Apr 4, 2017

Green Flash Blanc Tarte Barrique

The wife was down in the Norfolk area earlier this year visiting with long-time friends. Whenever the boss lady is out and about with friends or family, she keeps an eye open for local brews that I may be interested in sampling. This time around, she returned home with a couple of bottles from the fairly recently opened East Coast location of Green Flash Brewing. Blanc Tarte Barrique was part of that care package and is from the company’s Cellar 3 series of barrel-aged beers.

This isn’t the first beer from this limited line of beer from the brewery that I’ve encountered — their Natura Morta Plum was an outstanding introduction to the Cellar 3 program. Blanc Tarte Barrique is a 4.5% ABV wild ale fermented with Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus before barrel-aging in red and white wine barrels. The blended final beer results in an array of aromas and flavors that encompass floral notes, herbal flavors, old vine grapes, a solid funk and a brief, but assertive sour tartness.

Green Flash refers to this beer as funky twist on a Belgian-style lambic, but I only partially agree. Yeah, it’s funky and tart, but there’s an array of flavors here (those flowery and herbal notes) that make it something else completely. It’s also like a two-stage yeast attack — Brettanomyces attacks first while the Lactobacillus finishes you off late in each sip. It’s always interesting to see a brewery stretch out in their brewing activities, and Blanc Taste Barrique is a tasty and unique beer, but I think I still prefer the company’s hoppy products.