Rayon Vert - Green Flash Brewing Co.

od_sf

California

3.39/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 1 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 1

I was pretty happy when I discovered Green Flash Rayon Vert last year. Solid brett beer that I was planning on buying regularly so as to not spend massive amounts of money on Orval all the time.

But I'm done with Rayon Vert. Out of the last five 4-packs I have bought recently, every single beer has been a gusher, with 30 to 50% of the liquid not making it into my glass. We're talking miniature beer geysers here. Six inches of over-carbonated beer shooting straight out of the bottle. Good thing they use thick bottles, otherwise I'm sure these would have been bottle bombs. I properly stored them and made sure that they experienced zero agitation for a few days prior to opening, so that's not the issue.

It's such a pain in the ass to clean, and it's a bummer when you lose half the beer like this.

I emailed Green Flash customer service to let them know about my experience, and they didn't even bother sending a quick response to acknowledge my email. Needless to say, I won't be buying any more of their offerings.

In a nutshell: very decent Belgian style pale ale with brett that is quite delicious... when you can manage to get the beer out of the bottle and into your glass instead of on the counter.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 21:18:49 | More by od_sf

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

pour is a dark copper, mostly transparent, with an off white tight head. Nose is light leather, faint dust, strong lemon and citrus with a lingering leather in back. Taste is very good, dusty and leathery, bright citrus and lemon, rather bitter and semi dry in the finish. Carbonation is decent, would prefer high carb but not bad. Very balanced and tasty, solid depth. Winning!

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 20:10:40 | More by cpetrone84

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into wine glass at tap42 in ft Lauderdale. Pours an aggressive white 4 finger head on top of a golden color. Really nice brett funk...lots of grassy hay and belgian hops and yeast. Taste is farmhouse barnyard funk... slightly citrus toasty bread with some bitter hop finish. Nice budget brett. A bit over carbonated but easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 23:37:57 | More by DrinkSlurm

jbphoto88

Texas

3.7/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Deep yellow that's approaching gold with tons of bubbles. A soon as you pop the cap you get an above average hiss that translates into billowy, fluffy off white head that takes up half the glass. A constant stream of bubbles from the bottom feeds it's gigantor size.

The nose is a good portion of Belgian yeast, dusty hops and some farmhouse. It's the farm scents that I'll never understand in a beer but someone out there must love it.

Rayon Vert has smooth, balanced flavor that has one foot in the farm and one foot in a brew house. Sweet toasted grains mixed with that Belgian twang, light citrus and subtle ginger like spices. This one puts me out of my comfort zone but in a very good way. I find the flavor unique and interesting.

Mouthfeel is also a light with a fine champagne carbonation, adding to the sizzle and zest of the brew. Unique and tasty well worth trying. I remain not a huge fan of Belgian anything but this one was really good.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 20:39:52 | More by jbphoto88

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz quasi-stubbie single bottle. Pretty stoked about this brewer's wares finally being available in Alberta.

This beer pours a slightly hazy medium golden amber hue, with a tower of fluffy, tight foamy white head, which leaves some crooked chain-link fence lace around the glass as it agreeably sinks away.

It smells of sharply bitter grapefruit and lime rind, equally pungent earthy, musty farmhouse yeast, an evolving pear/apple fruitiness, some understated pale grainy malt, and a further spicy, leafy hoppiness. The taste is more of the same hefty Belgian yeast and pale malt, married shot-gun style to a west coast hop full frontal - bitter fruits from across the grocery store display, skulking funky yeast, a twinge of green pepper, some tame indeterminate spiciness, and underappreciated, but still plucky, earthy, leafy hops. No real sign of the elevated ABV, another cribbed Belgian specialty.

The bubbles are understandably more than a bit frothy and sassy - there must be some bottle refermentation going on here - the body a not too shabby medium weight, and smooth enough for all the carbonated play. It finishes a bit off-dry, mostly beholden to the semi-sweet pale malt, softly neutered citrus notes, and lingering earthy yeast.

San Diego swagger meets Senne Valley heritage, with predictable results - both hold up quite well, and I would proffer that the Belgian influence wins out in the end, keeping this offering from edging too close to IPA territory, Belgian or otherwise. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 03:42:59 | More by biboergosum

arizcards

Arizona

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a 4 pack at Total Wine in mid-September for $7.99.

Beer decanted with a huge soapy white head after being released from heavy carbonation. Heavy lacing left behind in my tulip.

Nose is heavy on the funk and belgian yeast strains. Some northwest hops show thru as well.

Taste is pear and apple, slight fruity hops, and finishes with a light funk.

Mouthfeel is light and effervescent but not overly carbonated as first thought upon opening the bottle.

Overall this is a nice addition to the Green Flash lineup. I am not much of a funk guy but this is well played!

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 01:37:48 | More by arizcards

tdm168

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - orangish amber with a huge, soft, bubbly, off white head that has great retention

S - spicy, herbal hops; sage?; mint?

T - faint malt, spicy, herbal, sage, mint, thyme

M - very crisp, overcarbonated, medium bodied

It's overcarbonated for sure. It took three delicate pours to get a full glass. The hops are definitely forward which I see as a plus. There are some intense herbs throughout like sage and mint. I don't get any of the Belgian yeast funk that I would expect from the style. On the whole I enjoyed this beer, mostly for its hoppiness. I would have it again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 01:53:56 | More by tdm168

Kadonny

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a SA Perfect Pint glass.

A: A lighter straw color with a huge aggressive white frothy head on a conservative pour. Huge sticky lacing.

S: Barnyard funk, musty, yeasty, some hop citrus.

T: Light fruit is combined with the barnyard brett flavors. Musty, yeasty, some pear and apple, tart floral hops pepper, some slight sweet malt as the finish turns dry and musty again.

M: Carbonation was huge (must be bottle conditioned) as the mouthfeel is dry and prickly.

O: A nice brett beer with a fairly aggressive hop profile. As someone else said, this is almost an Orval clone that is not as good.

A good brett beer, but not a great brett beer. Give me a Matilda any day of the week, it has more balance and complexity. Still, not bad.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 18:08:14 | More by Kadonny

babaracas

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a mostly clear amber with dense rocky white head that settles slowly to a thick cap and leaves big clumps down the glass. Smell: semi-sweet, lemon, pepper, green apple, Brett funk. Taste: spicy, slightly acetic and medicinal, mildly sweet then into a peppery finish. Medium bodied with active carbonation and a creamy feel. Nice, fairly easy drinking, use of Brett.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 05:39:12 | More by babaracas

BlackBearForge

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Rayon Vert pours a light golden amber in the glass, more golden than amber with a truly tremendous frothy foamy bone white head leaving great clumps of bubbly lacing on the glass as it subsides.

The nose is strong and very reminiscent of the barnyard (but in the pleasant beer-ish sort of way) with earthy hops.

The pale malts are fresh baked bread goodness with a stong spicy yeasty ester background and strong earthy hop presence. The barnyard character of the nose is present of course and the beer starts off dry and finishes dry with a pleasant lingering bitterness in the back of the palate.

The mouthfeel is medium and lightly creamy, and despite the fact this beer forms a four inch head on an initial "gentle" pour, the carbonation is also medium.

After an initial reaction, simply due to being unacustomed to the barnyard Brett character, I developed a great liking to this beer. A very nice change from the IPA's and Oktoberfests I've been consuming mass quantities off.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 22:25:43 | More by BlackBearForge

WesWes

New York

4.2/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a dark golden/amber color with a towering white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is great! It has a light and refreshing pale and Carapils malt scent along with a mild hop nose and a wonderful yeast aroma. The yeast dominates the nose and provides a multitude of complexity. It has an earthy farmhouse feel with hints of black pepper and horse hair funk. The taste is good. It has a crisp, pale malt flavor with a touch of hop bitterness. It goes down smooth with no sign of an elevated alcohol content. It finishes dry and funky with tons of yeast character. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a low bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a solid beer with excellent yeast character. It's complex, yet incredibly easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 20:58:24 | More by WesWes

foles

Australia

4.5/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Green Flash now gets imported cold to Australia via Pheonix Beers here in Perth. And gee does it show in this beer. A delightful belgian ale with a heavy kiss of brett on the finish. To me this tastes like a fresh orval in Belgium.

Worth the hefty price tag.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 11:56:46 | More by foles

JAYAR1

Illinois

1.6/5  rDev -58.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

CLOUDY ORANGE WITH COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF HEAD ON A LESS THAT VIGOROUS POUR INTO MY STOLZLE TULIP FROM A SINGLE BOTTLE FROM FAMOUS IN LOMBARD. A BIT OF ANTICIPATION BRINGING IT TO MY NOSE, A LITTLE BISCUIT, A LITTLE CITRUS , A LITTLE UNFAMILIAR, BUT TO MY LIPS THE TASTE PUSHED IT OVER THE EDGE. ALL YOU BRETT LOVERS WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ME DECREASING THE WORLD WIDE SUPPLY OF BEERS WITH BRETT . IT COULD BE TOP NOTCH BUT NOT WITH THESE FLAVORS. TRYING TO BE OPEN MINDED, BUT THIS STUFF SLAMS THE DOOR SHUT. DARE I SAY NOT A REPEAT. SORRY GREEN FLASH! AS I CONTINUE TO SIP IT, IT ISN'T GROWING ON ME. TO ME TASTE SAYS IT ALL

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 21:48:03 | More by JAYAR1

Finn

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours amber orange with vigorous carbonation supporting lots of fluffy foam. Aroma is complex with biscuit malt, citrus and some classic funk, slightly sweet. Sweet malts and funky bretty orangey tartness are cut through with the high carbonation. It finishes slightly sweet and the funk lingers a little. The carbonation hurts the drinkability on this one, but it's still very good, and worth picking up. only a few months age in this bottle from when I bought it has already shown changes (i tried one fresh when I bought it) I'm tempted to pick up some more to age for at least 6 months or a year.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 01:23:01 | More by Finn

Vec2267

Florida

3.2/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - ginormous head on initial pour, nice lacing, good retention, murky straw color, lots of bubbles

S - very funky - Brett, very fruity, pepper

T - Brett, barnyard funky leather, orange, hops, pepper

M - full, well carbonated

O - I despise Brett, that said, the brewer did a good job of integrating it into this brew, the fruit and hops provide a nice balance

That said, I still despise Brett.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 01:05:15 | More by Vec2267

GeckoPunk

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Oh how I wish I had this beer on hand while writing this review.
It has been a while since I last drank this beer, but I remember it quite well.
There are certainly 4 qualities that I will never forget about the beer.
1) Barnyard Funk!
2) Wet Hay
3) Lemongrass
4) Bretty Sourness

It is a great beer, but certainly not for the faint of heart.
If you are not a fan of Belgian sours, this may not be the beer for you...
At first, I wasn't too fond of this beer, but I have come to really enjoy it now.
Although not always my first choice, I can see myself coming back to this one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 02:15:13 | More by GeckoPunk

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle, poured into a stemmed tulip

The body pours a slightly hazy orange with a huge, effervescent paper white cap. The head rose vigorously and settled like meringue. Huge chunks of lace stuck everywhere inside the glass.

The nose is of phenolic spice, white pepper, and a bubble gum fruitiness with barnyard and band-aid notes from the Brett. Clean, dry aroma that stings the nostrils a bit.

On the palate, spicy phenols and faint fruit rush the palate. Dry, barnyard, band-aid, musty funk notes emerge mid-palate from the Brett and release to a slightly funky, dry, bitingly crisp finish.

Light to medium bodied....it's really tough to tell. Mid-palate it feels medium, but up front and in the finish definitely light. High carbonation. Crisp and dry finish. Refreshing.

I really enjoyed this BPA. The Brett addition really makes this beer. It complements the fruity/spicy notes from the yeast extremely well.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 21:14:51 | More by ColForbinBC

dgilks

Australia

4.48/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy amber colour with a thick, creamy and long lasting off-white head. Great lacing.

Orval. Thick and wonderful Brettanomyces aroma with some fruit notes but it is mostly Brett. I love it.

Slightly sweet malt and a little hoppy but the biggest flavour is Brettanomyces. Great imitation of Orval even if it isn't supposed to be.

Medium body with moderate carbonation. Very nice.

A delightful Belgian ale with hop notes and Brett. Well balanced and eminently drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 09:18:46 | More by dgilks

PEBKAC

New York

3.95/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Four pack from Whole Foods. Heard good things. At around $12 for a 4-pack, I hope this slows down the flow of Joe Schmo breweries charging a premium for brett renditions of their staple beers. Probably won't. Tickers gotta tick... :/

An unsteady pour results in a murky honey orange body. Being my ignorant self, my Duvel tulip soon becomes overwhelmed with cakey off-white head. A small stack of soggy utility bills & some desk reorganizing later, I realize I should of skimmed reviews for some keywords first at least.

Soapy, sharp citrus scent. Hay & just a tiny bit of cheese in the background.

Taste upfront is bittersweet, but quickly turns briny. Coarse orange/grapefruit pith. Lingering acidity. Faintly tart. Not sour. Super dry. Moderate, but soft carbonation. Aspirin finish. So thirsty.

Me likey. :)

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 06:02:26 | More by PEBKAC

DRyan

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Hazy orange/blonde with very fluffy white head that sticks around and laces nicely
S: Heavy funk, spicy, citrusy, with a Belgian yeast undercurrent
T: Woody, earthy funk, with some citrus tang to it, aftertaste continues the funk, also has a bit of mustiness to it
M: tingly; very effervescent, dances on the tongue
D: Not one for every day, not tough to drink but wouldn’t want to drink a bunch in a row

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 00:40:11 | More by DRyan

UnderPressure

South Carolina

3.85/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Highly carbonated. Huge head. Golden orange color.

Funky aroma. Grainy and a little papery. (Hard to describe.) Lots of hops, though.

Fruity flavor from the yeast. Maybe a little bubble gum. Nice bitterness. Complex flavor.

Medium bodied. Very, very carbonated. The carbonation is appropriate for the style, I suppose. But, I don't like it so much.

An interesting beer. Makes me want to explore this style more.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 17:05:01 | More by UnderPressure

hardy008

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A gentle pour fills the glass with foam. As the foam settles down, The beer in the glass is a light amber color. As expected, the foamy white head has excellent retention, and lacing. The aroma has green apples, citrus, pepper, leather, and Brett.

Very nice flavor to this beer. There is some sweetness, bitterness, and some funk. The flavors I can pick out are oranges, citrus zest, pepper, Brett, and green apple.

Light to medium bodied, well carbonated, with a dry finish and citrus zest aftertaste. A really nice Belgian Pale Ale. I definitely need to try this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 01:22:17 | More by hardy008

kylehay2004

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: three finger thick frothy head on a murky golden amber body.

S: strong aroma of clove, yeast, banana, herbs and pineapple.

T: this one is very sharp and spicey off the back with a strong herbal and clove presence. The yeast is nicely represented through out. There is mild citrus sweetness but its very tart in the finish with orange and pineapple.

M: medium body and moderate to high carbonation. semi dry finish as expected.

Overall: this one is pretty tart and yeasty with strong herbal notes that dont get easier to drink as its consumed hurting drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 21:39:45 | More by kylehay2004

Durge

Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A cloudy light amber color with a big chewy pile of eggshell white head with loads of chunky lacing left behind. The aroma is a pleasant, polite herbaceous clove that fights back the hint of bubblegum sweetness. Intense grain and the herbal hop are a compelling marriage. The taste brings a similar effect with clove, bubblegum and murky rice/wheat/malt. The herbal, near mint tea, blends smoothly with the stubborn earthy grain for a somewhat unique mouthful of Belgian nuance. Medium bodied with a crisp feel, this is entirely loveable! Another nice Green Flash!

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 18:17:07 | More by Durge

beerpadawan

California

4.03/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big foamy head even with gentle pour, settling to rocky, marshmallow bluffs some scattered lacing (would probably be prettier if I were using a more appropriate glass). A cloudy bright copper hue held to light.

Citrus zest; grapefruit juice; mint; funk. At room temperature, brut wine/slight alcohol warmth. Aroma and flavor definitely reveal brett addition. It's subtle in the aroma. As the beer comes to temperature, the dry, slightly tangy and funky brett character becomes a feature. Malt back and sugar flavor play a subtle supporting role, as do bittering hops and floral/herbal hoppiness. Peppery/spicy esters.

Light body. Dry; attenuated; slightly sticky finish.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 23:21:41 | More by beerpadawan