Flash Fucking Beer

The portrait

Flash Fucking Beer embodies the uninhibited and direct spirit of La Nébuleuse. Its unfiltered and provocative name immediately sets the tone: this beer isn't trying to please everyone, but to make a lasting impression. Beneath its bad-boy exterior, however, lies a perfectly crafted, balanced, and approachable Session IPA.

With its 5% alcohol content, Flash Fucking Beer falls into the session beer category—beers designed to be enjoyed over time without overwhelming the palate or producing a strong alcoholic effect. Its bitterness level of 40 IBUs places it in a middle range: hoppy enough to assert its IPA character, but moderate enough to remain refreshing and easy to drink.

The organoleptic profile reveals the typical characteristics of a Session IPA: pronounced hop aromas with notes of citrus and tropical fruit, a clean but balanced bitterness, and a relatively light body that gives way to a refreshing finish. Lively carbonation contributes to its refreshing character, making it an ideal beer for sessions with friends or long summer evenings.

History & Innovation

Flash Fucking Beer follows in La Nébuleuse's tradition of creating quirky and memorable beer names. Founded in 2014 by three passionate childhood friends, the brewery has never hesitated to break the mold, both in its creations and its communication.

This provocative name reflects the brewery's mindset: direct, straightforward, and resolutely focused on the pleasure of tasting rather than conformity. At a time when the craft beer market is becoming more structured and professional, La Nébuleuse asserts its freedom of expression and its rejection of political correctness.

The Session IPA style presents an interesting technical challenge: maintaining the typical hoppy character of IPAs while reducing the alcohol content requires meticulous work on the recipe. It's necessary to balance the bitterness with a lighter body, avoid the vegetal or herbaceous notes that can appear with heavy hopping on a reduced malt base, and preserve the fruity aromas that give the style its charm.

This beer was mainly served on tap in June 2018, notably at Superbières in Paris, where it appealed to hop lovers in search of freshness.

Food and beer pairings

Flash Fucking Beer, with its hoppy, fruity profile and balanced bitterness, pairs naturally with a wide variety of dishes:

Aperitif and tapas : This Session IPA excels as an aperitif. It pairs wonderfully with olives, hummus, guacamole, vegetable chips, roasted peanuts, or a platter of fresh cheeses (goat cheese, mozzarella, burrata).

Asian cuisine : Spicy Asian dishes find an ideal partner in this beer. Pad Thai, fish tacos, mild chicken tikka masala, or Vietnamese spring rolls benefit from the refreshing bitterness that balances the spices.

Grilling and BBQ : Grilled meats, especially roast chicken, kebabs, or gourmet burgers, pair perfectly with the hoppy character of this Session IPA. The beer's citrus notes create an interesting contrast with the smoky flavors.

Fish and seafood : Fish and chips, grilled prawns, ceviche, or salmon tartare find in this beer a complementary freshness that respects the delicacy of marine flavors.

Pizza and Italian cuisine : A vegetarian pizza or a margherita, pasta carbonara, or an asparagus risotto create harmonious pairings where the malty notes of the beer interact with the cereals of the dough.

Cheeses : Soft cheeses (Brie, Camembert), goat cheeses, or even some blue cheeses (Roquefort, Gorgonzola) for the more adventurous, find an interesting counterpoint in the bitterness of this IPA.

The final word

Flash Fucking Beer remains a memorable creation, perfectly embodying La Nébuleuse's DNA: uninhibited, unapologetic, and devilishly effective. Although this beer is no longer part of their regular lineup, it serves as a reminder that behind every provocative name often lies genuine technical mastery.

For those lucky enough to have tasted it during the 2018 Parisian sessions, it evokes those moments when craft beer rhymes with authenticity, conviviality, and a rejection of conventions. A legacy of audacity and outspokenness that continues to inspire the brewery in its current creations.

Cheers! 🍻

The recipe