Green Flash Stout (Double Stout)

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

Poured deep deep brown, almost black, completely opaque, with a nice tan head that took a good long time to settle to a nice thin film. Excellent lacing that looked like tears dripping down the sides. Espresso aromas were strongest with plenty of chocolate powder and hints of vanilla, orange, and butter. Flavors were pretty much the same, highlighted by roasted maltiness that came through as a bold coffee taste. Buttery smoothness like you would expect from a fine wine, no carbonation to speak of, and a wonderful chocolate aftertaste. This is excellent - a real pleasure.

THOUGHTS: I was originally going to say that it was a nice beer, but not a great imperial stout and that I wasn’t sure if they intended it to be considered an impy stout, but I see know that its style has been changed to a plain stout; so now I can say that it was a great stout. I did rate it as a stout, because something just didn’t seem right about calling this an impy. When it warmed it did get a little more impy-like, but I’m glad to see the style change has been noted. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark brown that was a nearly opaque black in the glass with hints of red highlights at the edges and a small, tan to light brown head that mostly diminished and left fair lacing. The aroma was moderate to heavy chocolate, coffee, and cocoa, that was slightly artificial, and dark fruit. The initial flavor was rather sweet, lightly acidic and slightly bitter; while the finish was sweet and moderately bitter with an average to long duration. There was chocolate syrup, dark fruit, bitter coffee, a little hops (but just enough to balance things out), dark chocolate and hot cocoa. Very mocha-like, but a little metallic and artificial in the finish. The full body was a little oily, but really fairly creamy and also a little sticky on the lips with fizzy carbonation and a lightly astringent and slightly metallic finish.

Bottle. Pours a black color with a samll tan head. Has a roasted malty chocolate aroma with some hints of coffee. Roasted malty chocolate flavor with some hints of coffee. Has a roasted malty dark chocolate finish.

Bomber. Big, frothy brown head, mostly lasting. Body is opaque black. Malts dominate the aroma of roasted, molassis, dark chocolate and smoke. Hint of resin ad alcohol. The flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly acidic and lightly bitter. It finishes moderately sweet, lightly acidic and moderately bitter. Medium to full body, velvety texture, lively carbonation. Great balance between sweet and bitter, though the sweet malts are dominant. Slight metalic taste in the finish, but overall a rich flavor and mouthfeel. Warming alcohol is subdued enough not to turn boozy. Excellent beer.

Pours a dark black with a tam frothy head. moderate lacing. roasted flaors in the nose. First sip is strong with dark choclate and roasted coffee. Also a bit of carmel. really great low hop finish. Nice beer.

22 oz bottle. Black with a thick creamy mocha head. Aroma is roasted malt, chocolate, whiskey and a bit of coffee. Flavor is very well rounded with a good touch of roasted malt, chocolate, a bit of vanilla, whiskey, and alcohol. Full body. A good find.

Bottle @ Goodbar Beer Club. Black, thin tan head. Nose is roasty malt, milk chocolate, burnt sugar, burnt fruits, chalk. Flavor is roasty, some burnt rich plum sauce, toffee, burnt sugars. Solid hop bitterness. A kind of mintiness comes out at the end.

dark brown color, tan head, lacy. nose of chocolate, roasty malt, dried fruit, hops. roasty malt and chocolate in the flavor. medium bodied, smooth malty finish. pretty good beer, well hidden alcohol. sampled @ family liquors in homewood.