Green Flash Brewing Company- Le Freak: A Freakin’ Weird, Freakin’ Well Done Beer!

The Scene: Columbus Day. Evening. Two young women are sitting in the living room of a suburban townhome, a bomber of Green Flash Brewing Company’s Le Freak (not to be confused with "Friek") and two goblets between them on a sturdy oak table adjacent to their empty pizza plates. An uneasy feeling settles upon the room as they prepare to open the bottle.

Me: This is gonna be weird. I feel like Columbus about to approach a Native American tribe on an alien shore.

Friend: YOU’RE weird. Why are you being so cryptic?

Let me begin by stating that I firmly believe Columbus Day is a crock of BS. Chris Columbus was an ill-informed, self-aggrandizing asswipe who destroyed the lives of thousands of innocent people, and had NO IDEA where he actually was on the globe. That being said, Le Freak was a suitable beer to review on such an occasion. It’s an awkward, forced union between two beer "cultures": the American Imperial IPA and the Belgian tripel. I was unsure what to expect, but I will report what I found (and in much more accurate, honest terms than Columbus the Douchebag would have). I asked my friend Courtney, who is even greener than I in craft beer knowledge, for her input throughout this tasting. What’s more appropriate on Columbus Day than the totally objective observations of an outsider, after all?

So! The head was about an inch thick, off-white, and had a soapy, foamy texture. The beer itself was quite pretty, a kind of glowy reddish-amber in color and bubbly like champagne. Courtney called the color “caramel apple.” Cute. The aroma was decidedly Belgian, with clear whiffs of banana, clove, sugary candy, and tropical fruit. Not too much on the hop front. My friend thought it smelled like sweet, fruity wine, and I couldn’t disagree; I smelled white grape intermingling with the other aromas. There was a spiciness about it, too, almost white pepper-y. It’s rare that I can actually smell the alcohol in a beer, but that’s the case with Le Freak—the 9.5% ABV was apparent.

The flavor: Green Flash Brewing Company’s Le Freak packs a punch that would knock out the Santa Maria’s sturdiest seamen. It’s one of those beers you taste and involuntarily let slip an “Oh!” after the first sip. The hops were freakin’ sneaky; this beer was way hoppier and bitterer than the nose suggested. Courtney, not having had her taste buds hop-seared like most nerds I know, declared it was “super bitter with a bizarre aftertaste.” This made sense after I realized it had 101 IBUs! There was a brief banana and clove flavor up front before a blast of piney hops, some peppery notes, and dry clove on the way down. Le Freak had an excellent, full, smooth, satisfying mouthfeel as well!

We played around a little, swirling our glasses, sniffing, sipping, and trying to observe any changes as we drank. Courtney, a bit buzzed, threw out “Gobstoppers!” (Err, sort of...) and  “Apple juice!” (Totally!!). It was a lot of fun watching her process what she experienced.

Conclusion: Unlike Chris Columbus, I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated exploring the strange territory that is Green Flash Brewing Co.’s Le Freak. The skill involved in making this beer actually work blows me away. I’m hoping that Courtney (and other friends, coughcough!) will do another tasting with me soon!

ABV: 9.5%

Consumed: Allagash tulip

Verdict: Buy a Case!