Beer of the Weekend #375: Rayon Vert
It has been a long time since I wrote a LV recommendation (probably since May), but I am now on the hook for a September suggestion. Frankly, I have no clue what to recommend. Besides märzen, obviously, a good pairing for the month would be saison. I am not a big fan of saison and would like to recommend something with a lot more flavor complexity and a lot less funkiness. However, my palate is definitely not authoritative so I may recommend saison for the hell of it. Regardless, I picked up a few non-saison possibilities at John’s earlier.
The very late brown bottle lunch today is Rayon Vert, brewed by the Green Flash Brewing Company of San Diego, California.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Poured into a tulip. The color is rusty caramel. Tons o’ dense, eggshell-colored head developed and dissipated very slowly, leaving the inside of the glass lined with trails of foam.
Smell: My first whiff was a load of funky fresh Brett, which tends to dominate. Underneath are musty farmhouse basement, hoppy citrus (a little grapefruit and orange), pine spice, perhaps a little caramel, and a nice fruit complexity with scents of apple and pear. It also has a hint of raisins.
Taste: The mouthfeel is smooth and dry. The funkiness from the smell is toned down a couple notches but the Brett is still noticeable. The pale ale qualities — the citrus, pine, and caramel — are given room to shine. The Brett and caramel begin to balance as the beer warms and the fruits emerge. Each sip leaves the tongue tingling with a lasting bitterness.
Drinkability: This is a very nice brew. I do not have much experience with Belgian pale ales but I really enjoyed this beer’s hybrid qualities.
Fun facts about Rayon Vert:
-Style: Belgian Pale Ale.
-Price: $3.49/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 7 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends Thai cuisine, tangy cheeses, salad, and fish.
-IBU: 32.
-“Rayon Vert” is French for “Green Flash.”
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
The very late brown bottle lunch today is Rayon Vert, brewed by the Green Flash Brewing Company of San Diego, California.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Poured into a tulip. The color is rusty caramel. Tons o’ dense, eggshell-colored head developed and dissipated very slowly, leaving the inside of the glass lined with trails of foam.
Smell: My first whiff was a load of funky fresh Brett, which tends to dominate. Underneath are musty farmhouse basement, hoppy citrus (a little grapefruit and orange), pine spice, perhaps a little caramel, and a nice fruit complexity with scents of apple and pear. It also has a hint of raisins.
Taste: The mouthfeel is smooth and dry. The funkiness from the smell is toned down a couple notches but the Brett is still noticeable. The pale ale qualities — the citrus, pine, and caramel — are given room to shine. The Brett and caramel begin to balance as the beer warms and the fruits emerge. Each sip leaves the tongue tingling with a lasting bitterness.
Drinkability: This is a very nice brew. I do not have much experience with Belgian pale ales but I really enjoyed this beer’s hybrid qualities.
Fun facts about Rayon Vert:
-Style: Belgian Pale Ale.
-Price: $3.49/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 7 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: BA recommends Thai cuisine, tangy cheeses, salad, and fish.
-IBU: 32.
-“Rayon Vert” is French for “Green Flash.”
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+.
