Green Flash Saison Diego - Green Flash Brewing Co.

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.24/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanx Aaron.

In a chalice and a pint glass:

A: hazy golden yellow colored body, lacing slides in the chalice but clings in the pint glass

S: orange peel up front combined with coriander, ginger and hops, some lemon comes out more so as it warms

T: mainly citrus, yet spicy and somewhat refreshingly sweet

M: light to medium, sessionable, appropriately carbonated and for my liking

O: starting to really warm up to this style, As this was very well done for the style and for me

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 14:54:07 | More by kangarooAdam59

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a hazy straw yellow pour with an initial finger of head which quickly disappeared. smells of lemongrass, orange peel, coriander, celery, bready. spicy, bready bitter, citrus, zesty flavors all blend very nicely together for a traditional saison flavor. light body with lots of constant carbonation (almost seltzer like) - the citrus/spicy combination leaves a nice sensation on the cheeks. spicyness is more noticeable in the finish and lingers for a bit.

overall this is a very refreshing summer saison. i was actually expecting a little bit more after having green flash's le freak, but i appreciate the subtle mixture of smells and flavors in this fine blend of a light saison. i wish this was easy to acquire around here - but from the amount of reviews on here (14 total, counting mine), i won't hold my breath.

Serving type: growler

06-17-2012 05:24:37 | More by facundoCNB

falloutsnow

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

From: Beertopia in Omaha, NE
Date: No obvious date, but "15/22/299/11/1816/8" stamped on bottom
Glass: Tulip

Saison Diego has a fairly singleminded approach to the style with yeast, malt, and some grains of paradise being the most obvious flavors and scents. In general, the recipe was fairly one-dimensional and for the price, many other saisons of more complexity are available. I enjoy many of Green Flash's beers, but this was just not as spectacular a saison as I was expecting from the brewery. Relative to something from Fantome, Ommegang, or Dupont, this is rather lacking.

Pours a voluminous white head of very dense bubbles, with retention well above average. Foam eventually settles to a thick ring around the glass with a thinner film atop the rest of the body. Lacing is fairly minimal along the sides of the glass. Body is an opaque, hazy golden yellow color, with some carbonation visible along the sides of the glass and primarily streaming from the center.

Aroma is very mild, picking up subtle maltiness and saison yeast, with little else. For a bottle that mentions orange peel, ginger, and grains of paradise, there's surprisingly little going on here.

Opening flavor is somewhat tomato-like, which fades into a fairly generic saison yeast flavor, along with its secondary byproducts and a bit of the peppery grains of paradise. Mid-palate picks up some light malt sweetness with continued grains of paradise and saison yeast. Closes out with a pleasant grainy and biscuit-like malt influence. Not really picking up anything distinctly orange peel or ginger-like in the beer, though the label states that such ingredients were used. In general, this tastes like a fairly generic saison.

Beer is medium to medium-light in body with strongly effervescent carbonation that manages not to produce sharp prickles upon the tongue, but instead foams up with large bubbles and creates a pillowy, soft effect. Closes dryly, as expected.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 03:19:00 | More by falloutsnow

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

12oz bottle served in a Tripel Karmeliet
Bottles: 3/04/13

A - Pours a hazy yellow with a fluffy white head.

S - Earthy wet hay, lemons, white pepper, wheat, coriander, clove

T - Follows the nose with dense and creamy wheat malts, white peppercorns, coriander, clove, hints of lemon, earthy hay, grassy hops, tart pear fruit, finishes semi-dry with coriander and clove on the aftertaste.

M - Moderate foamy carbonation but has a soft texture to it.

Kinda of a catch all style-wise. The malt is dense but the carbonation helps lighten it up. Peppery phenols and light hints of fruit. I would drink this again but wouldn't seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 01:01:54 | More by StaveHooks

Reaper16

Alabama

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

served on-tap at Local Option, Chicago IL, into a chalice

Pours a yellow color. It's very yellow. Like, skin-of-a-Simpsons-character yellow. 1.25 fingers of white head stick around to leave some nice arches of lacing. In a bar setting, with lots of bright neon around, this beer practically glows.

The aroma hits the notes that you'd expect from the name and brewer: a healthy dose of green, fruity hops underscoring a Farmhouse Ale base. This beer is floral like honeysuckle, with dry malt character and plenty of hops (for the style). The first sip yields a big surprise: this beer isn't as hoppy as the aroma (or name) would have you believe. I mean, it's still got plenty of hop flavor. But the slightly musty, plasticky Saison yeast asserts itself strongly.

The mouthfeel isn't as attenuated as it could be, but most American Saisons suffer from this flaw. It's fine. Overall, this reminds me of a more refined take on Green Flash's Rayon Vert. That beer has more Brettanomyces character, but also way more hops. The hop bill here is present but respectful, which allows the saison character to show. This is a nice beer (though it tries to do much the same work as Boulevard Tank 7 and doesn't at all measure up to that beer).

Serving type: on-tap

06-24-2012 04:58:00 | More by Reaper16

dbossman

Nebraska

3.78/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Cloudy and hazy with a lemon hue and a 1 inch head--surprisingly small for a saison--and great lacing

S: Quite grainy with subtle orange, banana, apple, ginger; this smells spicy and musty and slightly funky and grainy and great

T: Quite dry and not nearly as much musty fruity funk that I picked up in the aroma but still grainy and tasty

F: Creamy with a light but appropriate level of carbonation

O: This is a nice saison--not a crazy funky saison--but a good, dry, grainy, easy-drinking one

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 02:47:40 | More by dbossman

Immortale25

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Dogfish signature snifter. No freshness date.

A- Pours a partially hazy dark gold color with a 3/4 inch off-white head that putters away pretty quickly to a thin ring around the edge of the glass and light surface foam. Average lacing.

S- Smells more like a witbier than a saison with more rich, full banana tones from the yeast. There's a trace of that sharp saison aroma on the back end but the bulk of the nose is spice-driven.

T- Same goes for the flavor. Fruity esters from the yeast, spice and wheat. With no ABV printed on the bottle and also none in the BA description, I'd guesstimate it's around 5% since there's barely any alcohol twang. Yep, tastes like your standard witbier.

M- Some prickle from the spice and a dryness from the yeast. Medium-low carbonation leaves a little to be desired especially since the body's on the lighter side.

O- Although very enjoyable, it's not a true Saison IMO. I'm missing a lot of the tang and funk I'm used to experiencing with the style. Would have given a higher score if it was more honest, style-wise. Pretty disappointing since Green Flash usually excels at Belgians.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 01:58:09 | More by Immortale25

Murrhey

Montana

3.43/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured in a taster at Green Flash in San Diego, Calif. Reviewed from notes.

A- Half a finger, white head. Low retention. Sticky lacing, pale golden color. High clarity.

S- Sour and spicy, some sweet malts.

T- Sour and some brewing spices.

M- Chewy yet light. Weird feel.

O- Spicy little Belgian style.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2012 03:04:46 | More by Murrhey

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Hazy, golden-yellow with a fluffy, white head. No lace or retention.

S: One of the better smelling Saisons I've experienced from an American brewer. Very tart and bit barny and earthy.

T: Great Belgian yeast character. Barny. Grassy. Slightly fruity. Delicious!

M: Crisp and clean. Great flavor. Seriously way too easy to drink.

O: One of the best American versions of the style that I've had to date. Would love to drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 03:59:01 | More by Gatch

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.33/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

22oz bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours golden yellow with great clarity. Large rocky white head settles to a quarter of an inch eventually. sparse, spotty lacing.

S: Light musty scents, pilsner malts, a slightly bready scent (wheat?), distinct orange peel, yeasty aromas with pepper and spices, lemongrass, and ginger way in the background. Restrained hop scents are herbal and grassy. Good nose, it all melds together quite nicely.

T: Hit of clove on the attack. Grainy malt base follows. Yeasty tastes have a very slight funk. Ginger and orange peel butt in quickly and then vanish. Spicy Belgian yeast flavors are rather run of the mill. Hop bitterness balances delicately with slight green and oily tastes. Light peppery burn throughout. Musty yeast and pepper in the finish.

M: Light in body. Very creamy. Moderate carbonation. Very smooth and soft.

O: My initial fear going into this beer was that it would be too busy. The list of ingredients seemed a bit ambitious. To my surprise, I found it to be rather average and uninspiring despite the impressive queue of adjuncts. I expected this beer to be a success, or else fail fantastically in a blaze of glory. Instead Evil Knievel just fell over sideways on the ramp.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 03:09:01 | More by ryan1788a5

lovindahops

New York

3.78/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Finally this hit shelves in syracuse!

A- a hazy golden yellow body with white foam all over the edges of the glass.

S- big bready notes with slighty musty notes of barnyard funk that is always exhibited in the style. I definitely get the citrus and Ginger from the brew. Good scent profile that I would like to be amped up more

T- spicy and crisp with yeasty flavor. Not explosive, but crisp and very refreshing. Actually, saison Diego is very light and drinkable with these flavors

M- coating flavor on the brew that is very enticing

O- what a refreshing saison! The drinkability is out of this world with the crisp flavor. This will be a brew I always seek out for a warm weather day

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 23:58:15 | More by lovindahops

jeffjeff1

California

3.48/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I picked this up at BevMo a while ago.

Appearance- pale yellow color, huge foamy head

Smell- bread, yeast, spices

Taste- lemon zest, spices, yeast, very refreshing

Mouthfeel- medium bodied

Drinkability- Pretty good, I would probably have it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 23:50:25 | More by jeffjeff1

BeerDawgs

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A 22oz bomber picked up at Green's on Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA

A - A bright yellow, straw color. 2 fingers of head, and nice creamy head left on top of the beer. Lots of bubbles rising to the top

S - Musty funky yeast strain is up front and prevalent. Definitely a farmhouse ale. Spices, lemon, orange.

T - Earthy flavors, belgian saison yeast. Light fruits, orange. Spices. Alochol is light. It does not have an ABV on the bottle, but I am guessing it is under 6%

M - Medium bodied, huge carbonation. Crisp

O - A very good rendention of the style. Its good, but not great. I would definitely buy a 4 or 6 pack of it again, but probably overpriced for a bomber.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 00:39:17 | More by BeerDawgs

cvm4

Mississippi

3.33/5  rDev -9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a pretty clear hay yellow. Lively, huge white head.

S - A little bland in this dept. Some sweet honey & a bit of funk along with mild hops.

T - Just an average saison flavor. Nothing really mind blowing.

M - Medium body & high carbonation. Slightly syrupy.

O - just am average saison here. Be a. good introduction to the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 18:03:13 | More by cvm4

litheum94

California

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle. No dates. Reviewed 7/6/12.

Hazed, golden-yellow body that shimmers in the light. Thick, rocky, bone white head. Settles to a compact covering.

Funky yeast, hay, pepper, lemon peel, ginger and some wheat aromas. very earthy smelling.

Dry flavors of hay and grass, with some citric tones. Earthy and musty, with a slightly creamy mouthfeel. Moderate spicing, with flavors of ginger and white pepper (from the Grains of Paradise). Moderate carbonation. Fairly full bodied for the style.

Good flavors with some nice spicing. A pretty good saison that I'd definitely come back to.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 21:36:57 | More by litheum94

StoneTSR

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

APPEARANCE: Very pale, yellowish-orange with another monster, foamy head from Green Flash. The beer below is very lively looking and a bit hazy. The head retention is almost too strong given that it is so big. Five minutes after the pour I am still waiting for it to drop a bit before I taste it. The lacing, however, is exceptional.

SMELL: The smell is not as strong as some other Green Flash beers are, but it is very nice. The nose is fairly typical of a saison with lemony citrus and a little funk. It adds a twist, however, with a peppery, ginger aroma as well.

TASTE: Peppery spice with plenty of lemon and orange get this thing started. In the middle the ginger from the nose makes a brief appearance, along with a hint of banana and clove, while the beer dries out as it reaches the finish. That finish also comes along with a slight funk. Actually the mild funk seems to be more a part of the aftertaste. I also think there may be some candi sugar in here, which makes me wonder just what the ABV is. It could be a lot higher than some have guessed.

MOUTHFEEL: Very light bodied and playful. The carbonation provides more of a tickling tease than it does a genuine sparkle. Slightly sweet up front, the finish is very dry.

OVERALL: The Saison Diego is a solid example of the style. Unlike many of Green Flash’s other brews, this one is not pushing the envelope in terms of the definition of the style. It is quite tasty and I will reach for this one again when I’m in the mood for a Saison.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 09:19:50 | More by StoneTSR

wethorseblanket

California

4.13/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a clearish golden yellow with a massive 2" white rocky head which fades to a cap and rim leaving puzzle lace.

N: Big funk blast up front, followed by mellow lemon citrus zest and hay/grass from the barnyard. Peppery spice with biscuit yeast. Cloves, and faint banana. Beautiful springtime floral notes.

T: Yeasty, spicy, orange/lemon/citrus combine well with earthy and floral elements. Faint ginger spice is present, but most contribution from the grains of paradise.

M: Solid carbonation, light body. Very bright throughout and somewhat dry on the lingering finish.

O: Nice and refreshing. Well done Chuck.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 05:11:36 | More by wethorseblanket

chanokokoro

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.

Pours straw yellow with a touch of haze, clean bright white three finger head. Farmhouse yeast greets the nose accompanied by a bit of spice and citrus. Opens slightly fruity, added spice joins in with yeasty esters. Finishes on the drier side. Slick mouthfeel with a very faint touch of creaminess. An enjoyable brew and a solid saison.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 01:54:28 | More by chanokokoro

fmccormi

New York

3.8/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Straight pour from a 12oz bottle to an oversized wineglass (my nice Tired Hands stem); the bottle has a bottling date of March 4, 2013 printed in yellow ink near the base (“BOTTLED ON: 03/04/13”).

Appearance (3.75): Pours with three fingers of fluffy, cream-colored head that dies down at a relatively slow rate, showing good retention: a centimeter of nice foam still hangs around after a couple of minutes. But, not a lot of lacing—at first, anyway. The body is a hazy, perfectly cloudy (almost totally opaque), pale yellow-gold. As the beer recedes it leaves a few spots of suds here and there, no real lacing, per se, but some spotting.

Smell (3.75): Lots of classic saison notes here: dry straw, some toasty biscuit and pale grains, slightly floral, just a hint of pepper and clove . . . almost nothing particularly phenolic, just a very crisp, clean, classic saison with light esters.

Taste (3.75): The palate follows the nose in that it embodies a classic, clean, dry, pale saison: moderate, white-pepper spice, really crisp, lightly toasted biscuit character in the malt body, and finally a very crisp, floral crack of hop flavor with a moderate, slightly lemony bitterness. It finishes dry and crisp with a slightly peppery spice and a grassy finish, not quite bitter but just grassy. Good, just kind of straight-down-the-middle and classic. Not getting the kind of spicing I was expecting, but good nonetheless.

Mouthfeel (4.25): The mouthfeel is quite good: a solid tingle that expands easily before going down. The body is still relatively light though, going down easily and finishing with a dryness that matches the grassy, floral character on the palate.

Overall (3.75): Overall, this saison is above average, given its generally solid character that follows the style nicely but doesn’t deviate in any regard (not in my mind, anyway), not positively or negatively. It’s just straight-forward and solid, without any particularly standout moments. Nothing very estery, phenolic, spicy, fruity, or anything else. But, it’s still pretty good—just exceeding expectations in any way, and maybe it’s just me but I’m not getting any of the flavor or spicing predicted by the beer’s description.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 18:48:39 | More by fmccormi

pkalix

California

4.33/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

my apologies to the brewery for the beer-induced email last weekend.... it really is a very nice tasting brew.
poured a clear straw (corona-colored) with a nice head on top. 2nd pour with sediment (was i supposed to release the sediment?) was, of course, hazy.
smells a little heartland-grassy with some spice, but refreshing.
taste was very nice and pleasant. not sure what to expect with ginger, but it's a very nice taste. 2nd pour with the sediment produced a bitter taste, but that is all to be expected. i dont remember the other saisons i've tried having sediment.
mouthfeel was light adn pleasant.
overall, this was a really nice brew. i do have an issue with the bottle not exhibiting the abv; i mean, that DOES factor in to the entire tasting/reviewing experience, does it not? but it was explained to me that under 5.6% (?) does not need to denote the abv. i didnt know that. i believe this was my first green flash experience, and it was a very good one. again, my apologies for the rudeness in the email i sent, but there was an issue which i believe was a fair one. i will try more of these from this brewery. but i'm still not sure if i'm supposed to pour the sediment?

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 00:57:58 | More by pkalix

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours golden color with white head in TEKU glass.

Smell is belgian yeast, funk, lemon, coriander.

Taste follows smell. Lemon, spice with a light bitter finish.

Feel is light and refreshing. Nice effervecent carbonation.

Overall this is a nice saison. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 01:00:40 | More by TrappistJohnMD

51mmz0rz

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into an Orval chalice.

A: Poured a beautiful clear golden color. White head has good retention.

S: Belgian yeast aromas

T: Wonderful breadyness to the flavor along with belgian yeast flavors. Easy drinking.

M: Good carbonation, fits the style.

D: Overall, solid beer, I don't taste the spices (but this is probaly a good thing)

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 02:49:57 | More by 51mmz0rz

pants678

California

3.66/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Body is yellow with a big Belgian head.

Hops and spices, fruity.

Lemon hits first and stays throughout. I'm not getting any soapiness, nor the orange that it's advertised for. A little peppery, ginger sticks out, or clove; I can't think of the difference right now. Delightfully complex, a definite for summer.

Not so bitter but plenty bright. Crisp. I like saisons that stain, though.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 04:02:10 | More by pants678

RaulMondesi

California

3.06/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

While chilling out over a vegan dog, Rauldky decided that a saison was in order to wash down his cruelty-free protein.

Now, it's not as if Raul had much of an expectation, but Raul has drank gutter water that had more flavor and mouthfeel than this Fresno rain water. Thin, flavorless and more boring than a Ann Hathaway nudie scene. Next!

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2013 02:04:49 | More by RaulMondesi

CommanderOfAwesome

California

4.1/5  rDev +12%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into 2 pint glasses. Split while eating some homemade black bean chili.

A: 2.5 finger hear, crystal clear with tons of activity and carbonation.

S: Citrus with a bunch of funk. One of the best smelling Saison's to date. The orange peel comes in first with the funky barnyard second.

T: Clean, crisp and refreshing. Really light with some yeast and ginger flavor. Great pairing for black bean chili IMO.

M: Light with some carbonation activity. Not as dry of a finish of most saison's I've had recently.

O: Like everything Green Flash does, was excellent. I used to be a big fan of Saison's but lately its been fading. This reminded me of everything I used to enjoy about a saison. Light, refreshing with a great crisp taste. Perfect with a hearty meal to wind down the day.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 04:27:40 | More by CommanderOfAwesome