Double Stout - Green Flash Brewing Co.

RoyalT

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - This is a very dark brown in color with burgundy edges and a decent head.

Smell - The aroma here shows a lot of depth. A beautiful South American coffee smell defines the bouquet and the heavily-roasted malt makes an excellent complement. There is a very light smoky aroma as well that I really enjoyed once I found it. The smells themselves are original but they are of very high quality.

Taste - The flavor adds a dash of chocolate to the qualities of the smell and just enough alcohol to peak one's interest. The malts come on a bit bigger at the taste as well. And again the apparent high quality of the ingredients is what makes this one stand out from the pack.

Mouthfeel - I'm calling this medium-bodied but it's on the heavier side of that definition. The slight alcohol doesn't sting the mouth but it's just enough to notice. The key IMO to this terrific mouthfeel is the balance. It's not especially carbonated, and the lean towards flatness in congruent with the flavors.

Drinkability - You never want to guzzle a big beer like this, but I swear this went down quicker than just about any other sample of the style I've had before. This is just a damn good-drinking dark brew and another winner for this accomplished brewery which is highly-regarded in the beer community.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2008 02:01:50 | More by RoyalT

JoeMayo

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I first have to say that this beer ages exceptionally well. This is a review of a fresh one, however, the first time I tried it, it was two years old and was unbelieveably rich and delicious. It reminded me of a smooth coffee soda.

A- Pours a solid black with a frothy brown head. Good head retetntion.

S- Coffee is the first smell that hits, but there are also notes of cocoa and caramelized sugar. There is a faint floral hop aroma as well.

T- The flavor of coffee and the bitterness of the hops work very well together. The combination is reminiscent of espresso. There are also fairly prominent notes of cocoa in the taste. Aged, the bitterness of the hops dies down and the flavor becomes much richer. It's almost a completely different beer!

M- It's good, but a little on the thin side.

D- This beer needs to be sipped, however it's still enjoyable and I would certainly not be opposed to popping a second one when I'm done.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2008 19:31:42 | More by JoeMayo

lackenhauser

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Gorgeous black color with a sizeable dark tan head on top. Low aroma-sort of ink smelling and a metallic odor going on. Dark chocolate flavor with a sharp hop bite behind it. Dry cocoa powdery taste. Slight metallic or coppery flavor. Velvety smooth and full bodied. Silky. Very drinkable-dessert in a glass. The slight metallic flavor detracts a bit but a killer, killer beer none the less. Dont know how long this has been out but I grabbed it the minute I saw a Greenflash Stout.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2008 00:43:15 | More by lackenhauser

WesWes

New York

4.65/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a deep, dark black color with a thick frothy brown head that lasts. The aroma is perfect. It has a smooth, rich chocolatey scent that boasts of black malts and sweet chocolate; just the way I like it. The taste is great. It is silky smooth all the way down. It's sweet up front with a stiff roasted backbone. It's laced with chocolate and coffee flavors; exceptional. The mouthfeel is perfect. It's a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a tremendous stout. I love the flavor profile and the excellent mouthfeel; another winner from this fabulous brewery!

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2008 20:57:52 | More by WesWes

joekfsu

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle. Pours a very dark brown/black that is opaque with a 1 cm tight bubbly brown head that is mostly diminishing. Aroma is mostly chocolate with some alcohol, malt, and dark fruit. Initial flavor is sweet chocolate that becomes more bitter and almost sour. Light carbonation, medium to full body, alcohol presence throughout, and moderate lacing. Overall a very solid stout worth a try as its availability continues to expand.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2008 01:32:21 | More by joekfsu

jwc215

New Jersey

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

Pours black with a dark tan head that settles to a wide swirling patch. Some dots of lacing stick as the head descended down the glass.

The smell is of coffee/chocolate with charcoal/ashy smokiness, dark fruits and earthy tones.

The taste is earthy, smoky, coffeeish/ chocolatey. Subtle dark fruits mix in in the back. It has a dry, roasty finish.

Medium-to-full-bodied. Could be a bit thicker for a "double", but it works well where it is, as there is a creamy, smooth texture.

The alcohol is covered very well.

A very enjoyable stout - English-like with an American flair for bigger. As I was on my patio drinking this a neighbor passed by (while in the second half of the bottle) smoking a cedary cigar. Though I'm not a cigar smoker, the aroma enhanced it even more, so if you are a cigar smoker, you may want to enjoy the second half with a cedary cigar! Job well-done here!

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2008 14:19:32 | More by jwc215

Ego

New Jersey

3.23/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

eyes...
dark, opaque with a sizable cocoa colored head, craggy head takes it's sweet time, the lacing is good... overall just a really nice looking stout.

nose...
kind of a prune-y chocolate, hints of cocoa, not much else going on but pretty good.

taste etc...
bitter chocolate with hints of coffee, the alcohol has a warming effect on the way down, there is a somewhat biting sensation in the aftertaste, this seems a bit too light in the loafers to be a stout and lacks a creaminess that would really tie it together. The ABV is well hidden.

verdict?
an OK stout, not worth looking high and low for but not bad to give it a shot...

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2008 02:44:44 | More by Ego

bbothen

California

3.8/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into a wine glass.

Deep dark black color with a bubbly 1 finger of cocoa colored foamy head.

Smells of chocolate mostly. Some faint roasted/toasted aromas & coffee like notes, but chocolate rules the roost here. Nice.

Has a big chocolate flavor leading into some subtle coffee & woody/smoky flavors.

Medium bodied. Perhaps a bit thin. Not as full as I expected.

Drinkability is good as this tastes quite good & drinks easy for 9% brew.

I'll happily buy this again. But won't go out of my way for it either. ALl in all a solid double stout from Green Flash.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2008 23:01:24 | More by bbothen

DarkerTheBetter

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to BgThang for this one.

This beer pours a dark black with a little port that shines through the edges. The head is a collar of tan which leaves behind a delicate lacing.

Smells a bit watery with cocoa malts and an afterthought of fruity sourness.

The flavor begins with a touch of milk chocolate that dry out a bit bringing in a roasted ashy fruity sourness. I can't pin down what kind of fruit, but it's really quite bland. I'm surprised at how utterly devoid this one is of anything that catches my attention. It's kinda like the guy you've worked with for 15 years that you still haven't caught the name of.

Feels clean and pleasantly dense with a nice tickle of subdued carbonation.

A pretty easy drinking beer. Not much to disappoint or excite.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2008 06:32:51 | More by DarkerTheBetter

EStreet20

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 ounce bomber poured into a large snifter style glass.

A - Very dark (black) brew with a nice finger of tan head sitting in the snifter. The head stays nicely, and what does dissipate immediately starts lacing the glass.

S - Roasted malts and some dark chocolate aromas. A tiny bit of black licorice on the nose as well.

T - Taste has a nice lead with some black licorice but gives way to a hoppiness that is very nice. Some coffee in there. Alcohol is pronounced as well, and the finish is rather bitter. Tiny tobacco notes on the finish as well.

M - Not too bad, but a tiny bit thinner than expected. If this one had a little more body it would be VERY nice.

D - This is a pretty good, interesting double stout. Definitely a nice one to sip and some might find the medium body as a plus in the drinkability department but I think it should be beefed up a little.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2008 03:58:57 | More by EStreet20

beachbum1975

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this one up at Jungle Jim's about a month ago. 22 ounce bomber with a bright orange label.

Appearance: Pours black with a dark tan, creamy head. Surprisingly high viscosity for its' depth.

Smell: Heavily roasted malts, coffee and sweets. Very nice.

Taste: Rich, dark chocolate and French coffee. Slight toffee and caramel - likely from the high amount of malts. Aftertaste lingers with more coffee.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low carbonation.

Drinkability: Nice beer. Worth a try, but nothing amazing to me.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2008 22:30:46 | More by beachbum1975

tpd975

Florida

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

A: Pours a nice deep dark black hue with a solid two finger espresso colored head. The retention is good with some lace noted.

S: Nice dark sweet fruits, with a blast of chocolate roasted malt. There are some nice green hops as well making this a true west coast stout.

T: Being west coast they did not take any time to introduce the hops. Right from the start there is a nice blast of floral green hops. The chocolate and coffee play a big role along with a touch of smoke and some booze. This is one enjoyable hoppy stout.

M: Full bodied with nice carbonation. Somewhat dry with a bit of burn from the booze.

D: This one was shared so I did not get the chance to try to finish a bomber myself. I think I could though it is rather enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2008 19:14:16 | More by tpd975

wedge

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours black, impervious to light, with a fat two-finger brown head that quickly recedes to a creamy layer. Sporadic lacing. Smells sweet and chocolatey - like a mix between a milk and an oatmeal stout. Faint dark fruit behind it all. Deep, tasty oatmeal stout-like flavor. Semi-sweet chocolate, roasted malts, a little char-iness, and a bit of coffee and fruit. Pretty simple actually, but well-crafted. Full and creamy body with a slightly gritty texture.

Kind of like a big oatmeal stout. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2008 00:32:27 | More by wedge

tastybeer

North Carolina

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

Appears to be completely opaque, deep brown-black topped by a cocoa-tan colored head. Retention is a fine bubbled 1/8 inch layer with spotty bits of lace on the glass above. Aroma is very chocolaty with a milk stout kind of chocolate, light coffee and caramel glazed toast. Taste is also very milk chocolaty with some slight hop bitterness, roast coffee beans, and a little bit of an alcohol kick. This reminds me a lot of a coffee oatmeal stout. Texture is slick and velvety smooth. Creamy chocolaty flavors remain throughout the extended finish. I find myself taking my time consuming this. Decent drinkability.

This certainly makes for a good dessert brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2008 00:14:02 | More by tastybeer

shroompod

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a rich mocha head , lacing abounds.

Very faint dark malt on the nose , some chocolate.

Very rich dark chocolate on the taste, somewhat bitter with the dark malts. Hops also play a nice bittering profile that keep the malts from becoming to sweet.

Mouthfeel is medium/thick, good carbonation.

Overall a very nice drinking I'll be enjoying more of.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2008 03:23:55 | More by shroompod

gford217

Georgia

4.22/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber poured into a snifter.

A: Pours black with mahogany hints around the edges and a dense two-finger head that dissipates fairly quickly to very thin layer of bubbles along the top. Lacing is very good.

S: Huge sweet roasted malts in the nose with chocolate an coffee supporting. Dark fruits are also prevalent in the aroma, especially raisins and plums.

T: Roasted coffee and sweet malts start the flavor before giving way to dark chocolate and then sweet fruits. The finish is a tad bitter with hops and the coffee coming back in the aftertaste. Alcohol burn is evident in the background.

M: Mouthfeel is on the full side and very creamy, coating the mouth with a malted milk flavor.

D: This is a very drinkable stout and an excellent stout in general. I would seek this one out.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2008 02:47:13 | More by gford217

dsa7783

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

1 Pint, 6 fl oz bottle purchased from Gary's in Madison for $5.79...
"Golden naked oats mashed with dark crystal and robust roasted malts..." on the front, orange logo sticker...
Pours a deep-dark, ebony, jet-black hue with an enormous foamy and frothy tan head that exhibited impressive staying power...
Thick, powerful aroma dominated by roasted malts, and deep, dark, burnt chocolate...
Taste was top-notch for an Imperial Stout - bursting with roasted malts, deep, jet-black coffee, cappuccino, dark latte, rich espresso nuances... Very clean, creamy, rich, and smooth, and the best part about it was that the 8.8% ABV was extremely well hidden...
Sweet, textured flavor without being overbearing along with a creamy, rich mouthfeel and a good level of drinkability for a beer of such strong character and flavor...
Definitely one of the better Stouts on the market...
Recommended...

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2008 23:44:38 | More by dsa7783

Crosling

Colorado

2.58/5  rDev -37.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Dark brown nearly black color with a small, beige head of foam. Nose is awfully light smelling, mostly hop accented with some malt character but the nose overall is disappointing. It's a hoppy stout, mostly hop accented with citrus notes and lots of bitterness. Malts are a bit over roasted and unbalanced, lots of bitter chocolate and coffee ground notes, but it could show some more fruit character. Pretty brash and not a lot of complexity or overall balance.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2008 03:49:11 | More by Crosling

jjayjaye

New York

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

HUGE thanks to drunkmonk for hook'n me up with this one. Dude, awesome extra!

Pours an opaque darkness with a full finger foamy dark tan head that fades to surface fairly quickly, leaving spotty patterns of lacing behind. Needs to warm up pretty good, but the smell will get your attention. Initially an almost pungent roasted character, but upon further 'consideration' complexities are revealed like the rings of an onion. A dark fruit thing comes through and something that comes across with some bitterness takes on a licorice-like character with a cocoa accompaniment. Adequately carbonated, the mouth feel is full bodied, smooth and coating. Full flavored, the taste is also complex. Scoring points for imagination and creativity! A classic Double Stout; molasses, cocoa, java, licorice and a cherry/vanilla barrel-aged character. Too cool! A ton of stuff to consider. 22oz is definitely not enough of a sample to dignify this one. A real easy drinker...the 8.8% ABV may 'kick in' at some point. Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2008 23:28:54 | More by jjayjaye

largadeer

California

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz bomber, split with a few co-workers.

Appearance: Black in color (what else?) with a frothy three finger head that leaves behind sheets of lace as it settles. Nice looking stuff - better head retention than most big stouts.

Smell: Unsweetened cocoa, molasses and roasted barley. Very muted overall - it takes quite a bit of sniffing to pick anything out.

Taste & mouthfeel: Very roasty and bready with a subtle molasses-like sweetness. Nice and thick on the palate, but not overly strong in flavor. Only semi-sweet, this isn't a dry beer per se but it is very balanced. The finish is moderately hoppy with a pleasant resiny bitterness mixing nicely with the roasted notes.

Notes: A good brew, but it does strike me as being slightly one-dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2008 00:27:06 | More by largadeer

Billolick

New York

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

22 ouncer, dark, strong and sludgy, just like a double stout should be. This one has that San Diego sizzle that I have come to love from GF. Pours near black , leaves great sheeting/lacing. Cocoa, and cafe au lait nose, bold notes of bitter chocolate and coffee, drying resiny hops late. Just wonderful stuff. Go get some of this SD style Impy/double stout.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2008 02:42:30 | More by Billolick

Wildman

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer poured pitch black and formed a medium tan foam head that coated the glass with lace as it subsided. An aroma of malt, chocolate, coffee and anise. Flavor was of malt, molasses, chocolate and a hint of coffee. The body is medium light, which is unusual for the style. The finish is bittersweet and slightly burnt. This is a very good beer, yet the body lacks some complexity I expect from this style.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2008 02:11:40 | More by Wildman

dedrinker

Kansas

3.58/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Opaque black color, no light at the edges with a thick foamy tan batter-looking head. Aromas of baking chocolate and roasted malts. Flavors mimic the aroma with the addition of a mild earthy hoppiness, and a warm alcohol presence. Fairly standard flavor here, but slightly lacking in depth, though it does have a full-bodied and soft mouth feel. Finishes with powdered cocoa and gentle roast. Not bad, but I probably won't ever be coming this way again.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2008 05:57:53 | More by dedrinker

GJ40

North Carolina

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

Sampled from a 22oz bottle purchased at Sam's in Durham, NC.

A - A deep, dark, black hole that allows no light to pass through. It's got a huge tan head with some serious retention.

S - Roasty and malty with some chocolate and coffee notes.

T - A very smooth stout with a balanced foundation of roasted malt and alcohol. Not dry but not sweet. Some hops too. Not much bitterness (almost could use a bit more).

M - Very thick and chewy. I wonder how it would pour on pancakes. Great carbonation. Lots of small bubbles like a nitro tap.

D - This is a very nice imperial stout. It's smooth, complex and easy to drink. I'll definitely be bringing it home again.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2008 21:52:38 | More by GJ40

yemenmocha

Arizona

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

Pours a scary opaque black with tan head.

Nose is complex with metallic notes, Whopper's candy nougat, dark chocolate, and brown sugar.

Palate has a large roasty component, some chocolate, and plenty of alcohol warmth. Big bodied also.

Very flavorful but the alcohol isn't masked very well.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2008 21:52:07 | More by yemenmocha