Double Stout - Green Flash Brewing Co.

evanforbeer

California

4.13/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours black with a crisp tan head
Nose- coffee and roasted/burnt barley, wood, some dark cherry
Taste- starts with some vanilla and flaky, woody dark malt, bitter roasted/charred barley, subtle coffee, some dark chocolate, finishes with some booze and bitter roasted barley and earthy hops
Feel- kind of flaky texture, fairly high carbonation for a double stout, some booze in there.
This is a burly beer, a solid stout, not at all your overly sweet "decadent" imperial stout. Not the smoothest thing to take down, but has great natural roasty flavors with nice hopiness as well

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 00:50:09 | More by evanforbeer

MisSigsFan

California

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a beautiful jet black body with a finger thick light brown head. Great, consistent retention from the head. Smell is roasted malt dominated and a lot of booze with a hint of coffee . Taste is of roasted malt, coffee, and a hint of cocoa with a surprising hoppy kick. Alcohol is noticeable but is well hidden by the rich flavors. Mouth feel is quite smooth with good carbonation, maybe a bit too much. Overall this is another great brew from Green Flash. I love how drinkable, yet boozy it is. I just wish it had more of a noticeable coffee taste to it. On par with, or maybe even better than Stone Smoked Porter.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 05:14:53 | More by MisSigsFan

kagent777

Utah

3.55/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

A recent pick up while in Florida visiting the family. Poured into my CCB snifter. No date on the bottle that I could see :(

Appearance: Pours thick and very black with a thin but frothy head.

Smell: Roasty with a smack of herbal hops. A touch of cocoa and coffee with a bit of char. Pretty balanced and inviting for a dark ale.

Taste: Taste follows the smell. Bitter more than sweet chocolate, with only a bit of coffee flavor (grounds). A pervasive mineral/metallic smell jumps in. Very solid roasted barley character in this one.

Mouthfeel: Not the thickest Stout that I have sampled, but it can hold its own. The carbonation is more assertive than I usually find in this style. Which leads to a pricky acid sort of feel.

Overall: Interesting mix of flavors, not bad but not my favorite from a style that is well represented elsewhere.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 02:22:28 | More by kagent777

suminorudder

Maine

4.28/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

I had this beer on tap at The Great Lost Bear in Portland, served in a 14 OZ tulip glass.

A: pitch black when held to the light. Utter darkness. Creamy mocha colored half finger head fading to a halo around the rim and a film across the surface.

A: bitter dark chocolate up front with roasty French press coffee filtering through. Allusions of vanilla and the faintest notes of woodsy herbs.

T: taste follows the aroma very nicely, moving from one note to the next. Bitter chocolate, coffee, boozy vanilla and finish of woodsy herbs and faint notes of mint.

M: very smooth, surprisingly light and crisp. Carries its alcohol very well, though I feel slightly more body would have been more appropriate.

O: this is a very delicious beer, smooth and with complicated nuances. The drying alcohol elicited the herbal flavors very nicely, and complimented the roasted, chocolatey profile. I would definitely make this a regular, go to beer. I think this is stylisticly closer to a foreign export stout, but that's just my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2013 16:52:52 | More by suminorudder

Sam21

Connecticut

3.53/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottled 11/09/12. Poured into snifter. 

A- Pours thick and dark with a health light tan head. Great retention and beautiful in the glass. Brooding with excellent appeal. 

S- Mild. Chocolate and a strong fruit note reminiscent of cherry. Powdered chocolate. Cocoa nibs. It's a balanced chocolate forward nose, but not overly complex - for me. 

T- Sweet dark fruit up front with cherry hard candy, prunes, and raisins that are enveloped in chocolate. Again, balanced, moderate intensity, with a nice slow sweet finish. Hop bitterness is present and adds a refreshing finish to the sweetness. It enhances the cocoa nib bitterness and coaxes balance out of it all.

MF- Full, creamy, and smooth. Really wonderful. If the body was heavier, the body would be world class for this balanced profile. Still, really wonderful. 

O- This is a smooth drinking imperial stout. The alcohol is hidden, the flavors are balanced, and the experience is excellent. I prefer a more expressive imperial stout with more charred roast notes, but this beer hit its mark. 

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 00:24:21 | More by Sam21

zac16125

South Carolina

3.56/5  rDev -14%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle into a tulip
Bottled on: 9/25/12

A: Dark brown during the pour, black in the glass. 1 fingers width of mocha colored head which hangs around a good while before dissipating down. Leaves tons of really pretty lacing down the side of the glass.

S: I get mostly roasted malt aromas. Hints of coffee. Herbaceous/grassy notes. A somewhat astringent/acrid, almost sour character is there as well. Not impressed.

T: Follows the nose in that its mostly roasted flavors. I also get heavy cream, char, some dark fruits such a under-ripe plums. Not a lot going on here. Taste is pretty mild.

M/D: Wonderfully smooth. Carbonation is appropriately low. Its too thin, but even with that, the smoothness makes the mouthfeel very good. No hint of the ABV. Very easy drinking for an IS.

O: Overall, not a bad beer, but nothing special. I wouldnt actively avoid it, but I dont see myself purchasing this one again. Awesome lacing and wonderful smoothness bounce up the overall score.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 22:53:49 | More by zac16125

estlinska

Arkansas

4.41/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Purchased by the bottle (4pack) at Colonial on 3/10/13 and poured into a tulip. Pours the deepest of black with absolutely no light penetration, topped unceremoniously with a dark brown head the color of brown sugar and just the finest of lacing throughout the glass. The smell is all medium roast coffee and sweet milk chocolate with a touch of char to it. Hops are buried almost completely in the malt bill; maybe the faintest of citrus San Diego in there. The taste is a wonderful example of the natural form of a stout, full of that roasty coffee and milk chocolate on the nose, with just a hint of sweet citrus hops and alcohol heat on the back end. Full mouthfeel and maybe a little flat as far as carbonation goes. This is an overall great Imperial Stout, something I really want to try on tap and especially on NITRO; I think it would remarkably improve the beer for a whole new experience.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 17:54:33 | More by estlinska

SHerninko

Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pour of this stout is the most overwhelming frothy head I've ever seen. Big, whipped, thick & creamy. It looks like a root beer float!

The lacing & giant head calms down after a few minutes. Carbonation is higher than many stouts but not annoying.

Smell is of licorice, smoky, coffee, licorice and as it warms even more hops to balance.

Taste follows the nose. Coffee like bitterness & the hops keep it less malty. More dry on the aftertaste.

Overall a real good stout. It is a classic Cali/American double stout. Malt vs Hops balance. Not a total malt bomb. Similar to Old Rasputin.
If this was barrel aged with a touch of bourbon it could be world-class. As is, it's a wonderful example and should be tried.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 23:15:18 | More by SHerninko

Bucciamarcia

Florida

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

Extremely dark beer with a nice persistent head. Smells like roasted malts and chocolate.

It's 8.8% ABV and you can feel it in the dry finish, where the bitter hops replace the taste of malts and chocolate.

Overall a nice double stout, not too complex but straight to the point.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 03:51:38 | More by Bucciamarcia

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

The beer pours a dull, dark black (not oily) with an impressive creamy tan head that laces. The nose is predominantly roasted malts, even at warmer temperatures, along with a bitter (not very descriptive to say "bitter"...I know) aroma, which I'm attributing to the hops, and a pinch of ethanol. The taste is of salted milk chocolate and coffee upfront with a lingering roastiness and bitterness that coat the palate. This beer drinks smoothly with a cascade of stouty flavors in the forefront followed by a relatively dry, roasty, bitter finish. You're not aware of the beer's near 9% abv, even at warmer serving temperatures. I enjoy this beer and will almost certainly recommend it to others.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 02:33:46 | More by ThePorterSorter

masonacoats

Louisiana

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

served from a bottle into pint glass

pours extremely dark brown/black with a decent sized brown head. Absolutely beautiful.

Smells of chocolate, espresso, nuts, little bit of caramel and bread. You can detect a bit of alcohol but not as much as the ABV would suggest. No hop aroma present to me.

Taste is about the same as the nose with chocolate and espresso taking the lead. Perfect amount of roasted flavor without the overpowering astringency some stouts seem to have. Perfect balance of sweetness and roasted bitterness.

Carbonation is perfectly appropriate for the style; maybe a little on the high side but I kinda dig it. Mouthfeel is nice and silky without being overly syrupy/chewy. Very good.

Overall, this is my new favorite stout; it's perfect. It has all the good chocolatey/coffee notes and great malt presence without the assertive astringency. Reasonable price as well.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 06:49:54 | More by masonacoats

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.23/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled served in a weizen glass

A - Black with a 2 finger brown head with good retention and great foamy lacing.

S - Very strong sweet chocolate notes with touches of coffee and a hint of peaty smokiness.

T - This is a solid stout and it warm chocolate smooth notes stick out the most to me. Moderately bitter for the style and more chocolate than coffee, but those notes are present as well. A bit of oak woody tones and a nice smokey finish.

M - Full body, moderate carbonation, chewy, sticky.

O - The sweet chocolate notes and the smokey finish standout, a pretty nice winter beer and a good choice if in the mood for a imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 23:52:27 | More by williamjbauer

Pencible

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: This poured an opaque black with thick tan head.
S: It smelled like bittersweet dark chocolate and dry roasted coffee, with some cream and smoke.
T: It tasted like bitter black coffee with dark chocolate, and some smoke and cream. It had a clean but charred aftertaste with lingering bitter-sweetness.
M: It was somewhat thick with a little carbonation. Fairly full body.
D: This was a nice imperial stout with some unique character in the scent and taste. The body was solid, and it hid the alcohol pretty well. But the finish was robust, so it was better to sip. Could probably age ok, but also good fresh.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 20:39:23 | More by Pencible

Fatehunter

Oregon

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

Poured two fingers of tan head on a pitch black body.
The aroma is a wonderful blend of roasted and chocolate malt with coffee.
The taste matches the smell with roasted and chocolate malt, finishes with a moderate bitterness.
The texture is smooth with a heavier body and moderate carbonation.
It's probably a perfect "everyday-drinkin'" stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 04:19:28 | More by Fatehunter

Flashy

Vermont

3.7/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3.25

Really let down by this one. Love their IPA's- no mouth feel on this though- which is a major factor for stouts- or should be. Nice RIS taste, but not much else. In one of my favorite styles (as it is for many of us at BA)- but will stick with Old Rasputin, McNeills, Stone or Founders since they are all readily available in these parts and better. Watery= fatal flaw.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 23:05:21 | More by Flashy

JuliusCaesar

New Hampshire

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Solid black with a quickly dissipating head.

S: Coffee and malt aroma.

T: Flavors are coffee, malt and dark chocolate. Nice crisp bitter finish

M: Smooth but dry.

Overall: Great Stout. Deep roasted malt flavors balanced by a solid bitter finish. The Alcohol is well hidden as well.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 21:52:46 | More by JuliusCaesar

tectactoe

Michigan

4.36/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a deep, menacing black color, even more black than expected - the head is a deep-ass tan color and it lasts almost forever, leaving thick, chunky lacing all the way to the top of the glass. The aroma is nice, soft, and pleasing. It isn't long and drawn out or overly-complex - rather, it's a simple constitution of roasted malts, light cocoa, and creamy, sweet java. So elegantly balanced and executed delicately to provide a smell that is both delicious and satisfying without being abrasive or cumbersome. I just hope the balance and simplicity on the nose is an indication of how this one will taste...

...and luckily, it is. The taste is a carbon copy of the aroma, only in palatable form. A dense and roasted river of chocolate malts flows to the back of your throat with seemless simplicity and finesse unlike any other. Touches of bittersweet (more so on the sweet side) mocha and creamy java coffee beans stretch out to the edges of the palate - this beer does nothing but get better as it warms up, too. Nice sweetness throughout, however not sweet enough to be considered a "milk" or "sweet" stout, and it's balanced by a touch of bitterness from the roasted malts and maybe even a bit from the hop bill. The 8.8% ABV isn't noticeable at all, and it's a good range to make this beer highly quaffable without having to feel guilty about tackling a huge alcohol filled endeavor. Silky, creamy body, not quite "thick", perfect level of carbonation.

Expectations weren't necessarily "high" for this beer (actually, I didn't have really any expectations at all), but I was more than pleasantly surprised. This went down so smooth - it was super delicious and pleasing to drink. Excellent take on "simplicity done right" with nearly perfect balance. Boom, roasted.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 15:21:58 | More by tectactoe

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.46/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This pours a dark brown color with a frothy, brown head. The scent is of malts and other robust aromas. The texture is silky smooth like a well made barrel-aged stout. There is a complex concoction of malts, grains, and hints of spice. Rather well made and a great find. This is a stellar stout especially considering the price.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 05:41:56 | More by Lemke10

XxNitExX

Nebraska

4.33/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into snifter

A- Pours a deep dark brown, not black but brown. 100% opaque, couldn't see a thing on the other side of the glass.

S- Up front it is pretty much all roasted malt, not coffee or chocolate like with alot of stouts, but just good fine roasted malt. A hint of sweetness and dark fruits at the end.

T- Tastes just like it smells. Strongly roasted malts, not acrid like burnt coffee. Also get a nice cherry, plum, date taste.

M- Thick and wonderful. Not something that needs to be "chewed" but good solid and thick.

Overall a great double stout. Not loaded with chocolate and coffee like many so you can really enjoy the malts.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 04:05:40 | More by XxNitExX

Jemonster

California

2.1/5  rDev -49.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

A: Deep dark chocolate brown with probably the darkest tan head I've ever seen on a beer. Cloudy head.

S: Sweet malt and burnt toast.

T: THAT IS BOLD. The label isn't lying, this beer packs "flavor". For me there is too much roast character and not enough of everything else. A burnt taste like old and poorly roasted french roast coffee overpowers everything. There is some sweet malt there, but just barely, and a lingering hop bitterness at the end. I feel like I might have gotten a bad batch, there is a sour tinge. This is so burnt tasting that it's undrinkable.

M: Creamy and smooth, nice level of carbonation.

O: Can't even drink this.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 04:03:36 | More by Jemonster

pkalix

California

4.61/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

looks like a thick iced coffee pouring into the mug with chocolate milk-looking head. even the bottle is heavy.
earthy aroma with chocolate milk shake, chocolate, vanilla and toasty smells.
taste is roasty malts, full yummy, dark flavors. this is really good. i need to try more of the green flash brews, but i really pi$$ed 'em off a while back regarding their saison. i like how it tastes sweet at first and then the bitterness seems to drop off each side of the tongue. it's a full, hearty feel in the mouth.
not my favorite style, but i really like this. it totally filled a void and completely surprised me. i'm going back tomorrow to grab another one for me and one for a friend.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 01:42:18 | More by pkalix

rdilauro

Connecticut

3.89/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured jet black with a creamy off white head , the head kept on coming. The aroma was more chocolate than anything. I could detect some coffee, but not overdone.
The fist sip was very carbonated, more so then most of the premium stouts I've tried. The taste was there, but for me, the carbonation made it more difficult to enjoy. This sort of reminded me of the popular "Gu" stouts. Very carbonated.
So, that left the mouthful a bit uneven and the aftertaste was good, but I would have enjoyed this one so much more if it was more up front in flavor

Re-tasted 02/02/13
This time around I wasnt as impressed as I was the first time. As my first review stated, I wasnt excited about the amount of carbonation. It was too much for me. Now, I know there are a number of other super stouts, many Russian Imperial Stouts that like to have the carbonation. Me, I prefer one without much carbonation.
I also did not detect as much chocolate this time. I will be honest to say that tonight we tasted two stouts, one known for its chocolate tones. So, it might have been the first one with loads of chocolate, and now the Double Stout leaving me somewhat wanting for more.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 03:59:15 | More by rdilauro

schoolboy

Ohio

4.24/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

As I would expect from Green Flash and for the price, this is a first rate true American Double. As with most American styles, it is somewhat over the top, another demonstration of the superiority of these styles.

It pours a stout black with little head but nice lacing. The aroma barely gives a hint of the taste, which is huge. There is loads of hops plus a ton of roasted malt. I'm not sure what all the other hints are - chocolate? It keeps on giving in the aftertaste.

This is definitely one to keep in mind when you want a great American stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 20:44:22 | More by schoolboy

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Poured entire bomber into 34oz mug. Oily black with a thick, foamy tan head that stays full for a long time, leaving some sticky lacing on the mug. Smells amazing in the bottle: coffee and chocolate. Once poured it smells a lot more metallic, but that's probably the hops sneaking through. Taste follows the great smell; creamy and smooth, coffee and bitter chocolate witha smooth finish, hops just lingering on the back of the tongue. Overall this is a great beer, one of the best American imperial stouts I've had.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 01:50:27 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

MaineBrewing

Maine

4.34/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - poured oil slick black with big creamy mocha 2 finger head. Really fine quality head that is leaving bountiful lacing as it subsides.

S - very nice sweet roasted malt nose. Hints of vanilla, cocoa, and coffee. Slight damp tarp with the roasted malt.

T - Taste is nice and sweet, slight notes of chocolate and coffee with a nice roasted malt character. very mellow and balanced up front, with a dry and bitter finish. Lots of Bittering hops really balance out the very sweet character you get at first.

M - very drinkable for a big stout, medium body and smooth. Almost no carbonation though, which I don't mind the way the favors meld real well, I think the lack of carbonation is good.

O - pretty good, after drinking the abomination that is le freak this is a solid entry in the imperial stout style for green flash and I am impressed. It defiantly is more on the hoppy and and is a good option when you want a dryer imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 03:31:39 | More by MaineBrewing