Green Flash Grand Cru (Grand Mantis)

Golden-brown colour. Dark fruits and olives on the nose with raisins, dark sugars and bubblegum. Thick, sweet sugar taste with light raisin and fruit. Typical oversweet American Belgian attempt..I will never like this type of unbalanced beer.

From tap at the brewery. Pours sliht hazy black to brown with a lacing tan head. Spiced and roasted malt aroma. Smooth roasted malt and light hoppy base flavour. Light liqourice and fruity yeasty belgian base flavour. Smooth yeasty and slight roasted malty finish.

Draught Yellow head, small, over dark brown beer with amber highlights. (Too) sharp-spicy nose, and the famous 4-vinyl guaiacol: bubblegum, cloves; treated wood, more fruity esters. Not very Belgian, BTW. Medium to well-bodied; very slick-oily, rather than full bodied. Sorry guys, to me this is more a Dunkel Weizenbock, than something powerful Belgian.

Draught, Boulder Strong Ale Fest 2008. Head is mostly lasting. Body is medium brown. Aroma is moderately malty (cookie, caramel, popcorn), with notes of diacetyl, apple, alcohol. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Medium to full body, syrupy texture, lively carbonation, moderately alcoholic. Typical American slant on a Belgian strong...sweet and thick without much finesse. Not very enjoyable.

Tap at Blind Tiger. Dark brown appearance, thin tan head. Aroma is quite earthy and licorice-like. Dark and toasty with some dark crystal malt and light fruitiness. A little bit of dried prunes and plumminess as well. Fairly sticky and sweet initially. Kind of English-tasting to me. As it warms it gets a little bit vineous and lightly oaky. It’s kind of unusual... sort of Old Ale meets Belgian.