma of roasted chocolate and dark malts has smoky barrel undertones. Although it's got great depth, slightly more subtle than I expected. Phenomenal flavour at all levels, from an initial milky sweetness to a coffee bitterness in the finish, this truly offers all the best of roasted dark malts. Well balanced but complex - a perfect sipping beer. Mouthfeel is like velvet, with the expected creamy residue and aftertaste. This finish lingers for an impressive length of time.

Another brilliant beer from San Diego.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 20:23:01 | More by hopsolutely

TappaKeggaBrew

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: I can find no flaw with how this beer looks. Pours midnight black. Don't even try to look for light sneaking around the edges, it's just not there. Not even direct sunlight can make it through (OK, I used a high-power photography flash just for kicks, and it did manage to bring out a deep, red-brown hue for a microsecond, but that's cheating...) The head was a finger-plus of dense foam the color of espresso crema; it dissipated very slowly, and left lacing all around the glass.

S: Bready, toasted grain is the strongest aroma, followed by tart fruit. Also some coffee, molasses, and a hint of maple syrup.

T: Tangy more than malty from the start, although malty sweetness does show up about halfway through the sip. I detect grapefruit juice, then grapefruit rind. Some coffee, to be sure. Pine sap. Just a hint of fatty acid, but not for long. There's more grapefruit rind, fairly intense in its bitterness, showing up late, and it is rejoined by coffee in the finish.

M: Fairly thick and chewy, but well carbonated. Dryness bordered on astringent at the finish. Boozy notes were marginally present.

O: Perfect in appearance, good in taste. The dryness & bitterness of the finish were a little more than I'd have liked, but a very good brew all in all.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 18:05:25 | More by TappaKeggaBrew

Burkbom23

Connecticut

3.7/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a pitch black with a nearly 2 finger rockey dark brown head with fair retention. Some lacing. Grains and a little coffee in the nose. Maybe slight hint of dark fruit aroma. Taste has some toasted almost burnt notes of malt. Some black coffee also. Boozy. Little off putting soapyness. Full bodied strong mouthfeel. Not my favorite stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 01:37:38 | More by Burkbom23

barczar

Kentucky

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Aggressive pour yields an opaque onyx body with a frothy one inch mocha head that slowly dissipates, leaving sheets of holy lacing.

Nutty, roasty malt, coffee grounds, and dark chocolate form the initial aroma. Tar and tobacco add complexity, along with subtle dark cherry, vanilla, and molasses.

Flavor is initially chocolate dominant, complemented by slightly tart cherries. Roast character becomes evident mid palate, and carries into a fairly bitter, coffee grounds finish. Nutty notes and light floral hops emerge. Raspberries surface in subsequent sips. I'm burping malted milk balls.

Body is fairly thick and smooth, with carbonation unexpectedly spritzy. There's a touch of alcohol warmth.

The tart cherry/raspberry notes are slightly overwhelming, but it lacks the acrid character present in some roast malt dominated examples. Chocolate and roast character are in good balance, and coffee isn't over the top. Wish the carbonation were lower. Bitterness is slightly higher than I'd prefer.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 02:21:56 | More by barczar

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.88/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into a snifter

Appearance- The beer pours a nearly pitch black color with a two finger brown colored head. The head has a nice level of retention, fading over time to leave a great level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell- The aroma is heaviest of a big roasted malt smell mixed with lots of dark coffee and chocolate. Mixed with these more bitter aromas are some smells of a sweeter dark fruit variety as well as some char.

Taste – The beer begins with a strong roasted malt flavor with some light sweetness of dark fruits upfront. As the flavor advances past the initial taste, a bitter chocolate and coffee come to the tongue drowning out much of the sweeter tastes that were detected before. While these more bitter dark flavors last to the end they are later joined by some flavors of smoke and a bit of booziness. These when mixed also with a light vanilla and woody taste leave a moderately bitter and roasted flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel- The body of the brew is thick and creamy with a rather lower level of carbonation. The combination is fantastic for the roasted and moderately bitter and dark flavors.

Overall – A dark and drier Imperial stout with tons of roasted malt flavor and a decent bitter bite.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 14:02:11 | More by Darkmagus82

PaleZombie

Arizona

4.41/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a large wine glass,

A - Poured black with about 2 fingers of creamy brown head.

S - Woah! Roasted caramel malt, chocolate, coffee, licorice, molasses, maybe some slight vanilla.

T - Strong sweet caramel malt, Biter-sweet chocolate, coffee and some molasses and licorice in the back end. Wonderful!

M - Fairly heavy almost syrup like texture, very creamy medium carbonation.

O - This is a grate brew! If you see this pick it up, you wont be disappointed. Great intense flavors, I will definitely be buying this one again!

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 04:25:53 | More by PaleZombie

macrosmatic

Florida

3.89/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Reviewed from notes. Had on-tap at Talking Pint in Riverview, FL. Served in a pint glass.

A: Very dark brown, nearly opaque, with a one-finger mocha head and low visible carbonation.

S: Roasty bitterness, milky/lactose sweetness, and maybe just a bit of smoke.

T: Huge roasted malt flavors that are quite bitter, some cacao, and almost a flavor that reminds me of smoked peat in scotch. Almost woody dryness with the big roast bitterness on the finish.

M: Body is on the thin side for a double stout. Alcohol is well-hidden, and there isn't much carbonation.

O: Acceptable for style, but there are many better examples out there. Certainly not objectionable though.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2013 01:40:08 | More by macrosmatic

BeerNotes

Ohio

4.64/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

L: Opaque abyss brown with a khaki head. Not much lacing.

S: Cocoa, coffee, oats. Lots of full, roasted character.

M: Really smooth with a bit of a tingle at the very end.

T: Big, bold, dark flavors. Abundant chocolate notes.

O: It’s a big beer, in every way, and the word ‘balanced’ doesn’t belong anywhere near it. It’s a celebration of dark, roasted malts and the flavor profiles that come with them. Those flavors really start to expand once the beer warms up a bit, too, allowing the more subtle, cocoa notes and a great dryness to come through. The end is absolutely incredible; bitter, dark chocolate with no hint of alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 18:18:22 | More by BeerNotes

KajII

North Carolina

3.99/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

[Suggested Glassware: Snifter]

The pour was a muddy jet black with an average (1-2 finger) tan creamy head that lasted throughout, and produced excellent sheets of streaky lacing.

The aroma was bold of a roasty bread malt and a leathery yeast with notes of baker’s chocolate, dark roasted coffee and a hint of dark fruit (raisons and prunes).

The taste was a tad bitter, very malty with a bold roasty overtone and a hint of creamy bitter chocolate from the get go, progressing with a big dose of roasted coffee, a light fruity sweetness and a decent alcohol ending. The flavor lasted a nice long while proceeding the swallow, with a bold roasty alcohol presence left behind to linger on the taste buds.

Mouthfeel was extremely full in body with a dry, creamy texture and a lively carbonation.

Overall this was a very impressive Imperial Stout and even though it was simple and basic, it did possess an awesome drinkability and great flavor. Just goes to show sometimes simple and basic works the best...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 15:03:42 | More by KajII

hackmann

Michigan

3.78/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: beautiful black body with a toasty tan 2-1/2 finger head that leaves tons of lacing on the glass.

Aroma: hint of toasted grains, little hint of coffee, and a touch of hoppy spice; kind of on the light side

Flavors: dark roasted coffee with a nice acidic bite, dry 90% dark chocolate like bitterness, nice herbal/grass hops, toasted and lightly burnt grains, some alcohol peppery feel on the finish,

Mouthfeel: solid bitter style, scratchy wool like feel, low carbonation, almost syrupy so, let’s call it oily, lingering sharp bitter bite on the palate, full body

To the Point: this is not for the faint of heart, if you like stouts that are big and bold this is for you and this one is for me

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 03:48:14 | More by hackmann

FinerThings

Pennsylvania

4.19/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

This is a very solid stout. Pours thickly with a nice medium brown head. So much so the last dribbles lie on the head like caramel on a latte. Looks very appealing. Smell is sweet and malty. Taste is full and deep with expected coffee bitterness, leaves a mild bitter chocolate on the finish. Very nice for a stout. I'm not sure why we've gone to double stout as a class. This is what a stout should be in my humble opinion. Lesser stouts should be re-classed as sorta stout maybe. Not overly complex to my palate although the label says "Big, Bold, Complex". I'll go with Big and Bold. I think it nails it quite nicely for its class and I like Green Flash. Here I'll digress momentarily to a deferential nod to their Palate Wrecker DIPA, it lives up to its name. Overall I like it and would readily recommend it to anyone looking for a very solid stout that hasn't already explored more avant-garde offerings.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 22:49:39 | More by FinerThings

lighthabit

Oregon

3.8/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

solid entry in this category. thick head dies down to thin ring around glass edge. lacing is a bit weak, i'd expect more from this. nose is not very prominent, not bad, just not much there. taste when chilled is bitter-ish chocolate and hint of coffee, but has sweetness as well. nicely balanced. as it warms, coffee is more pronounced. mouthfeel starts out very nice, a bit chewy, i like it. thins a bit when warm, a bit of booziness becomes apparent. too bad, it hides its abv well at first. would purchase again, though a bit pricey at $11 for 4, i'd say still a solid buy.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 04:24:45 | More by lighthabit

ubenumber2

Arkansas

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle into appropriate glassware

Dark Dark beer with three finger rich tan head with thick lacing

The smells coming off this beer is a really dark malty and earthy.

This beer just doesnt have the fullness I expected , not sure if its from too much carbonation or what but a little weak in the mouthfeel department , but not bad

The taste is really what I expect from this style of beer. The malts really pop out to start off then the warming alcohol finishes off great

Overall another great beer being shipped to Arkansas , and hey that makes me happy

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 18:03:02 | More by ubenumber2

brenty0man

California

4.44/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: very dark. Tan head about 3 fingers tall. The head stuck to the sides all the way down. Very good looking.

S: Nutty and coffee aromas. Not very strong in the smell arena, could have been due to the huge head.

T: Taste was great. Coffee, roasted nut, smokey flavor. Really enjoyed it, but I expected a little more weight to this one being an american double

M: Mouthfeel was actually quite smooth. Very easy to drink. I expected a little more viscosity when it was poured but I still really enjoyed it.

O: I really enjoyed this. Will definitely have it again. Maybe not the most robust Double I've had but it was really enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 17:51:24 | More by brenty0man

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on 12/18/12. Poured into a DFH Chalice.

A - Pours black and opaque, but thin (not the higher viscosity one might expect). 3-finger, thick tan head. Excellent lacing. Well carbonated.

S - Predominantly roasted malts, but some coffee and hints of dark chocolate and sweetness.

T - Roasted malt, dry bitterness, hints of dark chocolate in the finish (in the back of the throat).

MF - Smooth, start to finish, but disappointingly thin.

O - Well balanced, but could use a fatter chewier feel. A quafible stout that I highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 02:47:47 | More by Sludgeman