Rayon Vert - Green Flash Brewing Co.

BillHilly

Washington

4.18/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

50 degrees into a duvel tulip

A: Wow, pours awesome, nice head and retention

S: green tea essence, fruity yeast

T: Very balanced, slight yeast finish, hops are perfect

M: Dang near a 5, great carbonation, not too thin.

O: Dang good beer for this style - well done GF

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 02:21:28 | More by BillHilly

bstave

Washington

3.2/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into Dogfish Head tulip pint glass.

A- Two finger head after semi-aggressive pour. Nice creamy head that has good retention. A good amount of lacing as well. Color is typical of the style.

S- Citrusy hops, malt, and a little bit of funk brought on by the brett.

T- Taste follows nose. I dig the funky yeast, but other than that it's a simple pale ale.

M- Smooth creamy mouth feel. I would say the body is medium. Goes down smooth.

O- A good attempt at a Belgian Pale Ale, but it's lacking on overall flavor. Maybe I have met my Lupulin threshold. Enjoyed the one, but won't be seeking it out in the near future.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 01:13:38 | More by bstave

kojevergas

California

2.78/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a De Molen beer stemflute in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Expectations are above average; this brewery has impressed me in the past. Served refrigerator cold.

A: Pours a two finger head of decent cream, good thickness, and great retention - especially considering the above average ABV. Colour is a nontransparent murky copper. Not unique nor special, but generally appealing.

Sm: A moderately strong aroma of unexpected brett funkiness, sourness, wild yeast, and vague light hints of citrus esters. Very unexpected and interesting for a pale ale. I really didn't see that coming at all. I'm intrigued.

T: The funkiness is tonal and light, but unmistakably present, reaching its naked apex in the finish. It's yeasty without feeling sedimentary. In fact, yeast may be its main note alongside the vague malts and buried hints of citrus. Atypical and interesting for the style, but also simple and boring - even a bit bland. Bring out the funkiness or the malts. The flavours are muted rather than subtle - to its detriment (and my chagrin). No alcohol comes through.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with some cream on the finish. Not too thick or too thin per se, but it never feels quite right. It should be a bit lighter on the palate.

Dr: Drinkable but unremarkable. This boring pale ale from Green Flash intrigues with its funkiness, but quickly grows tired when it offers little else.

C

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 02:18:57 | More by kojevergas

unclejazz

New York

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I give much respect to Green Flash for putting the "craft" in craft beer, but for that reason I hold them to high standards. Rayon Vert met my expectations, just barely.

A-Great reddish orange hue with an amazing soapy head that could have hung around all day. I wonder if this is bottle conditioned and the yeast has just produced a ton of carbonation.

S-pineapple up front with hops and yeast hanging in the background. Just a hair of funk.

T-good but not great, having just had Hopslam this is pretty close, just not quite as in your face. I like this and session-wise feel like I could enjoy a few pints of this.

M-great carbonation, it has a really fresh and crisp taste. not too heavy and the carbonation does not make it feel to light either. Tang is good, and this has some tang.

O-looks wonderful and rolls down smooth. As it warms a bit the flavor gets even better. I cannot wait to have this on a warm day out in my porch.

I would like to award Green Flash an additional .02 for great bottle look. Labels are clear and simple and the bottle shape is fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 23:50:10 | More by unclejazz

bobhits

Kentucky

2.63/5  rDev -32%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Brett, yeast, apples, pears, spices, and well....this is a pretty good example of American's doing a Belgian pale ale. The carbonation and body are both wonderful. Sadly I'm not a huge fan of these flavors. There's an almost scotch like element mixed in with fruity and sour notes. I don't like how this all blends as far as flavors go.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 23:18:03 | More by bobhits

Monkeyknife

Missouri

3.65/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle a hazy apricot color with a huge rocky white head. Left behind lots of sticky lacing.

Aroma of herbal hops, clove, menthol and earthy brett notes.

Like the aroma, the taste was herbal with clove, menthol and brett. Menthol notes lingered thru the finish.

Medium bodied and slightly dry with a moderate carbonation.

A unique-tasting Belgian pale with the menthol so prominent. I like it but didn't love it.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 00:04:00 | More by Monkeyknife

udubdawg

Kansas

3.38/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

let's just get Overall out of the way. This is a relatively tasty beer that doesn't seem at all like what I expect from a Belgian Pale Ale. The Brett is overwhelming the rest of the beer already. I am hopeful that new aromas will come forth as it ages (impoves?)

The beer looks great in the glass. gorgeous. Light coppery color, brilliant other than a tiny whisp of yeast that made it into the bottle and slowly spreads throughout the rest of the glass. Effervescent, topped with a large creamy white with hints of yellow head of such tiny bubbles it looks like meringue. A few lines of tiny bubbles feed the stubborn head and it leaves great lace.

OK, so there's one smell here that overwhelms. I have as good a nose as anyone but all I get is phenolic, specifically band-aid. I like phenolics but I want to smell malt - moderately rich caramel/pilsner/toasty malt aromas - and hops with restrained yeast components in a Belgian Pale Ale. I get a slight spicy hop aroma but really it is hard to think of this as anything but medicine cabinet.

I enjoy the flavor more, and quickly settle in to taste what it has to offer. Sort of a lemony spicy flavor that could be noble hops or a yeast component. ample phenolics. Light pilsner malt. Bitterness is moderate, fruitiness is as well. clean, no diacetyl. Seems skillfully done, but I don't really appreciate the yeast/brett profile in this beer to this point. Some alcohol flavor comes out as it warms.

moderately light body, effervescent, very light alcohol warmth, no astringency. Crisp, enjoyable as it goes down.

so, I'd have it again, but not if I were looking for BPA. Hoping for more depth out of the brett as this ages too...

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 23:57:16 | More by udubdawg

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark golden orange color with a one finger off white head that quickly fades into a thin ring.  Streaks of soapy lacing left behind.

Musty, funky aroma with lots of earthy Brett and funky yeast along with some zesty spice and light fruit. Hints of pepper and clove along with some pear, alcohol and more Brett.

Medium bodied with a slight creamy texture, zesty spicy musty, dry Brett and light fruit.  Pretty complex with dry funk that lingers throughout over hints of pepper, clove, apple, pear, bread and alcohol sweetness. The musty brett is dominant but really well integrated into the flavor of the base.  Complex but well balanced and extremely drinakble.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 23:01:53 | More by corby112

UCLABrewN84

California

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

Pours a murky honey orange with a 3 inch foamy orange-white head that settles to a thin cap. Thick chunks of lace stick to the glass on the drink down. Smell is of herbal and grassy hops with some funky Brett aromas. Taste is of herbal hops, some grains, and earthy flavors on the finish from the Brett. A quick band aid flavor comes and goes quickly. There is a mild bitterness and slightly funky aftertaste with each sip. This beer has a crisp carbonation level with a bubbly mouthfeel. Overall, this is an interesting beer for sure. I read they might have been going for an American Orval but this one just isn't as good.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 05:38:28 | More by UCLABrewN84

Srsly

California

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - straw gold with a big whitish head that left some but not a ton of lacing.

S - a very interesting smell. I mostly got hops, both grassy and piney, with some spice and sweetness underneath. Just a hint of Brett on the back end.

T - The taste, like the smell, is unique. First I got a nice mouthful of west coast style hoppiness, then after that I got a hint of Belgian yeast followed by the unmistakable Brett funk. Really a lot going on. As it warmed I felt the hops mellowed and the Belgian/Brett flavors came forward.

M - Light and crisp, plenty of carbonation.

O - I can certainly see why this is a polarizing beer. I did get a whiff of band-aids once or twice, and at first the complexity and funk were a little overwhelming. As I kept drinking, though, it definitely grew on me and in the end it was an enjoyable experience. I will continue to drink it now and then, though it won't exactly be a go-to of mine.

Also, I'm curious to see how it will age and what it will taste like when the hops fade a bit, so I think I'll throw a bottle or two in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 20:47:09 | More by Srsly

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

2.78/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

I didn't like this bottle, fresh from Pizza Port Carlsblad store. So if you disagree you needn't read any further. A light golden body with a white foamy 3/8" head, lacy. Funky aroma - armpit sweat, menthol, my socks wt and used. The taste is comparable to floor wax, foot liniment, and pepper. Lots of menthol build up as I drink further into it, but it is not all that drinkable and I am forcing myself. Crazy stuff.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 00:16:26 | More by northyorksammy

Mebuzzard

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer looks great. Golden glowing body, a bit murky..as in, not crystal clear. Big white foamy head, nice lacing

Aroma is a bit dull and subdued. Nothing bad here. Some spice and light malt. Toasted crackers. Some clove and light banana

While the taste isn't spectacular, it does match well with the feel. It's crisp and clean. Some spice on the end just before it leaves for dryness. Light biscuit up front that doesn't last long. These flavors are light, a bit thin. I thought maybe this would have more hops, being from GF, but it's well balanced. White pepper hints. Some clove and mint.

Would like to see this with lover abv as I think it would be a great session beer, or aperitif

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 05:11:39 | More by Mebuzzard

notchucknorris

California

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Slightly hazy dark orange color with an absolute beast of a head. It took a while for it to settle and it eventually did at about a 1/2 finger and left a ton of lacing.

S: Brett is the first thing that jumps out here. When I first poured, I smelled some band-aids also, but luckily that smell faded quickly. Some hints of stonefruit, jasmine and some other indistinguishable floral notes. Slight hints of grassy hops.

T: The brett is definitely there but it's nice and light and allows some light fruit flavors, grassy hops and some bready malt to come through. Mouthfeel is a bit watery. Pretty good stuff though.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 05:42:29 | More by notchucknorris

dirtylou

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz single, bottleworks

appearance: served in a new glarus shaker pint, hazy orange body with a full frothy white cap and lacy retention.

smell: nice yeasty aroma, fruity esters, grass, spicy hop

taste: Nice stuff here - in the spirit of the classic Orval - heavy on the brett yeast, lots of fruity esters, black pepper, basil, citrus, grass and hay, spicy herbal hops.

mouthfeel: spicy and peppery, nice yeast bite

overall: nice impulse purchase

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 01:07:34 | More by dirtylou

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle was poured into a tulip glass.

Appearance: The beer poured a two finger head. A nice hazy orange/brown with signs of carbonation from the bottom and top of the glass. Nice clumpy lacing was left on the glass as the beer was consumed.

Smell: Interesting. Deep citrus notes. Spiciness too. Some rubber tire and grassy aroma from Brett too.

Taste: Citrus and rubber tires. Bready and sweet malts, barnyard tastes, and spicy too.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied, high carbonation, smooth, a little chewy in the rear, and very strange.

Overall: This was a weird road on the BPA style. This is what I would be expecting out of sour beers. I love Brett, but not sure it works well with the style. Drank the beer, but GF might need to work on this one a little more. Brett overpowers the citrus and fruity notes that I am used to in most BPA's. Somewhat still enjoyable though.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 19:47:11 | More by Flounder57

Philousa

California

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Imbibed at the green Flash tasting room on 12/30/11. Review done from notes and recent bottle tasting to refresh my memory.

Pours a golden orange color with a wispy white head that clings to the glass. What's there laces well. It should be noted that the bottle version has about a 3 finger head and laces well. Funky lemon sums up the first aroma to hit your nose best. Pineapple, banana, grapefruit, orange, and cardamom followed by spicy yeast. A bit funky. No allspice or "heavy" spices to speak of. Pale Belgian malt backbone is apparent. The taste is surprisingly fruity, with most of the aforementioned aromas translating well to the tongue. Citrus esters with a solid amber malt supporting. Very orangey, which is rare in a beer (without being disgusting). Musky yeast turns bitter along with the hops. Middle to thin mouth feel make this drinkable. Well balanced with a dry finish.

Of all the beers I tried at GF, this was my favorite. I can't believe it's year round. They really melded the best of the West Coast hoppiness with the Belgian Tripel spiciness. It's good on tap or in a bottle. The yeast still shows through when on tap. Not much else to say about this beer except that you need to drink it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2012 03:53:57 | More by Philousa

UnknownKoger

California

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

Purchased from K&L, poured into New Belgium tulip.

This is extremely carbonated. Had to pour very slowly and still got a 2-3 finger billowy head. Appearance is golden with just the faintest red. Smells slightly hoppy and bretty. Smells like a bright, hoppy saison.

Taste is interesting. Very fragrant and floral. There's brett all over the place. I think the floral notes help tone it down somewhat. There isn't really a traditional hop taste/presence. Very unique!

Mouthfeel is great due to high carbonation. It's got a really good body but a little sharp on the palate. Goes down well.

Overall, this is certainly an interesting beer. I like it and would buy it again. It'd be interesting to compare this with Orval and other high Brett beers. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 22:17:37 | More by UnknownKoger

elNopalero

Texas

4.73/5  rDev +22.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to XicanoBeerRun for turning me on to this one.

This is a Belgian-style pale ale from Green Flash. At first impression I thought it was “just” another California-Belgian hybrid beer, albeit one which is exceptionally tasty.

It pours a tan-burnt sienna color with a lot of billowy foam that sits atop it, thick and airy. Hm.

There’s a light, fruity aroma. Very subdued hop profile, but floral and fruity aromas. Taste is something else, with lots of fruit blossom-type notes on the palate. It’s like opening an aromatic, fruity gift with each subsequent sip. Turns out this is made with Brett yeast!

I’m excited by the prospect of this evolving over time. Seek it out, you won’t be disappointed.

Rayon Vert update—I cellared a bottle for the better part of a year, refrigerated & opened in December, 2012.

Immediate geyser, which I was completely unprepared for! At first crack of the bottle the cap foamed over, spraying beer everywhere. I sacrificed half a bottle. But the other half was so delicious—it at once made up for loosing it and made me regret the loss even more.

This beer poured an orange-tinged straw with tremendous foam. The foam fizzles out leaving an aroma that’s zesty, estery, and peppery. Aroma is full of orange hints with some brett notes, but the west coast-Green Flash hops have definitely faded.

The flavor has a nice peppery bite with a bit of zest to complement the estery flavors. There’s not a notable brett funk but it’s in the works—and definitely on the finish.

I still get a hop bite but it’s all bitterness with a clean finish. While it doesn’t develop like an Orval I have no complaints as to its taste. A poor man’s Orval? I’ll still take it.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 20:37:18 | More by elNopalero

brentk56

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy goldenrod, with a fluffy head that leaves plenty of lace

Smell: Spicy light fruit tones, with citrus, grassy hops and yeast funk

Taste: Opens with a touch of sugary malt, with a move toward spicy, peppery fruit and grassy hop flavors that dominate the mid-palate; nicely balanced, after the swallow, with the sugary malt, the grassy hops and the Brett each adding an element

Mouthfeel: Medium body with high carbonation that refreshes the palate

Overall: A tremendous achievement for Green Flash; although I enjoy a lot of their hoppy beers, I had no expectation that this brewery could produce a beer like this one

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 02:26:35 | More by brentk56

Metalmonk

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Always thrilled when a new Green Flash offering is bottled and distributed en masse. Because it doesn't happen often. But when it does, it's always high quality, and I hoped this would remain the case with Rayon Vert ("Green Ray," basically).

Pours a rusty copper/orange color, a lot of clarity in the liquid, and the head is a fluffy off-white thing that crackles down fairly quickly but remains a skim all the while. Dabs and dots of lace all over the place.

The nose is such a great example of Brett, that most special of yeast strains. It's stinky and farmy, kind of cheese-like, but also plenty fruity. It sits there waiting for your judgment: you in or out? It cuts no corners, but isn't a Jolly Pumpkin-ish example in the extreme either. It's exotic and exquisite. Very Belgian, but the aroma also exhibits that wide-awake super-fresh southern Cali hop nose we all know and love. Superb.

There's a tangy fruit layer throughout Rayon Vert, especially in the finish, but it can barely keep its feet next to the strong Brett character. Thankfully, though, it's not a one-sided Brett-bomb, bringing in a healthy hop personality that's both citrusy and a tad resin-like. Also something sort of old and musty, which could be mistaken for tasting rubbery, but it's intriguing and even enjoyable, so I don't want to give the impression that anything undesirable is going on here. Quite the contrary...

Hoped for something a little...more...I don't know...different, in terms of its texture. It's fine, nothing I don't like about it, but something that does the unlikely balancing act of tickling bubbles and creaminess, as so many authentic Belgian Pale Ales do, really would have done the trick. It's a hard texture to describe, but I've had it many times in the real Belgian deals. As is, this is fine, just not a characteristic of the beer that does much for me, one way or the other.

The name, Rayon Vert, is appropriate, as Rayon Vert IS what Green Flash is all about. It might as well be the flagship beer for the brewery as much as any of their other offerings. Total quality, through and through. They remain one of the most consistently excellent U.S. brewers, and if the lack of constant new (bottled) offerings is frustrating, it's easy to remind oneself about the quality they continually offer, and then all is A-Okay.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 22:51:06 | More by Metalmonk

DovaliHops

California

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear, golden orange color with a LARGE white head that has a slight orange-cream colored hint to it. Head takes a little time to go down. Scent immediately reminds me of fresh Orval. Brett funk with nice hoppiness. Some citrus and floral notes nicely meshed with barnyard. Taste is ALSO very much like fresh Orval, wow, this can only mean one thing...I LOVE THIS BEER! Disclaimer, I'm drinking this one at room temp, and it's tasting awesome. Immediate floral hoppiness with some slight Belgian yeast flavors. Then you get tasty Brett flavors and barnyard funk. Finishes dry and slightly bitter. Mouthfeel is crisp and somewhat velvety...dry finish. Drinkability is very high. Overall, this beer is just great IMO. I need to go buy more of this.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 06:21:36 | More by DovaliHops

emerge077

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bright and deeply saturated orange color, compact and creamy head of foam. Some rising carb trails visible, flecks of spotty lace inside the tulip glass. Bright clarity without pouring the yeast dregs.

Brett aroma right off the bat, fruity dried pineapple, fresh herbs, and the appropriate mustiness of old books.

Tangy, dry, and effervescent. Lingering bitter root earthiness and dry herbal bitterness. Smooth with some wet hay and dried wildflower notes. Brett complexity is big, but the wildness is reigned in. Orval-esque. Everything is pretty nicely balanced here. Cellaring this would likely bring out the funkier side of the wild yeast. A nice introductory Brett beer that i'll definitely drink more of.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 01:58:40 | More by emerge077

wedge

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sparkling, deep gold color after leaving most of the sediment behind in the bottle. A nice, fat head crowns the top, dropping slightly to a clumpy, frothy covering. Lovely, funky Belgian aroma...spicy, bright lemon, herbs, pear, and leather. Flavors of clean, zesty citrus, grass, phenolics, light earthy hop bitterness, and dry, estery yeast. Funky with a mild sweetness. Medium bodied, slightly creamy, and a little drying. Good stuff! Pulls off the style very well for a US brewery.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 00:04:05 | More by wedge

GilGarp

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle served cold into a goblet.

Rayon Vert has a hazy copper appearance with thick white head. Great retention and good lacing left behind.

Aroma is really unique and very pleasant. It's loaded with fresh tropical fruit and citrusy, floral hops.

Flavor is intense but balanced. There is a light malt base that really lets the abundant hops and Belgian yeast shine. The hops have lemon, grapefruit, and spice notes. The yeast adds a kick of black pepper.

Mouthfeel is medium-light in body and well carbonated. Balanced but lots of good hoppy bitterness.

Overall a really nice Belgian IPA if you ask me.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 01:47:54 | More by GilGarp

zeff80

Missouri

4.54/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a hazy, bronze color with a three finger, tan head of long-lasting, bubbly foam. It left sticky patches of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled funky with phenolic notes. It had some yeasty notes with caramel sweetness.

T - Very phenolic flavor with funkiness and spicy hop bitterness. Good sweet caramel backbone.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is fantastic. It's my favorite beer of the year so far.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 00:57:53 | More by zeff80