Grand Mantis - Merlot Barrel Aged Grand Cru - Green Flash Brewing Co.

Overlord

California

2.9/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a deep mahogany brown. Lots of bubbling.

Smells like acid washed leather with a tinge of lemons. Ugh. Roasted malt? Really?

Taste is surprisingly roasty/earthy/chalky. Acrid. Not pleasant. A bit of lemons in there.

Quite well carbonated.

Avoid.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2011 03:01:27 | More by Overlord

womencantsail

California

3.2/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Sour Fest

A: The beer pours a murky brown color with a finger of off-white, perhaps khaki head.

S: Not a terribly good aroma. Mild to moderate acidity with a definite acetic character. Grass, lemon zest, and charred oak make up much of the aroma. There's a bit of a burnt bread smell in there, too.

T: The charred/burnt flavor really takes over. The taste is also fairly chalky, which just isn't very nice at all. There is a bit of sour fruit (cherry?), and a moderate acidity, but that's not enough me to say I like the beer.

M: Medium in body with a medium carbonation and an astringent feel on the tongue.

O: Really a disappointing effort from a brewery that I usually like quite a lot.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2011 13:30:01 | More by womencantsail

DoubleJ

California

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ, on to the beer:

A very unusual sour. It had very good head retention and leaves lots of lacing when the dark orange/brown colored beer drops in level. Its aroma is soft, the sourness is hard to pick up. Other aromas like burnt toast and dried fruit are more appearant. The taste...it is quite complex....and it is very awkward upon first sip. I expected sour immediately, and got rubber and burnt bread. Other flavors show up, like dates, leather, and cherries. The finish is dry. It's a totally different beast, to say the least.

Serving type: on-tap

08-30-2009 01:58:45 | More by DoubleJ

Halcyondays

California

3.38/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Beachwood BBQ,

A: Pours brown with a soft white head leaving really nice lace on the glass.

S: Soy sauce, brown malt, wine barrel.

T: Before tasting I thought this might taste like a Bretted up Pomerol, it's not at all. The grand cru is still the dominating force in the beer, with the Merlot barrels only adding a slight medicinal red grape. Brett character is very prevalent. Lemon juice in the finish. Bit of an acrid bitterness at times which was off-putting, but really in the background.

M: Very light sourness, rather full-bodied, hefty, creamy.

D: Nice enough, but I really didn't want another at the end of the glass. Intriguing, but didn't go anywhere in the end for me.

Serving type: on-tap

08-29-2009 19:43:42 | More by Halcyondays

BevMoPatrick1

California

4.6/5  rDev +26.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on cask at VIP session at Real Ale, 6/12/09. As stated, Green Flash's Grand Cru aged in Merlot barrels. Definetely my favorite of the VIP casks at Real Ale. Pours a dark, deep brown. Nose is mild, sweet malt and good kick of funk and sour fruits. Tastes like a sour lover's dream. Tannic, funky sourness, leaves a finish that lasts for a while, I hope this is not a one time thing.

Serving type: cask

06-15-2009 22:40:24 | More by BevMoPatrick1

kleffman

California

3.95/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had on cask at the Pizza Port Real Ale Fest. Luckily left over from the VIP session. Poured with a small head, and looked like the regular Grand Cru. Aroma seemed dominated by the merlot barrel and brett funk with a touch of sour fruit. Tasted about like it smelled, with a bit of the roast from the Grand Cru still present, lots of red wine, oak, tannin and brett funk. Lightly carbonated, lighter in body, and quite easy to drink. I enjoyed it, but it's definitely out there. Well done. Note, alcohol is probably a bit higher than the regular, but it doesn't seem to be stated anywhere.

Serving type: cask

06-13-2009 19:03:04 | More by kleffman