Matilda - Goose Island Beer Co.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Like a saison, extremely horse though recent brew. Some spice, cinammon, nutmeg, not much, pale colour nice amount of head, and foam at the bottom. Nice drinking, but you have to get by the smell. Do you think skunked in short time? Peppery, medium mouthfeel.
I had this again 5.3 years later and it was much beter in the aroma department(yeasty and normal) so upgraded it,

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2005 17:09:39 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Particulate-riddled ripe apricot with a (nearly) Belgianesque amount of carbonation hurrying up to a (nearly) Belgianesque head of sticky foam that is somewhere between ivory and beige in color. Assorted squiggles of sudsy lace find their way to the glass as the head begins its lazy descent. A good start.

I think I remember that Matilda is supposed to be similar to Orval. I can definitely smell the resemblance, although it's been so long since I had that other beer that it's hard to say for sure. The nose is barnyard funky and impressively phenolic, scents that didn't used to appeal to me, but now do. It's softened (and improved) by a Juicyfruit quality that adds even more interest. Even those who might not care for the aroma have to admit that it's authentic.

The flavor is the nose in liquid form. If my memory is any good at all, Matilda tastes remarkably similar to Orval with a few key differences. First of all, it's pale malty and sweet rather than bone dry and crisp. Second, it's a wee bit less funkyphenolic. Third, it's less chaotically carbonated. Not bad (and I didn't even go back and read my Orval review).

Whether my tastes have changed or whether the above changes are more in line with my preferences (probably a little bit of both), I like Matilda more because it isn't as much of an extreme, polarizing, take-it-or-leave-it kind of beer. Goose Island had to pick just the right yeast strain to pull this off. Credit must be paid where credit is due.

German hops (I'm guessing) contribute a fair amount of bitterness and spicy, grassy flavor. I wish that I had cracked this bottle open when it was fresh, rather than just past its first birthday, so I could have experienced even more of a hoppy rush. I won't make the same mistake next time. And there will definitely be a next time if the opportunity presents itself.

Although far from the light and effervescent mouthfeel that my memory wants to attribute to Orval, Matilda feels just fine in the mouth for one who loves Belgian beer, but still enjoys the more full, less bubbled beers of this country. Not quite authentic, but still praiseworthy.

Matilda is yet another good beer in GI's 'Reserve' line. As far as those offerings that fancy themselves Belgianesque, it's superior to Demolition 1800, but falls short of the superb Pere Jacques. Goose Island should be proud of the fact that they're among the handful of U.S. breweries who are able to give the Belgian masters a run for their money.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2006 15:38:15 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up this lovely bottle when I was in Ohio a few months back. It is a very nice twelve-ounce bottle in Hyde Park liquors on the first day I was there. Vintage bottling from July of 2005. I have stored this away in the cellar for the last couple of months and decided to bring it out last night. Served at 50 degrees and poured into a Rodenbach chalice, I was ready and waiting for this one.

Appearance - As soon as I popped the cap on this one it came screaming out of the bubble, with suds and bubbles fizzing all over the place. Huge amount of carbonation here which was quite shocking, and this was obviously bottled conditioned. Once I was able to get it calmed down, I proceeded to pour it into the glass, which took several attempts before I was able to get the entire thing inside. Once this was accomplished, a lovely light orange hue took shape. Very nice and bright colors here. There was a very cloudy and hazy consistency here. Loads of sedimentation floating throughout and on the bottom, and on the top of the head. Lots of yeast present here for Sure. Good amount of carbonation could be seen streaming up from the bottom of the glass throughout the session. There was an enormous head of off white colored foam that really had no height limit as it poured over the top of the glass. It really never did settle down as there was still a good bit of it left even when the glass was empty leaving small pillow like deposits of foam all over the inside of the glass and dripping down the sides. Very big look to this one here.

Smell - The aroma was also very big here, and I was really starting to get excited for the prospects on this one. The first notes I picked up from the aroma were some nice funky notes of yeast. Lots of sour, almost Brett like notes coming through on this, I am sure the aging had something to do with that. Once you could move past this there was a nice touch of banana that started to come through, mixed in with a decent amount of spice and an almost lemon like hoppiness that was really brightening it up nicely. Some light grains and a touch of alcohol present as well. Very nicely rounded here, and the sour notes were a bit of a surprise to me as I was not expecting that.

Taste - The flavor was a touch of a letdown for me. I was expecting a very big flavor assault here based on the look and the smell, but the flavor at least to me seemed to come off somewhat muted and not as full as it could have been.. It was still rather nice though I have to admit. There sour notes were pretty downplayed and muted in the taste, but the funk was definitely still present. A nice touch of alcohol greeted me as I sipped this one, not harsh at all, but just a little bit showing up. A very big grain flavor then came through for me, but was very short-lived, getting rolled out and smothered but a nice light fruit flavor. Hints of peach and apple then taking over nicely, though nothing really extreme about any of the flavors. A good touch of grassy like earthen notes rolling through now and mingling with the funky yeast presence. Another hint of banana coming through in the finish, but that was squashed out and nice long lingering sour flavor was what capped it off and left you waiting to come back for another taste.

Mouthfeel - The feel on this on was remarkably smooth. In the beginning, there was soo much carbonation that it really was overblown when it first poured. After a few minutes, though this really started to fade and it blended out very well. There was a really nice touch of smoothness to this and a bit of a chewy grain consistency as well. Very well done.

Drinkability - This actually turned out to be a markedly sessionable ale. Really coming through and delivering on the flavor without being overblown, and offering a touch of alcohol, but nothing really to extreme here. A really fine little Belgian ale that really was just what I needed at that moment in time.

Overall, this was not bad, and sure, I have had better but not to distract from this at all. There was a little something special about this one, especially given the very nice overall contribution from the funky little yeasties who were making their presence felt. Overall, a really solid call, and I would not turn this one down.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2008 13:29:12 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.63/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The pour is an opaque copper color with a fluffy off-white head that settles down to a thin layer.

S: Sweet candi sugar (a theme with Goose Island's Belgian styles), caramel, and bread in the grain/sugar department. Some subtle, but at the same time obviously present, spices. I seem to get some nutmeg and allspice, as well as some slightly grassy hops.

T: The spices are more noticeable on the front end of the palate than they were in the nose. Bready malts and some definite sugar notes, but not exactly cloying. A light caramel note and some hints of strawberry and sweet citrus.

M: The body is medium with a somewhat low carbonation for a Belgian style beer, but not dangerously so.

D: I was hoping for a bit more from this beer. It was good, certainly, but for a beer that is talked about so much, I found it to be a bit uninteresting.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2010 17:31:00 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on 11.21.2008. Consumed on 01.21.2010.

Pours a pale, slightly hazy orange color with a good bit of lacing as it goes down, but the initial head wasn't too tall, especially for the style. The aroma is of slight Belgian yeast in addition to some sweet, and partially caramelized, malt. Touch of Brett in the background.

Taste is similar with the malt coming out a bit more and the yeast moving to the background. Nice earthy background tones. Light-medium body and nice carbonation. Quite good.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2010 00:28:13 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle - $3.49 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Bottled On: 08/17/12.

Appearance: Pours a clear, darkened gold body with a medium-small, white head.

Smell: Moderate maltiness with a very light toastiness and thin caramel edge. Vibrant melange of fruitiness, particularly as it warms, as with the taste, sometimes it's a note of pear, apple, sultana, citrus, even kiwi.

Taste: Sweet, sugary barley with a touch of treacle. Hint of tropical fruitiness (just a hint, mind you), but also a little golden raisin and apple. Lightly spicy yeastwise, leafy, maybe even a trace of gum in there. Lightly bitter. Some warmth from the alcohol. Sweetish, soft finish with a bit of spice lingering into the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: Matilda is a fairly enjoyable, fruity Belgian-esque ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 23:05:55 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2007 bottling

Appearance: Pours a cloudy amber color with a modest head that doesn't hang around long and fades to a ringlet with very little lacing

Smell: Yeasty phenols, with elements of pear, JuicyFruit and crisp apples

Taste: Honey and Juicy Fruit opening, with a quick nod toward some bitter, grassy hops through mid-palate; after the swallow, the bitter flavors persist and balance out the sweeter fruit elements

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low carbonation

Drinkability: I don't appear to have had as highly a carbonated a bottle as others have reported and I think the lack of carbonation was a drawback; otherwise a decent, not great, BSPA

2008 bottling, courtesy of iasanlee, tasted on 8/13/09, with much the same commentary

2009 bottling, also courtesy of iasanlee, tasted on 8/13/09, the first time tasted without a year of aging....a bit better head retention; a lot more tartness in the nose and taste (virtually none of the sweet Juicy Fruit aspect); more prickly carbonation...I think I prefer the beer with a bit of age, to be frank

2011 bottling, (bottled 12/22/11; tasted on 3/17/12)....better head retention and lacing (bumped the appearance up .5); not only is the Juicy Fruit back, but there is a basket of strawberries in the aroma, as well; very fruity, with a more refined tartness (bumped up the taste by .5); better carbonation (also bumped up the mouthfeel .5)...this is a really nice beer

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2008 03:06:01 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a hazy copper orange color with a 1 inch head that fades to a 1/2 inch cap. Good lacing on this beer.

S - Smells of tart fruits (pineapple/green apple) and biscuit.

T - Grainy biscuit, tart fruits, and a very mild bittering finish.

M - Good carbonation with a creamy finish.

D - Very good beer. I will pick this one up again.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2010 04:59:26 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle courtesy of Hogtownharry: Poured a medium brown color beer with a nice big foamy head with good retention. Aroma of sweet cookie dough with some yeast characteristic. Taste is somewhat dominated by the sweet cookie dough, some yeast and some dry fruits. Body is a bit thin and carbonation is just perfect. Overall, I wasn’t expecting this to be such good Belgian ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2006 13:37:56 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another great beer in the line of Goose Island's Big Beers. Good aromas of belgian candy and barley malts. Transfers to flavors along with over ripe fruits: oranges, plumbs, and berries. Has some slight hop bitterness and flavor. Spicy corriander, cloves, pepper, and allspice. Some organic, sour, or earthy flavors ride underneath other flavors, these resemble the Bier de Garde style. Its a good beer, but the flavors need a while to come together.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2005 01:53:41 | More by BEERchitect

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Matilda pours a hazy golden-orange body beneath a creamy head of ivory froth that holds quite well and leaves some very nice lace about the glass. In the mouth it gently bristles before warming to become lightly creamy. The nose is fruity with a suggestion of tartness (think Brettanomcyes); malty and a bit candyish; a touch musty; and subtly spicy.... all of which carry over in the flavor with the addition of some welcome hops! It finishes drying with some residual sticky malt, but it's solid, underlying bitterness wins out in the end and leaves you ready for another sip. Well done!

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2005 20:43:31 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a tulip glass at ChurchKey.

I'd love to know the origin of this beer's name. It pours a clear amber topped by a half-finger of white foam. The nose comprises sour grapes, caramel, citrus hops, and some sour peach. The taste holds notes of wheat, Belgian yeasty earthiness, clove, spice (you know, that lovely Belgian olio), and citrus zest. The body is a hefty light, with a high-moderate carbonation and a sticky, champagne-like feel. Overall, a solid offering, but probably a bit overrated. Still definitely worth a seek, though.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2010 01:27:39 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Hazed orange/amber hue, ample creamy fuzz above...

Aroma is sour at first...fresh, vibrant, full of that special Belgian feel, sweet and unique,...like nothing other...except for the others...

Tasting it: Mmmm! Smooth, tasty...lush fruit, smacks of sour, flush flavor, very particular, this...but altogether delicious! Almost like a saison, just about...but so very tasty, and satisfying...lofty and lovely, ...a keeper! Enjoy when you can!

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2005 10:46:35 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a cloudy dark gold color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a warm pale and light crystal malt scent as well as a fruity yeast aroma. The taste is good. It has a dry pale and light crystal malt scent. It goes down easy and finishes a bit warm with some fruity yeast esters. It's not an exceptional Belgian beer, but it's quite tastey. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium/full bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a good drinking beer. I like the yeast presence.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2007 20:27:37 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Another brett beer from Goose Island. I've had this in the bottle before but apparently never reviewed it. This time I had it on draft at Churchkey.

Beer is clear and amber in color. Forms a broken white head of small bubbles that leaves no lacing on the glass. Carbonation is low to moderate.

Aroma is mildly acetic with a background of funk. Interested.

Beer is medium in body and kind of bitter, surprisingly so. Mildly dry as well. The level of sour is pretty good but the funk is really nice. The leathery character of the beer really rounds out the flavors well.

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2010 18:24:30 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009 vintage, consumed in July 2011.

The beer pours a hazy orange color with a white head. The aroma is very nice. I get some toffee notes, as well as some nice Belgian yeast and cherry notes. There is a little bit of funk and a little bit of tartness in the aroma.

The flavor is more complex than the aroma. I get some leather and funk like you would get from brettanomyces, as well as a lot of juicy cherry notes. There is also a little bit of toffee and some brown sugar mixed in. I get a little oak character, but it is fairly subdued. There is some light tartness.

Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2011 18:02:44 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

3.83/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled on March 2, 2006.

A - Poured out a cloudy, burgandy/orange color with a tan, bubbly, one-finger head. The head dissipated after several minutes and left a little lace.

S - It smelled of corriander and orange. The was a dried fruit and malt aroma, too.

T - It tasted of orange and malt. It had some spice from the hops.

M - It was crisp and dry. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is another good GI beer. A descent attempt at a Belgian ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2007 04:28:44 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

3.88/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer poured clear light amber in color with a thin off white head that quickly vanished. A light amount of carbonation is visible from the rising bubbles.
S: The nose is filled with spicy and yeasty aromas.
T: Like the smell, flavors of spices and yeast dominate the overall taste, which is quite complex and also has some hints of fruit and a slight amount of sweetness. The finish is rather spicy.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and there is dryness in the finish.
D: The beer is relatively easy to drink and the alcohol is well hidden from the smell and taste.

Note: 2010 vintage

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2010 02:03:14 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle shared by Chris. Bottled 4/16/10, Batch #1453 - yes I know it's infected. Served in a Struise cervoise.

A - A dime of white foam settles to a thin ring, leaving behind minimal lace and a few wisps on top. Transparent amber body.

S - There's a clear lactobacillus infection that imparts notes of lactic acidity and vinous tartness. These flavors mingle well with the light funky brett, spicy Belgian yeast, caramel malt, and slightly medicinal flavors.

T - Taste is a bit more malt-forward, with notes of caramel and honey, as well as some fruity esters. There's the slightly medicinal brett finish, as well as some light vinous acidity, but the taste seems less affected by the infection than the aroma. Not a ton of spicy Belgian yeast character here either. Still, quite enjoyable for the style.

M - Lower carbonation, medium body, slightly gritty texture, slightly dry finish, and well-hidden alcohol. I think this one could actually use more bubbles, and was slightly surprised the brett bottle-conditioning didn't spritz things up.

D - I could definitely see the relationship between this and Dominique, particularly the acidic aroma and strong caramel malt backdrop in the flavor. I also think this is a more interesting beer than "regular" Matilda. Chris and I put down the bomber with ease.

While I understand why this had to be recalled I'm glad that some of it made it into the hands of beer nerds and that some of it was re-purposed into another pretty enjoyable beer. Still, I think Goose Island should seriously consider having "Wild Matilda" on-tap occasionally as it's quite good.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 15:15:31 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle on Date July 2005; Sampled March 2008
A careful pour produces a fat-two-finger thick, light tan colored head that sits on top of an orange tinged, light amber colored beer that shows an orangish gold color when held up to the light. The head leaves some wispy lacing on the sides of my glass and never fully disappears. The aroma is nicely funky with a typical barnyard note that is characteristic of Brett (butyric acid notes are quite noticeable); the funk reminds me of a mix of moldy leather, musty earth, phenolic soaked cotton-balls. There is some acidity here in the nose as well that provides a tart backdrop along with some subtle, bread-driven malt notes. There is some fruitiness here that is just noticed under the surface; it is mostly apple like, but the acidity seems to accents some lemon-like notes too. As my nose gets used to the funk some hop character begins to be noticed; mostly grassy notes, but it has an herbal edge to it. This is a very engaging, quite funky nose; quite enjoyable if you like that sort of thing.

Lightly sweet and it has a persistent carbonation that is not overly effervescent. Fruit flavors of apple, pear and perhaps a touch of plum eventually yield to a sharp, Brett-driven funkiness that lingers on the mouth in the finish. This is really hiding the oxidation well, this seems to be a characteristic of Brettanomyces beers, perhaps they scavenge all of the oxygen before it has a chance to degrade the malt character. This still even has some hop character to it, though it is fairly soft with notes of light fresh-cut herbs, a touch of hay and a light persistent bitterness that is noticeable from beginning to end.

Too quickly my 12oz serving of this beer is gone, I wish I had at least one more bottle so that I could continue to drink this brew. Much more funky than when I had this originally in October of 2005. This has developed into a really nice brew, though I wouldn't say that it has quite reached the level of Orval. I am surprised how much fruitiness is still noticeable, it adds an interesting dimension, but I would probably prefer it a bit drier. Really though this is a fantastic brew that I can find little fault with.

2005 Bottling: Sampled October, 2005
Original Rating 4.0, 4/4/4/4/4
Pours a brilliantly clear copper color and is topped by a frothy, slightly rocky, pale tan colored head. The aroma is funky and earthy: with notes of musty earth, lemon grass, a soft fruitiness reminiscent of apples pears & citrus, and a hint of barnyard funk. I was not expecting the Brett note (though it is of course in the beer they were inspired by), but it is still fairly subtle at this point. The bottle does not look to be bottle conditioned, so I wonder if the Brett will continue to develop over time.

The taste has a certain fullness to it that is mouthcoating and slightly creamy in consistency. The beer is lightly sweet as well, which up-plays the fruity citrus character that is here. The hop character is not near as pronounced as I would have hoped for, but it is present with a bit of lingering bitterness in the finish and of course some spicy-citrusy hop notes up front. The beer is quite smooth, and the Brett character is still quite light in the finish. There is a hint of mustiness and a bit of dry cobweb-type thing that lingers in the finish, and a light dusting of funk in the rest of the beer. This is quite drinkable, but does not quite hit the complexity level of the original. We will have to see how this changes with time.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2008 04:38:18 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on date of 1/29/2010 poured from a 22oz bottle into a snifter glass.

A: The beer is a bright reddish gold color, with a short off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin on the glass.

S: The aroma contains Belgian yeast, light caramelized malts, spices and some fruit.

T: The taste starts out with sweet flavors of caramel, fruit and spices followed by some mild sourness from wild Belgian yeast. The malt character is hearty and there’s a mild hops presence that creates good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, good representation of style, this is a good beer with some nice complexity that makes it worth drinking for a while.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 01:53:11 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This poured out as a golden color with a white fluffy head on top. The aromas of Belgian yeast and some grainy malts were on the nose. The taste of the beer to me was like most of the other Belgian Ales I've tried, it was soft and slightly fruity with a touch of bitterness in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel was light and well carbonated. Overall this brew wasn't too bad but I wouldn't have to go seek it out again I don't think.

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2011 23:39:02 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up at goebels in Wichita, bottled on 07/27/05

Whoa, this one's a gusher despite 12 hours of chilling! Pours a cloudy peach with 2 fingers of sand colored head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Big time apple skins, peppery spice & farm yard mustyness, does this have brett???? Must do, bottle says a special yeast strain, loads of horse blanket

T: Orchard fruit, mustyness, slight grapefruit hops,& funky tartness. tartness, funkyness, along some peach & green apple, plus booze as this warms. funky sournesss & grapefruit compete in the finish,along with dryness & tartness

MF: Medium bodied with subdued carbonation

Drinks pretty good, this one grew on me, I'm not a huge brett fan, but I could do a few of these before moving on, Brett fans will enjoy even more IMO. Agree with some other reviewers, seems more saisin than Belgian PA

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2008 01:05:58 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle, 2008 version, bottled 5/30/08,

A: Pours a cloudy orange-yellow, with a long lasting white head, with some nice lacing.

S: A mixed fruit bag, golden raisins, apples, passion fruit, strawberries and cream, a lot of different stuff going on.

T: Taste is an interesting mix of characters. The dominant flavour is apple juice and phenol, like mix of beer and cider at times, as the beer oxygenates it gets more yeasty with white pepper and pear.

M: Overly carbonated which made the flavour hard to find at times, swirl it a bit before beginning the drink, overall medium-bodied and relatively smooth.

D: An interesting and tasty beer from Goose Island. I wish I had easy access to another bottle, check it out if you see it.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2008 05:16:28 | More by Halcyondays

emerge077

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Brown 12 oz. bottle. My personal preference is the bottle conditioned variety over the draught version.

Cap is cracked... fruit and spice are immediately present in the air. Hazy orange-apricot body. Streams of visible carbonation. Aroma of orange zest, clove, nutmeg, and musty yeast with Brett.

Taste is true to first aroma impression, clove and yeast, hops, then a tart citrusy element toward the end. Warm spice lingers in the aftertaste, dry and inviting of another sip. Styrian Golding and Saaz hops lend some crispness. Not identical to Orval, but definitely stands tall on it's own. Very refreshing and thirst-quenching, mainly due to the citrus and yeast combo.

A strong example of successful Belgian-style brewing, right in my own backyard!

EDIT 4/2007 bottling: Lots of estery yeast, not much Brett presence at all. Slicker mouthfeel. Will cellar for 6 months to see if any Brett character shows up.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2006 02:07:28 | More by emerge077