Green Flash Le Freak

Brewed by Green Flash Brewing Co.
Style: Abbey Tripel
Vista, California USA

Bottle from my brother - Vac. Poured amber with a creamy off-white head that renews with a twirl of the glass and left good lace. Clove spice aroma with a backing of fruits and hops. The clove continues in the flavor with a decent malt and hop mix rounding it out. Medium to full body that is sweet up front and bitter in the end. Very nice hybrid.

bottle, courtesy of stefanje. Pours hazy orange with a thick white head that lasts. The aroma is substantially hoppy, with a lot of citrus such as pineapple and grapefruit. There is also a scent of mint and an underlying banana sweetness, with quick hits of cinnamon as well. This beer smells very similar to another hybrid, the New Glarus Imperial Weizen. The taste is a little bit of a let down, starting with a candi sugar sweetness that switches to peach with hints of vanilla. Spice shows up in the middle which then changes to a lingering bitter grapefruit peel finish. The mouthfeel is medium, and the 9 percent alcohol does not make its presence known. This is pretty good, and a successful marriage between two unique styles.

Lemon citrus, banana, and peppery yeast character in the nose with strong floral notes. Hazy deep golden blond body is topped by a generous, foamy, off white head that lasts throughout and sticks to the sides of the glass. Flavour offers a pleasant blend of the yeast character found in the nose along with malt sweetness up front, some floral notes and nutmeg and ginger-like spiciness through the middle with a pronounced bitter finish. Spice and citrus return in the aftertaste to blend well with the lingering bitterness. Alcohol is occasionally perceptible. Dry medium full body with forceful little bubbles that awaken the tongue. Moderate alcohol warming. Very nice. Tulip glass. Just above fridge temperature. Bottle. Brewery Creek. Dec-08.

This was a very interesting brew as my first brush with this style. Pours a lovely yellow with a big carbonated head. Smells of spice, very peppery with a little citrus and the tiniest hop aroma. The hops are more buried in the flavor than I would expect, with the predominant flavor being banana with a tiny bit of orange in the back as well. A little more balance would be nice, but I enjoyed this one.

Bottle. Lets see how this Belgian IPA compares to others, as I have not been too big of a fan of them. Poured a vivid gold color with a nice large head. Aroma was good with a nice balance. Belgian yeast, wheat, banana, spice, pepper and earthy hops. Possibly some citrus. I found the flavor better than most in the style. The flavors blended together a bit better. Yeasty, somewhat sweet malt presence with peppery and earthy spice. Finish is pretty solid. Probably the best of this trippel IPA genre that I have had.

Bomber from Sam-apostrophe-s in Downers Grove, IL. This pours a deep golden body with a big pillowy head and thick lace. The aroma is a sweet pale malt nearly buried by citrusy hop aroma of tart oranges, lemon zest, and yellow grapefruit pulp. The flavor sees the addition of a white pepper spiciness, but it is mainly about the strong citric bitterness that increases as the drinking continues. The finish is bitter and dry. Nice, but a tad more harsh than others that have been done in this style lately.

Pours a slightly hazy pale golden-orange with a thin but lasting head and some minimal lacing. Aroma is fresh hops and fruity sweet cantaloupe. Tastes fantastic - bitter and sweet all at once, sweet mandarin oranges, candied peel and crystalized ginger. Warming pleasant alcohol, creamy and coating body, great carbonation. I cannot fault this beer, a fantastic late-fall treat!

Pours hazy deep gold with copper edges and white head. The aroma is banana and cloves to go along with lemon citrus hop notes. The taste seems smooth, oddly enough, with lemon citrus hops and acidity followed by some Belgian candi sugar and a solid backbone of malty sweetness. Pretty nice stuff.