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Cellar 3: Oculus Sauvage With Black Currants
Green Flash Brewing Co.
- From:
- Green Flash Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Belgian IPA
- ABV:
- 10.7%
- Score:
- 92
- Avg:
- 4.2 | pDev: 7.14%
- Reviews:
- 7
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 30, 2022
- Added:
- Oct 08, 2015
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 5
The base beer for Green Flash Oculus Sauvage is a Belgian-style IPA/tripel hybrid, aged in red wine barrels for 21 months with Brettanomyces.
Highly nuanced, the resinous hops characteristics are refined by barrel-drawn notes of vanilla and French oak tannins. Wild yeast imparts a barnyard funk with hints of apple orchard that linger in the finish.
Highly nuanced, the resinous hops characteristics are refined by barrel-drawn notes of vanilla and French oak tannins. Wild yeast imparts a barnyard funk with hints of apple orchard that linger in the finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by TurboMon_911 from New Jersey
4.33/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.33/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from 2016 batch 01 750ml bomber (bottled Aug 20,2016), into a tulip glass @ 52degrees. Pinkish/purple color with slight head and minimal lacing. The nose is malty/yeasty with hints of bitterness from the hops. Mouth is pleasantly funky with a slightly dry hoppy finish, medium light in body with sweetness apparent form black currant adjunct. A delightful brew that I wish was still available. Had saved this for several years in hopes that it would improve with age, was not disappointed.
Apr 30, 2022Reviewed by ghostfacekilla69 from Virginia
4.02/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
2016 750ml bottle consumed on aug 20 -
beautiful purplish pour; nose of vanilla, sourness, funk, and a little bit of harsh alcohol; mellow sip with a bit of currant fruitiness and sourness - funk at the end - very mild and pleasant; great feel with medium-light body and moderate tiny bubbled carb; overall a good beer years on. very mellow and blended.
Aug 08, 2020beautiful purplish pour; nose of vanilla, sourness, funk, and a little bit of harsh alcohol; mellow sip with a bit of currant fruitiness and sourness - funk at the end - very mild and pleasant; great feel with medium-light body and moderate tiny bubbled carb; overall a good beer years on. very mellow and blended.
Reviewed by Wasatch from Colorado
4.43/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
750ml
Caged/Corked
2016 Batch 01
Brewed In: June 2015
Bottled On: August 20, 2016
Bottled Conditioned
Aged 21 Months
ABV: 9.4%
Poured into a tulip a pretty nice dark red/purpleish color, pretty nice carbonation, with a quick/fizzy pinkish/white head, which leaves minimal sticky lacing behind. The nose is very nice, malty, yeasty, with some hops, red wine, funky, tart, nice oakyness, slight black currants, slight citrus. The taste is pretty nice, malty, yeasty, nice little hop note, really nice touch of oak/red wine, slight black currants/citrus, nice funkyness, tart. Medium body, ABV is hidden very very well, a nice complexity with this brew, nice little dry/bitter finish. Overall very tasty brew, nice little take on the style.
Jun 18, 2017Caged/Corked
2016 Batch 01
Brewed In: June 2015
Bottled On: August 20, 2016
Bottled Conditioned
Aged 21 Months
ABV: 9.4%
Poured into a tulip a pretty nice dark red/purpleish color, pretty nice carbonation, with a quick/fizzy pinkish/white head, which leaves minimal sticky lacing behind. The nose is very nice, malty, yeasty, with some hops, red wine, funky, tart, nice oakyness, slight black currants, slight citrus. The taste is pretty nice, malty, yeasty, nice little hop note, really nice touch of oak/red wine, slight black currants/citrus, nice funkyness, tart. Medium body, ABV is hidden very very well, a nice complexity with this brew, nice little dry/bitter finish. Overall very tasty brew, nice little take on the style.
Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina
4.35/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: The liquid pours out the color of an older red wine, purple with tawny edges; the mauve head hangs around for a minute or so and then fades to a ringlet, leaving a few spots of foam clinging
Smell: Tart black currant with heavy oak tones; rather funky from the Brett
Taste: Tart black currant tones, up front, with Bretty funk taking over the minute; bitterness from the hops arrives, after the swallow; with subtle oak tones and a vinous, but sour, character bringing up the rear; a hint of vanilla can be detected in the finish, too
Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low to moderate carbonation
Overall: I prefer my Belgian style beers to have a livelier mouthfeel but everything else about this beer is extraordinary
May 15, 2017Smell: Tart black currant with heavy oak tones; rather funky from the Brett
Taste: Tart black currant tones, up front, with Bretty funk taking over the minute; bitterness from the hops arrives, after the swallow; with subtle oak tones and a vinous, but sour, character bringing up the rear; a hint of vanilla can be detected in the finish, too
Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low to moderate carbonation
Overall: I prefer my Belgian style beers to have a livelier mouthfeel but everything else about this beer is extraordinary
Reviewed by SomethingClever from Ohio
4.22/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12 oz pour on tap poured into snifter
A: deep rich black ruby red light small reddish hued head very small
S: cherries deep sour cherries and wine oak barrel and vinegar
T: rich cherries and slightly acidic wine tasting oak barrels very light sourness.
M: medium bodied a little bit of a carbonation bite oak barrel
O: A pretty easy drinking sour that isn't overly sour but is well balanced with lots of cherry flavor.
Mar 05, 2017A: deep rich black ruby red light small reddish hued head very small
S: cherries deep sour cherries and wine oak barrel and vinegar
T: rich cherries and slightly acidic wine tasting oak barrels very light sourness.
M: medium bodied a little bit of a carbonation bite oak barrel
O: A pretty easy drinking sour that isn't overly sour but is well balanced with lots of cherry flavor.
Reviewed by clayrock81 from Florida
4/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a purple body with minimal head. The woody, vinous aspect dominates aroma with only hint of sour notes in aroma. Smooth body with a sour bitterness that is mild with black cherry feel and clean finish and even touch of sweetness.
Feb 23, 2017Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts
4.26/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.26/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
If pours a deep ruby color. Good head but it settles quickly to rim bubbles. Nearly nothing for lace. I count for very small spots.
The smell is rich with the black current (Cassis) smell. Very close to the Belgian versions of this style smell wise.
The initial taste is soured fruit. Chewy body with muted carbonation. Blindfolded, I doubt I could tell the difference from any of Cassis brews from Belgium. I find this to be a radiant version of the style without any American "adjustments". Tart with a black cherry flavor. Long lip puckering aftertaste.
Simply put, this is the best American styled Belgian Lambic I've had.
Jan 14, 2017The smell is rich with the black current (Cassis) smell. Very close to the Belgian versions of this style smell wise.
The initial taste is soured fruit. Chewy body with muted carbonation. Blindfolded, I doubt I could tell the difference from any of Cassis brews from Belgium. I find this to be a radiant version of the style without any American "adjustments". Tart with a black cherry flavor. Long lip puckering aftertaste.
Simply put, this is the best American styled Belgian Lambic I've had.
Cellar 3: Oculus Sauvage With Black Currants from Green Flash Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
92 out of
100 with
28 ratings
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