Juliet - Goose Island Beer Co.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My birthday treat from Peensteen, and it did not disapoint. Great pink foamy look, great aromas of berries, cherry, raspberry. Large retained head. Well malted, and bretted sour that enticed the palate. Tart, berry, great drinkability.Lovely sour.Cellaring for a few months likely rounded sour edges.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 20:39:51 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.9/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled January 09. Not a gusher. Pinkish orange with generous carbonation and three fingers of fizzy-crackly foam that shrinks to two fingers... then one... then disappears in mere minutes, leaving the glass virtually untouched. The beer itself is an interesting hue, but no head and no lace is difficult to reward.

The nose is wall-to-wall Brettanomyces with an undercurrent of berry-like fruitiness that isn't strong enough to be identified as blackberries. Oak is present. Cabernet, not so much. All in all, a solid aroma if you're a fan of the style.

Juliet is a delicious wild ale that does not pay homage to all of its various ingredients on the palate. In particular, the earthiness of rye malt is absent and blackberres are still not obvious. Having said that, there's a tart and acidic fruitiness akin to gourmet berry or red wine vinegar.

A (very) little bit of malt sweetness keeps this ale from being a total pucker bomb, but it's still much more sour than funky or horse blanket-like. Pilgrim hops do next to nothing in terms of flavor or bitterness, which is as it should be. Time and warming don't help and don't hurt. For what it's worth, neither the next lowest taste score nor the next highest was considered.

The mouthfeel is the only real fly in the ointment (other than the appearance). It's too thin, even when ABV is taken into account, and the bubbles have that 'sharp early and lazy late' feel with which some bottle-conditioned beer is cursed.

Sour fanatics will probably love Juliet. In my view, this is a damn good wild ale that could have been a great wild ale if it toned down the wild yeast just a little and emphasized its other 'ingredients' (rye malt, blackberries and Cabernet-soaked oak) just a little more.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2010 12:31:36 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A huge thanks for getting this one over to me. It had been sitting on my wants forever. Brought over with the rest of the lineup for the xmas night tasting, this one was consumed on 12/25/2009.

The pour was decent. A light pink in color with a huge head of white that came up over the top to a height of around an inch before dropping back down to earth with little in the way of lacing. Aroma was wonderful though. Nice touches of raspberries, hints of light cherry and a touch of sour apples as well. Really quite nice, and very light and refreshing. Smooth and light flavor here as well. Not especially sour, but people need to realize a wild ale does not need to be sour. Anyway. Cherries and Raspberries dominate here, light touches of grape skin, apples and a smooth, and light sugary note to it as well. Light feel and nice prickly carbonation give it an almost champagne like feel, but the drinkability remains very high.

Overall I really enjoyed this. Nice light fruit notes, quick hit of tart flavor and a nice and even profile kept me coming back for more. I would have no problem at all trying this one again.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2009 03:33:48 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.98/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thank you to Jeff for sending me a couple of these way back. Opened one up on the 4th weekend.

I made sure this one was ice cold to avoid gushing and opened it over the sink just in case. No beer lost, but it did foam up quite aggressively.

A: The pour is a cloudy pink-orange color with a very fluffy head that is mostly white but perhaps has a pinkish hue to it.

S: Quite a bit of fruitiness to the nose. Raspberries and strawberries seem to be the most noticeable, along with a hint of lemon and grapes. A fair amount of oak to this one as well.

T: Surprisingly vinous in terms of the flavor. Lots of oak, red grapes, raspberries, and blackberries. The sourness is not as intense as other wilds, but the tartness is nice.

M: The body is medium and the carbonation is very plentiful, perhaps too much so at first. But as the beer calms down from its initial gushing, it is more pleasant.

D: A pretty easy to drink wild ale. Not overly sour, but good fruit character and a nice bit of oak to it. Glad to have another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2010 01:22:09 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

G: Poured into a Duvel tulip glass.

A: Beautiful orange-pink rose color with a frothy, slightly pink head.

S: Mostly sour notes. Tart fruit of cherries and blackberries.

T: Sweet and sour from the outset. Makes you pucker on the first sip, and then mellows more into the fruity, sweet flavors, especially as it warms more toward room temperature.

M: Sour on the tip of the tongue and the sides of the cheeks. Very light and crisp. Moderate to minimal carbonation.

D: Very solid overall. Goose Island is really stepping up its game with the new collection.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2009 03:15:27 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.78/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2009 Vintage. Bottled August 14.

Appearance: Pours a hazed, reddish-pink body with a very tall, rather fizzy, lightly pink head.

Smell: Airy nose of tart-scented berry-based spread, oak-based barrels, and a particularly small spoonful of salty bleu cheese crumbles tucked in back.

Taste: There's a brief, light opening of sweet maltiness. A handful of berries, both ripened and unripened, firmly funky barnyard phenolics, and with a robust, zesty oak wood presence throughout. Though blackberries were used, it all keeps coming up tartish raspberries. Not overtly flavorful, the fruit, though ample for the proceedings. Modesty lactic. Cracklingly acidic. You'll likely pucker. One drop of lemon juice, then a continued subtle fruitiness into the dry, fizzy finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Highly carbonated.

Drinkability: There's freely wild funkiness, there's fruit, and plenty of bubbles. Interesting and enjoyable for a bottle's worth.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2011 17:45:46 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Aug 14 2009 bottling

Appearance: Pours a hazy peach color (with all the hues you would see in a perfectly ripe piece of fruit); while it didn't gush as much as others, the initial pour was all foam and it took the better part of an hour for the beer to settle down; the foam left wavy strands of lace

Smell: Blackberry and brett aromatics, with a delicate balance between the sweet fruit and the barnyard funk

Taste: The initial impression is of sweet berry fruit, with the bretty tartness blossoming by mid-palate; after the swallow, the oaky elements add a dry character to the profile; there is also a vinous element to the finish

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body but overly carbonated

Drinkability: The overcarbonation is a real distraction from this otherwise nicely balanced wild ale; while not the sour bomb that some may be seeking, I rather enjoyed it

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2010 23:02:19 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to leschkie for sharing this one at the post Bruery Reserve Society party bottle share!

2010 vintage.

Pours a murky brown with a tan head that settles to nothing. No lacing on this one. Smell is of sour blackberries, slight vinegar, and some funky aromas. Taste is very much the same with a slightly woody taste that is present as well. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good wild ale with some very nice sour blackberry aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 00:33:17 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of GRM: Poured a cloudy reddish color ale with a nice foamy head with OK retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of sour cherries and raspberries with sour notes, light oak and barnyard. Taste is a nice mix between some lacto, sour cherry and sour notes with light vinous feel and a strong barnyard finish. Body is quite full for style with good carbonation. Very well brewed with nice level of complexity while retaining good drinkability qualities.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 17:10:49 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.08/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Borrowing inspiration from traditional sour ale brewers and blenders of Belgium, America has planted itself as formidable as any when it comes to these sharply acidic ales.

Goose Island hits home with a rouge hued creation with soft peach highlights- looks something akin to red grapefruit juice. The beer builds a creamy white cap that is somewhat fluid and liquified with remarkable lacing power.

A lot of musty fruit and wine character fill the nose with the more tart and acidic attributes of fermented fruit. Tart cherries, green apples, green grapes, white wine vinegar, cider, raspberries, and blackberries- all seem dusted with the must of sandalwood and hard candies.

Flavors are even drier in taste and more acidic than even the nose suggests as the flavor of cherries, berries, apples, and grapes deliver a juicy taste but without the associated sweetness of fruit. Instead, the mild and rounded flavor of dried wood, almond, vanilla, and oak with the vinous character of dry red wines with mild hop bitterness.

Dry, dry, and more dry as the mouth puckering sourness offers a clean and crisp lactic refreshment with only subtle support of dry malt carbonation and almond-like starch. Once the carbonation recedes even before the middle palate, the palate stripping cleansing of acidity shuts the door on the finish. Only an aftertaste of tart fruit exists in a short lived aftertaste.

All that's lacking is the intensity of complementary flavors to accompany the fruit in the same way that Belgian lambics do. In the end, the beer has a more simplified palate as does some like Cantillon and 3 Fontienen.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 19:38:17 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Local Option cervoise.

Figured I'd celebrate my birthday with some bottle, might as well be a shelf sour (check my local's shelf...it's definitely there...). It pours a mostly clear sunrise auburn topped by a half-finger at best of dirty off-white foam. The nose comprises sweet berries, light tart cherry, very light and very mild Brett funk, and a kiss of vanilla. The taste eschews the eminent sweetness of the smell in favor of a few waves of varying degrees of sour: tart berries, sour cherries, tart red wine, a small bit of straight Brett funk, and a bit of white vinegar for the sake of it. Nothing is exceedingly powerful, though, allowing everything to meld together without o'erwhelming the taste buds or peeling the enamel off of the teeth. This is what sour beer brewers should be aiming for, dammit! The body is a light medium, with a moderate carbonation and a sticky finish. Overall, a very nice bit o' sour goodness, one of the premier beers I've yet had from Goose as a whole. Happy birthday to me!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 03:51:15 | More by TMoney2591

drabmuh

Maryland

4.22/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle opened by Paul (Lunch) at a small tasting. Thanks Paul. Beer is amber to ruby red and forms a pink head of small bubbles. Leaves some lacing on the glass. Looks good.

Aroma is GREAT! Lactic with some leather and mild acetic notes to it. Very good.

Beer is thin and moderately acidic. The sourness comes through but its more subtle than the aroma would lead you to believe. Body builds on you and there is some growing tartness in the back. Overall its a good example of a brett beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2010 18:21:27 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.05/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle.

2009 vintage. The beer pours an orange-pink color with a large white head that has a pink tint. The aroma is pretty tart with some blackberry and oak. The flavor is not near as tart as the aroma led me to believe it would be. I get some oak with a hint of blackberries as well as some lemon tartness. The fruit comes out more as the beer warms up. Fizzy carbonation and a medium mouthfeel. The beer is very prickly on the tongue. The beer reminded me a little bit of LeBleu, but that may just be the mouthfeel and carbonation. I wish the carbonation was toned down a bit.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2010 01:33:14 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a clear, burgundy color with a one-finger, fizzy head of off-white foam. It left thin traces of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of blackberries, rye and sour notes.

T - Good sour taste with some sweetness from the blackberries. Some rye and funky brett kicks in later.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry clean finish.

O - This is a really good wild ale. Love the sourness and funkiness.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 02:37:54 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

4.18/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is hazy reddish amber in color and poured with a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface. No carbonation is visible in the form of rising bubbles.
S: Moderate aromas of berries are present in the nose along with some notes of sourness.
T: There is a moderate to strong amount of sourness in the overall taste along with notes of blackberries and oak. The sourness particularly stands out in the finish, which also some hints of spices.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a light amount of carbonation. There is a moderate to strong amount of dryness.
O: The beer isn’t too difficult to drink because although the sourness is strong, it is not overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 04:33:59 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.15/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Jan 2009 Bottle; Sampled November 2009
This pours into my large Tripel Karmeliet tulip with a two-finger thick, pale beige colored head. It is a murky amber hue that shows a honey-like, somewhat clear hue when held up to the light. The aroma is funky, musty and reminds me of an overly ripe, funky farmhouse cheese, perhaps even some moldy toe-jam character as well as a musky, goat-like, huge Brettanomyces funkification; this last being the most dominant aromatic note. Hints of fruit are just noticeable underneath the Brettanomyces onslaught; berry seed like aromatics, musk berry (almost elderberry like), tannic berry skin aromatics; this doesn't have a dominant, clean or bright berry character to it, which is usually what I like to find in a fruit beer. The fruit character evokes thoughts of cherries, some rose and perhaps a touch of Brandy more than it makes me think of raspberries. There are some pepper-like aromatics here, some spicy wood character as well as a touch of toasted oak that is noticeable at times.

My first impression of the flavor is that this has a fizzy carbonation that is mixed with a lightly bracing tartness. This is quite sour and has a carbonic bite to it in the finish as well. This is quite dry feeling, with the finish leaving an oak-flavored, slightly astringent, palate drying character that lingers on the tongue. This couples with a slightly phenolic, musty cotton ball note. The fruitiness is quite dry with a slightly tannic fruit-skin character, some grass-like berry-seed flavors and the tartness evokes hints of sour berry flavors. There is a firm oak character that provides structure to this beer; it is perhaps the most noticeable character here, especially after the palate adjusts to the lactic acidity. The oak boosts the body / palate presence and provides flavors of fresh cut wood -planks as well as a sometimes Bourbon like spiciness. The oak and acid combination make me think of a white wine at times, though there is a touch of berry-fruit flavors here too. Overall this has a medium'ish body to it that is not heavy and even somewhat light, but it has a palate presence that can even be creamy in texture at times.

As the beer warms up the berry notes come out more in the nose; even some jam-like notes become noticeable (a sort of cranberry, cherry and blackberry mixed jam of sorts). My second pour is a bit more murky and the aroma even gets more funkified in its wild farmhouse cheesiness. The funk is here in the flavor, though it is not nearly as noticeable as it is in the aroma; musty, somewhat musky flavors and a butyric bite all contribute to the flavor profile.

This is an interesting, funky beer that is quite enjoyable. The oak can be a bit much at times and despite the complexity, it isn't as well balanced as I would like. This is a very solid offering though, but I definitely prefer Sofie to this beer. The funkiness of the nose is much appreciated by this lover of funky beers though.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2010 16:28:11 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 release acquired from pochman courtesy of BA Secret Santa 2009 so a big “Thank You” goes out to him. Poured from a 22oz bottle into a flute glass.

A: The beer is a bright reddish amber color, with a large white head that fades slowly and leaves a thin on the glass.

S: The aroma contains Belgian yeast, tart berries, light caramelized malts and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out very sour with flavors of grapes and berries plus some potent wild Belgian yeast. There is a thin malt character and a very faint touch of hops as you would expect from this type of beer. I can appreciate the intense sourness and if that’s what you like, then this beer will appeal to you, but to me it seems like any actual taste gets over-powered. The after-taste is tart.

M: Smooth and very crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is dry and slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent kick, good representation of style, it’s a decent beer overall but there are better sour beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 02:26:04 | More by TheManiacalOne

emerge077

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served at 50º in a stemmed Oerbier glass. Batch #1 Jan '09

Deep opaque vermilion, initial pour got a finger or two of sparkly pink-hued foam, but it rapidly subsided. A thin ring and spotty traces of lacing are left behind. With a quick swirl the skim of foam spreads across the surface again. The color is attractive, but head retention is low. Wild horsey traces in the nose, well blended with macerated blackberry tartness, barn stalls, and wet stone.

Juicy blackberry, woody flavor in the back with a moderate mellow tartness. Some buttery oak and fruit lingering again in the aftertaste. A nicely developed flavor profile that should only improve in the bottle as the Brett takes hold further.

A touch more carbonation (a la Sofie) would improve the feel slightly, but that may well develop in time with the wild yeast. I'm struggling to slow down with this, it's very quenching and scratches the wild itch at the same time. Highly accessible, and food friendly. Great stuff!

This was much improved from the tap sample I had last November...

2010 bottle notes:
Much more acetic, lacking the spritzy carbonation of batch 1-2. More fruit flavor, but it sacrifices carbonation. Will age one, jury is still out.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2009 19:34:12 | More by emerge077

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to autumnaldave for this unlabelled 750 mL bottle from Batch 1. A wild rye beer with blackberries? Sign me up.

A: The ale has a reddish maraschino cherry glow. Despite the fuller syrupy red color, it remains translucent. A thin, negligible band of white head lounges around.

S: Blackberries and brett. The dark sugary sweetness stands out against the tart funk. It follows a regimented order every time, blackberries first, then the funk. Oak runs through both elements, a vanilla dose, a nuanced aroma.

T: The fruit has been completely run out of the body, elbowed out by the brett and its insatiable appetite. The brett is funky, citrusy with a lemon pungency, that leaves the ale bone dry. Lemon is a stand-out near the end of each sip, showcasing the brett. The wood presence isn't as firm as in the nose, getting lost behind the brettanomyces, as everything seemingly does in this ale. Funny, larger sips, whole mouthfuls even, reveal more of the wood and even some blackberry. Lost in the smaller doses, they linger around the big picture. Blackberry even hangs around in the finish, a lightly sugared sweetness.

Prior to the finish, a wall of tart funk, more than just brett too. The only drawback is that I can't find any rye. It's been enveloped by the brett and the barrel and the fruit. I initially wrote down 3.5 for taste but the complexity has grown on me so I'll go with a 4.0.

M: The mouthfeel can't avoid the bretty and funky tartness. It takes some time and patience before the blackberry and oak come through. The dry finish reminds me of a red wine.

D: The alcohol is moderate and never gets in the way. The acidic funk gets a little filling at times, but that is a minor issue. It can be both delicate and forceful.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2010 20:08:41 | More by akorsak

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a fully clouded red hued brown. Nose is just funky sour goodness. Flavor brings the same. Lots of sour. Lots of funk. Tart fruits on top of vinegar. Yes friends. This is an American Wild Ale. Feel is typical. That thicker liquid with a lower and slightly biting carbonation. Mmmmm. My favorite style. I love it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2008 19:58:11 | More by RblWthACoz

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in a chalice) bottled Aug14
A- This beer pours a cranberry red body with a slight hazy and a sea of microbubbles boiling at the surface. There is a thick wispy head with tiny berry specks suspended in it.
S- This beer has a dry tartness wit a grapefruit rind note and a plastic note that grows in the finish. The finish has a white wine note that grows with a hint of clorine.
T- This beer has a big tartness with some berry qualities and a soft brett note. There is a bitter bite in the finish that has some grapefruit rind qualities with a dry berry hint and a concord grape note.
M- This beer has a light mouthfeel with a soft astringency and a fizz bite in the finish.
D- This beer has a big tartness and a big grapefruit bite but not much else. I don't know if age will help but the brett notes are pretty soft in the background.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2010 22:12:36 | More by rhoadsrage

mdfb79

New York

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From 07/29/11 notes. Received in the Gang Bang BIF courtesy of the Chicago group; thanks guys! Poured into a SAVOR snifter. Bottle #1154 bottled on 12/11/10.

a - Pours a hazy reddish pink color with one inch of white head and light carbonation evident.

s - Smells of tart cherries and raspberries, lots of brett, and red wine. Very sour and funky, I really love the nose.

t - Taste of tart raspberries and dark fruits, brett, acedic notes, light spice, oak, and red wine. Again, loads of sour dark fruits and brett; really great.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation.

o - Overall a really great wild ale. I think I liked this one better than Lolita; really looking forward to Madame Rose. Lots of funky brett and sour raspberries; would highly recommend and would like to have again.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 01:32:45 | More by mdfb79

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle, big thanks to Lexx for a bottle, and I believe autumnaldave hooked me up too.

Pours a lightly hazed reddish orange, neat fruit juice colour, medium sized big bubbled off white head forms, settles to a thick ring around the glass and layer, small bubbles rise up from the bottom of the glass.

Smell is neat, very acidic and funky, blackberries, strawberries, cherry candies, a bit of orange and pineapple, wood, vanilla, caramel, some sugary sweetness, assorted fruit juice, some barnyardy funk and sourness.

Taste is neat, very tart, acidic, some vinegar, lambic like, some wheat and sugar in the middle, lots of berry character, blackberries, wild cherries, strawberries, wood, vanilla, caramel, oranges, a bit of charred wood and big tartness in the finish, like unripe berries.

Mouthfeel is light bodied with high carbonation, very tart and dry in the finish, pretty neat stuff.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2009 23:34:19 | More by Viggo

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.63/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Last beer of the evening (at least for me) at Dyan's the other night.

The beer pours a hazy rose color with good head retention and lacing. Nose is pretty unusual, with a blend of raspberry and sour funk. The funk and sour aren't too overwhelming, and like the flavors on the palate, this is not an intensely aromatic beer. Flavors replicate the nose, but seem just a bit muddled. It comes across as pretty much a dumbed down sour, a beer where the sour dominates but there just isn't all that much flavor. Mouthfeel is fairly light, and the beer is a bit short on the finish. Drinkability is fair in this simple, one dimensionable sour beer from Goose Island.

I guess it's not bad for a first effort, but can't say I was overwhelmingly impressed.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2009 22:27:57 | More by johnmichaelsen

HopHead84

California

4.47/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Torry for this one. The beer is ruby tinted orange with a small, off white head. As Goose Island says, rose is an accurate description of the color.

The initial aroma is of Brett. Musty barnyard with a bit of horse blanket and some oak. Tannins, vinegar, and blackberries are evident. There are some earthiness and wine notes.

The beer is sweet and slightly tart with some wood and tannins. The tart blackberries add a unique spin to the beer, and cabernet notes are apparent. The beer has a low level of tartness to it, with an interesting buttery character in the finish.

The beer is light bodied with low carbonation and a sticky mouthfeel.

A really enjoyable sour from Goose Island. The first I've had from them.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2009 09:48:00 | More by HopHead84