Rayon Vert - Green Flash Brewing Co.

NCBeernut

North Carolina

2.35/5  rDev -39.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

POUR OVER A SINK OR OUTDOORS! Even with a cautious pour, it turns to a torrent of foam as soon as it hits the glass - impossible to pour without stopping to let it settle or overfill the glass. With a bottle conditioned beer, I chose to let it overflow to keep from disturbing the yeast sediment. Strike 1 for me. One thing I really don't enjoy in the appearance of my beer is seeing it overflowing into the sink. When it all settles, bubbles race up the golden amber liquid to maintain a airy sudsy layer that almost resembles sea foam.

The aroma of peaches and apricots hits first, with hints of green grapes. If you keep inhaling deeply, classic sour brett aromas cut through these light fruity scents. Lemony undertones. Perfumy. Their model for this is Orval, and the aroma is definitely reminiscent of the abbey beer. It is a refreshing aroma that is inviting in the summer heat.

The taste is a let down. Pretty one-dimensional - I mainly just get that brett sourness that is completely overpowering - it has sort of that sour cherry flavor to it that comes with this yeast. No real fruity complexity or malt flavors come through. If you wait long enough, you can almost get a hint of bread crust from the malt, but the sourness clings relentlessly to your tongue. No hop discernible presence, though, but I can't even taste anything through the relentless sourness that is starting to make me cringe with every sip. The more I drink this the more I want to dump it. The smell of perfume can be nice, but I don't enjoy drinking it. The mouthfeel is just foamy and bubbly with puckering sourness that doesn't let up.

The one dimensional sourness and over-carbonation really let you down after getting such a nice refreshing aroma from this beer. I am going to be generous with my overall score because I did enjoy the aroma. I won't be coming back for it though. This makes the press release for this beer look even more absurd. Add on their unjustified price increases, and I am just about done with Green Flash.

For anyone who sees this and is thinking maybe I just don't like the style, I love Orval (just not the price tag).

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 04:00:06 | More by NCBeernut

johntfox

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-21-2013 00:48:43 | More by johntfox

Geno206

Washington

3/5  rDev -22.5%

05-20-2013 04:19:45 | More by Geno206

crwrunner

Virginia

2.75/5  rDev -28.9%

05-20-2013 01:34:57 | More by crwrunner

Photekut

Azerbaijan

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

05-19-2013 13:17:55 | More by Photekut

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.23/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Picked up at the COOP a couple nights ago.. off white head blooms up to an easy 3"... too much!! The brew is fairly clear light orange... the head takes FOREVER to die back.. great lacing.

The nose is definitely bretty... more than I was expecting.. dusty green apple skins.. something that I associate with lemon zest.. or even Lemon Pledge.. lite fusel alcohols... minor peppery notes and a bit more apricot with warmth.

Ridiculously dry... light plastic/vinyl phenols with warmth.. light lemon.. the RIGID drying almost tannic quality of this beer is not gonna be for everybody including me...

Carbonation is almost abrasive.. the body is light magnified by the huge CO2.

I respect this beer and appreciate the brett character, but it is just over the top.

Not my cup of beer.

3.25/3.5/3.25/3/3

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 05:38:03 | More by JohnGalt1

logicerror

California

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-18-2013 04:43:44 | More by logicerror

rc51sport

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

05-17-2013 23:54:36 | More by rc51sport

SDG1070

Ohio

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-17-2013 22:14:55 | More by SDG1070

matjack85

Illinois

2.45/5  rDev -36.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I tried this at Quencher's Saloon in Chicago. $5 for a 12oz bottle served in a small brandy snifter.

It took awhile to see what color it was because the entire glass filled up with frothy white foam from top to bottom. After a 10 minute wait (I'm not exaggerating) about half the foam dissipated showing a honey/orange liquid. Lacing was good but the retention bordered on being ridiculous.

The beer had a hoppy citrus smell.

Complex mix of flavors that just don't work well together. It's both bitter and sweet, fruity and funky, but the resulting taste is like a bitter medicinal band-aid dipped in fruity alcohol. I didn't care for it at all.

Between light and medium bodied with very high carbonation.

One reviewer thought it tasted like a dirty sock. I won't go that far, but I didn't much care for it either.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 21:32:29 | More by matjack85

touchmeimsac

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

05-15-2013 14:10:30 | More by touchmeimsac

KevinGordon

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -16%

05-14-2013 15:51:02 | More by KevinGordon

JohnG190

New York

4.24/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - cloudy amber with huge, creamy white head that never seemed to dissipate.

Smell - fruity esters and biscuity malt dominate the aroma with a slight floral note and some yeast funkiness.

Taste - closely follows aroma with a hint of spice and some funky brett tartness. Finishes dry.

Mouthfeel - medium body with prominent carbonation.

Overall - tasty Belgian pale with just enough funkiness to make it interesting.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 22:45:59 | More by JohnG190

DavidBart

New York

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-13-2013 18:55:56 | More by DavidBart

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -16%

05-12-2013 20:49:58 | More by twenty5

Bung

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-12-2013 18:51:02 | More by Bung

JamesStreet

Louisiana

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

05-12-2013 16:38:08 | More by JamesStreet

TheBadger0289

New Zealand (Aotearoa)

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

05-11-2013 01:41:41 | More by TheBadger0289

RichD

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-10-2013 23:16:11 | More by RichD

blknikon

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

05-07-2013 22:50:56 | More by blknikon

artoolemomo

Oregon

4/5  rDev +3.4%

05-05-2013 03:35:16 | More by artoolemomo

firstlighthiker

Tennessee

3.25/5  rDev -16%

05-02-2013 03:15:07 | More by firstlighthiker

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.8/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 2 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

It foamed up quickly in the pour with lots of head. The body is cloudy medium straw colored.
The aroma is a spicy lemon and pine candy smell, pretty nice though.
It has a bold pine bitterness up front, followed by mild citrus sweetness.
The texture is crisp with moderate carbonation.
Besides the super-foamy head, it's a really great drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 00:38:05 | More by Fatehunter

brewblues82

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

04-29-2013 04:08:05 | More by brewblues82

cjw333

California

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%

04-28-2013 08:05:59 | More by cjw333