Juliet - Goose Island Beer Co.

Arbitrator

California

2.3/5  rDev -45.6%
look: 1 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Well-chilled bottle into a glass, courtesy of a generous trade with boatshoes. Thanks, Fletcher!

A: Upon opening, this bottle explodes all over my desk and computer, and continues to gush profusely. *@&#%!!! I wish I had read the reviews before opening this thing.

Its body, a glowing ruby color, is capped by 2 inches of light pink head off a very gentle pour. Overcarbed? Overcarbed! I'm completely annoyed at having to clean everything up, so points off.

S: Funk, blackberry tartness. I enjoy the brettanomyces character, but it is not particularly complex.

T: Blackberries, raspberries, and some grape are evident on the taste. There is a mild tartness in the mid-taste, and I keep wanting to find lactic sourness in there, but it doesn't exist. Horsey funk comes out near the finish, along with a spicy bite, but neither are particularly strong flavors.

M: Very, very spritzy. The carbonation really hurts this beer, resulting in a watery, soapy feel that obscures the flavors.

D: Pretty underwhelmed by Juliet. It's a nice first (?) attempt, but it doesn't measure up to anything coming out of Russian River or Lost Abbey at the moment. It was nice to try, but in the spectrum of wild ales this is decidely bottom-tier.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2010 06:15:26 | More by Arbitrator

route66pubs

California

2.55/5  rDev -39.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

After much hype and repeated efforts, I was ecstatic to grab this in a trade. I had REALLY high hopes for it. Alas, while Wild Ales intrigue me, they are not my favorite thing. So that should be noted going into this review. Bottled on August 14, 2009 - tasted on 1/23/10.

The bottle opened with a pop, and before pouring could commence, a thick head was oozing from the bottle. The initial pour into a tulip glass resulted in 1/3 beer, 2/3 fluffy perfectly white head, which nicely subsided so that more brew could be poured into the glass. The second pour revealed a beer with a rosy hint to its amber color. Once held up to the light, a small amount of sediment was noticeable in the bottom of the glass.

The bottle states "Belgian style ale aged in wine barrels with blackberries." The blackberry notes do not disappoint, but the fruitiness of the blackberry aromas overpower any hint of wine. This, in my opinion, is a good thing. The slight spicy aroma of brett is also distinguishable, but remains secondary.

I had high hopes for this beer. I feel let down to some extent. The wine flavor - Pinot, perhaps? - pushes so much away. The blackberries fall to a secondary state, but not much else seems to be there. A hint of spice comes through as well, but that could be the carbonation.

This is effervescence through and through. The carbonation combined with the brett kick at your tongue. It almost screams of soda pop throughout. Not in a great way. It feels like sitting on this and letting the carbonation drop would VASTLY improve this beer, as it feels too candy-like to drink and enjoy at the moment.

And it's that mouthfeel that ruins the drinkability for me. It's seems so carbonated and so sweet that it no longer feels like an ale. Wild, yes. Ale, no. The bottle states "develops in teh bottle for up to 5 years" and I would like to know how that changes this brew. But now, 5-6 months after bottling, it is still too young to enjoy to its fullest.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2010 02:12:31 | More by route66pubs

champ103

Texas

2.63/5  rDev -37.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a ruby red color. A two finger bubbly white head forms, but recedes to nothing in a second. No lace at all.
S: Tart and acidic fruits. I enjoy the fruity character, but there is nothing else here.
T: Tart fruits like cherries. Muddled, kind of dirty malt. The tart acidic sourness lingers for a second. Then vanishes to nothing.
M/D: A light to medium body. Really high carbonation. Also really thin and watery. Not clean at all though. The high carbonation actually makes this harder to drink. Alcohol is present. Not a fan of the muddled malt character either.

This is a disappointment for me. Not that much is here. Just thin, acidic, and overly carbonated. This is not something I care to revisit, or finish for that matter. Not something I would recommend.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 05:58:46 | More by champ103

caresville

New Jersey

2.75/5  rDev -35%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

had a sour tasting the other night with PaulMPap and we cracked open this one first... needless to say it took us longer to figure out a way to try and open this one without it exploding everywhere then it took us to drink it.

a- i was already a little ticked off from pink foam blasting everywhere so this beer is lucky i gave it an average looking appearance review. pinkish overly carbonated beer, with a huge pinkish white never ending foamy soap looking head. obvious lacing and just a pain in the ass to let settle down before being able to drink it.

s- by far the best part of the beer... great sour funk, all kinds of fresh fruits. smells almost like the yellow starburst.

t&m- very dissapointed in the taste. waaay watered down. its like sour cherry/strawberry/apple foamy fizz water with hints of vinegar. at times water actually overpowered the mellow sour taste and just turned this beer into a flavored pale ale almost. not what i expected at all.

d- not very difficult to drink since there isnt much to it, a very mellow and toned down sour for sure. i might have to come back and try this a few months (or years) down the road to see if it has gotten any better with some age on it.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2010 10:14:02 | More by caresville

Cedromar

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Sipping on this one as I type. Batch 1. I had my other batch 1 a few weeks ago around my birthday. I only popped them because of concerns over bottle bombs.

The appearance is a golden red with a quickly dissipating head. The smell is of acidic tartness with a hint of cab. Taste is faint blackberries with some oak, but overall it's just tart.

The mouthfeel is way too f*cking carbonated. It's difficult to sip. The carbonation level of this pretty much kills the drinkability. I struggled getting through the last bottle, and I'm struggling to get through this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2010 02:21:14 | More by Cedromar

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.23/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured in a tulip glass. Pours reddish copper with zero head. Aromatic notes of wood, tannin, dark fruit and spice make Juliet an ideal beer to suggest to Pinot Noir enthusiasts and beer drinkers who are fond of Belgian sour ales. Flavors of tart fruit; definitely a complex ale. While an interesting and complex brew, this did not cut it for me as I am not a big fan of sours myself.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 19:48:34 | More by CuriousMonk

hayesez

Indiana

3.4/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Have had this bottle downstairs for about six months or so and figured I'd crack it open to share at a friend's pre-wedding gathering. Shared with several non-connoisseurs...but kept half for myself!

Poured into the Portsmouth snifter that will remain at Kate's for the next two years. Man this thing was carbonated. Nice fluffy pink-hued head with about one-finger of beer. This thing frothed up quickly! Literally, poured about and eight of the snifter and the very fluffy loosely-packed head poked out of the top of the glass. Dozens of tiny maroon specks graced the surface of the head...interesting. A small amount of lace is left behind. The actual beer is a darker pink color; it looks like a blush wine. There are plenty of particulates floating around.

The smell of brett is immediately obvious. There are some gentle sweeter fruits in there was well, but honestly I can't discern exactly what they are. I'm still getting all of my senses back after battling a cold. The sour smell is definitely there.

Based solely on the nose, I expected there to be more flavor than there was. The funkiness is definitely there but the rest of the taste is very distant. There is still some of the sweetness that the nose insinuates, but again, it is mild. Tastes softly of berries and a hint of vinegar. Also difficult to get past is the very carbonated fizziness that certainly detracts. I guess it is well documented that this beer has the potential to gush a bit - it definitely detracts from the mouthfeel. The tart and sour are there, but subdued. The finish is very dry.

Drank half of the bottle, but had some trouble solely because of the seltzer-like carbonation. I thought the champagne was going to be after the wedding. Not a bad beer, but a bit watered down from what I was anticipating. Hopefully Goose Island will continue to mess around with sours...there aren't that many options here in the Midwest!

Consumed: 6/5/2010

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2010 04:17:25 | More by hayesez

jibbyvonjibb

California

3.43/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: A pleasant rosy or raspberry like color. No head. Pretty clear.
S: Some caramel and alcohol. Dill. Pickles. Does not sound like
T: Some alcohol definitely showing through, probably due to very dry character. I could be crazy, but I think I'm sensing some faint butteriness or popcorny flavors. Biting acedic acidity in the aftertaste. Some bitterness there too, maybe from alcohol.
M: Good amount of acid.
O: The biggest flaw a brewery can make when making a sour beer, in my personal opinion, is to make it with too much alcohol. There's a reason why Belgian masters stay at 6% or lower. Any higher and the alcohol will be too noticable. The balance will break. As it has here. It's not horrible. It's just not great. Also, I was told there were blackberries here ... not a hint.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 03:02:53 | More by jibbyvonjibb

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.48/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle at PPRBSG09. Pours a cloudy orange. Aroma of sour notes, yogurt, and sweet tart candies. Flavor is initially acidic with some yogurty and funky notes in the finish. The palate was a bit on the acidic side. Tasty but I wasn't as super impressed as I thought I'd be.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2009 17:21:59 | More by LilBeerDoctor

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter. Thanks to someone (I forget who) for this. 2009 vintage bottled on August 14th.

Looks like GI carbonated the pooch on this one. Strong gusher (though nowhere near the worst I've experienced) was handled with care over a sink and I only lost a small portion of the beer.

3.0 A: The appearance resulting from the gushing is a mess. All of the yeast and blackberry slurry mixed well throughout the whole bottle. Opaque amber brownish color. Frothy white head, which retains fairly well, had plenty of blackberry and yeast particulates throughout and especially on top, giving the appearance of a cappucino with a healthy dose of cinnamon sprinkles on top. The beer, like the head, has particulates throughout.

3.5 S: The nose is rather boring for a beer put through what this one has been. Equal parts brett funk and sourness, but neither are very strong. Lightly acetic, a bit more lactic acid, and a light berry component. If I hadn't known about the wine barrels, I probably would have attributed the light grape vinous component to the berries, but it sticks out with the a priori knowledge. Light woodiness with a touch of astringency. Overall, it's a good aroma, but it doesn't have any balls to it. Far too subdued.

3.5 T: The taste suffers from the anemia of the nose. It's tasty just like the nose is pleasant, but no power at all. There's a light tartness, but the acetic sourness is all but gone. Compared to the sourness, there's a decent amount of funk featuring a basement muskiness, leather, and wild apple. The tartness of the berries shows that they are there, but there isn't a lot of berry flavor. Woodiness and astringency are there again and in good proportions.

3.5 M: Lighter medium body. Aggressive not-quite-spritzy carbonation. Could be smoother, but that's mainly due to the overcarbonation.

3.5 D: It's an okay brew if there's nothing better around, but a bomber of this is a rather boring experience. The aromas and flavors are okay, just too weak to make this a truly enjoyable experience. The overcarbonation and the price didn't add anything positive either.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2011 05:42:44 | More by DavoleBomb

maximum12

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle grabbed a couple months ago. Only know of one place that still has bottles, so figured I'd give 'er a go to see if it's worth picking up another one. 22 oz. bomber split with my wife.

Poured to leave the bottom two or three ounces in the bottle, this is a deep, vibrant, almost glowing red, with minimal carbonation. Nose starts tart, but underneath there's a fruity sugary quality; extremely vinous.

Juliet is a tart lady. Huge tart kick right up front. Lemon, vinegar, with whatever berries they are barely visible on the horizon. Oak dries on the end. Carbonation has been kidnapped, pretty flat. Easy to sip.

Was really hoping for a wild that showcases the berries, but this beer just shows up with sour, tart, & more sour. No rye, berries scarcely noticeable - blah. Still tasty, just not what was advertised. Pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 02:26:47 | More by maximum12

nkersten

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Bottle opened to a surprising overflow... after a run to the sink, Juliet pours a bright red with hints of pink and purple. A gentle pour gives an inch of white/pink head with small purple specks here and there. Settles down and leaves about a 1/4 inch with decent lacing.
S- Lots of fruit... Cherries, raspberries, even a bit of blueberry up front, with some oak, red wine and funk in the back.
T- Not nearly as much going on in the taste as there is in the smell. Taste at first reminds me of a Tomme cheese, then opens up to strawberries, grassy barnyard hay funk provides a slightly sour, almost bitter flavor. An almost unpleasantly odd sour berry/antiseptic bitterness in the finish.
M- Light body, very dry highly carbonated mouthfeel finishes clean and astringent. Carbonation isnt over the top like some wild/sours ive had but compliments the dryness.
D- This beer seems to have everything going on for it but the taste... Hopefully it will get better as I adjust to the sourness. Not sure if I will be able to finish this bottle on my own, but still enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2010 02:49:48 | More by nkersten

alpinebryant

Connecticut

3.53/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2010 batch
Poura a bright ruby red with a healthy white head on it.

Smell of pungent sour cream, oak, raspberries and lactic acid.

First taste as expected is heavily laden with Sour cream. There is a sweetness from berries which presumably have also given the bright pink ruby color to the beer. Mouthfeel is very light with a healthy dose of carbonation. I had to try this after seeing it in a shop for the first time. While not nearly as good IMO as Madame Rose, it is really due to my preference in sours. As with Monks Cafe, I was not a big fan of the Flemish style sour although a Flanders oud brune really gets my palate looking for more.

Well done by Goose Island for the style. I will not be seeking out more but was happy to have tried it.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 19:41:51 | More by alpinebryant

shleepy

California

3.55/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served from bottle into snifter glasses.

A: Good amber color. Virtually no head.

S: Very heavy oak that mixes in with the acidity for an almost gasoline-like or white-out-like smell. I think there may be jam flavors in there, as well.

T: Heavy oak - even tree sap. Not all that sour, actually. Some bitterness (balanced by sourness / oakiness) in the finish. Light berry flavors.

M: Fairly light and very drinkable. Mine wasn't very carbonated.

O: It's well-balanced, other than the overwhelming oakiness, and has "interesting meta-flavors," but lacks subtlety and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 02:58:15 | More by shleepy

peabody

Kentucky

3.58/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Great look. Two fingers of suds and slightly cloudy.
Smell is like a really grapey wine. Grape skin and alcohol are prevailant here.
Taste is blackberry/gooseberry/grape skin with a little sugar and malt.
Mouthfeel is pretty sticky but the sour of the initial sip cleanses that right out of the palate.
Overall not the best from Goose Island esp. for the money this one costs.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 21:43:38 | More by peabody

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

Neffbeer

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The date on this one is Aug. 14 2009. It has a reputation of being a gusher, so I handled it with care over the sink. Poured into a 40cl Allagash glass.

A: It was indeed a bomb which lead to all the muck shooting up through the beer. In turn it poured a hazy deep reddish/purple with a big thin bubbly white head. There is no real retention or lacing due to the extreme carbonation, it fades quickly.

S: The nose is another story. The berries are there, but they are subtly concealed behind a veil of brett, oak, and a puckering lactic sourness. The usual scents of barnyard and leather are unmistakable.

T: The brett has really taken over this beer. The berry flavor is quite muted and the sourness in the nose is not nearly as pronounced as I would have hoped. There is almost no hint of oak anywhere to be found.

M: The over carbonation took away from the flavor and the mouthfeel. Just too bubbly for my liking. It comes off feeling a bit thin.

D: I will finish this bottle easily, but I would not recommend picking up the 2009 if you see it. It is too much of a bubbly mess without the reward.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2011 22:31:50 | More by Neffbeer

Blanco

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

dark ruby red color with very weak white head that almost immediately disappears. decent amount of carbonation visible. slight "wild" notes in the smell along with prominent fruit notes. taste is sour with sweetness from the fruit. slightly funky, at least more in the taste than in the smell. lively mouthfeel, however I do not like how before the glass is done the beer eventually goes pretty still. No head and almost no carbonation, despite the fact it started out adequately carbonated. Overall, it's a solid wild ale with a somewhat favorable price compared to others (like RR, Lost abbey, etc.), but not positive if I'd get again. I'd favor Madame Rose or perhaps a Cantillon offering if I'm looking at price/volume.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 02:23:39 | More by Blanco

Ineedabeerhere

Connecticut

3.65/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

New Review, 3.10.10 from notes. Bottled August 14th.

Whoa, gusher alert. I mean just an instant flow of foam as soon as I relieved any pressure from the bottle cap. Pours semi-hazy with equal parts ruby and purplish orange. Pinkish foam towers with good retention and some lace, but it is clear that this is over-carbonated.

Aromas are pretty subtle and muted, especially at colder temps. Fruity and berries. Some wild yeast. Everything about this beer is very delicate... except for its carbonation. Wow this is just too bubbly and effervescent. Spritzery bubbles scrub my tongue and steal away some of what could've been. Still, there are bright flavors of tart fruit and berries. Light merlot and grape juice with a little earth. An interesting beer which might pair nicely with a summer salad - it's certainly thirst-quenching, crisp and dry. I look forward to future properly carbonated batches.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2009 02:14:39 | More by Ineedabeerhere

BDLbrewster

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -13%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks timmi!!!!

Pours a very murky, cloudy deep amber almost brown color. There is a soda pop like head that fades quick and also tons of small pellet sediment.

Smells sour and earthy, the kind of the smell you get in the produce section of a grocery store. There is an underlying sweetness and a sort of locker room funk to it as well.

The taste is wine forward for sure, there is a tannic bitterness that reminds me of Cabernet. But the fruity black berries really remind me of a Pinot Noir. There is a definite funk in the middle of the taste spectrum accompanied by a sour push that is very balanced. The aftertaste carries a very dry finish and the tannic nature shines through gripping the sides of your tongue.

The mouthfeel leads you to believe that you are drinking sparkling wine, very thin and moderately dry. Carbonation is pretty heavy, but fades quite a bit as the brew warms.

The bomber won't be hard to finish, but this is not something that you would drink more than one of. Moderately low ABV, but it will definitely kill your palate for a while.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2009 19:38:05 | More by BDLbrewster

billab914

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2009 vintage poured from a 22oz bottle into my Allagash glass. It poured reddish amber in color with a full and active white head overflowing from the glass.

The aroma has a good dose of sourness to it. I get some sharp, acidic notes followed by some tart, fruity flavors. I get a little of a blackberry or cherry flavor coming out as well as just a hint of the oak barrel.

The taste shows more of the sharp sourness to it up front. It's a little acidic but not too bad. In the finish more of the fruity, blackberry, cherry like flavors come out and bring some tartness with them. A good amount of earthy Brett shows in the finish as well. It's more towards the acidic and tart side than the funky sour side. It's good, but didn't have the depth of some of the best in the style.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied for the style and carbonation is very high. Overall it was a pretty good beer, but not one of the best of the style. It felt lacking depth at times and a little acidic as well. I enjoyed it, but the Cisco sour I had earlier was much better.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 23:10:25 | More by billab914

jegross2

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewing an aged Juliet (2010) from Goose Island Brewing Company.
Score: 86

Shared a 22 oz bomber from the Goose Island brew pub in a goblet-wine flute hybrid on Black Friday.

Appearance: Pours a red velvet cake color. Fizzy-apparent, no head on pour. 3.5/5

Smell: Sweet cherry/raspberry sour candy. Fruity. A little sugary and sour. 3.5/5

Taste: Very sweet-and-tart cherry/raspberry candy. Almost like a warhead candy (if you remember those). Dry white wine and some berries too. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Very fizzy and sweet. Light bodied, high carbonation. Sweet, crisp finish. 3.5/5

Overall: A decent brew, but my not style of beer. Too sweet for my liking. Reminds me a lot of the Ephemere by Unibroue and Raspberry Tart by New Glarus. Was certainly worth trying, but I will not seek this one out again (especially at its price tag).

Recommendation: I would absolutely recommend this one to casual beer drinkers and people who "do not like to drink beer," but this beer is a bit too sweet-and-sugary for my liking. It certainly has a fizzy-candy appeal to it.

Pairings: A salad served with balsamic and/or sharp cheddar. Earthy cheeses would work well with this one, as would pretzels.

Cost: $25 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle at the bar (which, in my opinion, is way overpriced).

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 06:14:15 | More by jegross2

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.73/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Lolita yesterday, Juliet today – it’s a Goose Island week. This one’s aged in Cabernet barrels, just like Lolita, but with blackberries instead of raspberries and with some rye in the grain bill.

Brewed about four months before the date of this tasting (“BOTTLED: 01/26/12”).

A: Another sparkling grape juice appearance: loads of bubbles in a thin, pinkish-plum body. The head appears for a brief second, popping wistfully away in a flash of fizz – a few spots of lacing and only a hint of cream along the outside for retention.

S: Lovely, popping fruitiness; enjoyable as ever. Comes off with a blackberry tartness and a bright aroma of raspberry and white grape juice; very reminiscent of Pinot Noir. The clovey funk of brett is evident, as well, but not dizzyingly so, showing up as just a mild herbal note of depth. Pumpernickel bread, white pepper, wet oak, and Belgian scents of estery yeast in the back end.

T: Very, very much like olive juice at first sip; almost enough lactic acid to turn me off. But sometimes that’s how sours go, so I stuck it out (though it still bugged me throughout the drink). Underneath is a bright flavor of blackberry, ripe blueberries, and lemonade, but with a tannic barrier preventing it from being too fruity – that is, it’s earthy and balanced in its fruit character. The biggest grain flavors are just that: light, indistinguishable grains, with just a moderate touch of rye flavor. Rhubarb, dried cherry, and sour apple come through with a mix of oak and vanilla yogurt (barrel notes). The yeast presence of banana and clove makes the aftertaste feel like I’ve just had a hefeweizen, those earthy flavors abounding.

M: Thicker and smoother than Lolita, which is odd because it’s actually 1% ABV less. It’s likely because of the more subdued carbonation in this one; it’s slightly fizzy, but only slightly.

O: Though it’s a good mix of solid flavors, this beer is not without its weaknesses (mainly the huge presence of lactic acid). Still, it would go wonderfully with a variety of entrees, or cheeses, for that matter. Makes me even more excited for Madame Rose…

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 01:43:53 | More by BarryMFBurton

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I got a bottle of this from the extremely generous sholland119. Thanks, Scott! This batch was bottled Aug 14, 2009

The pour is gorgeous, a beautiful crimson color with excellent clarity and a large, bubbly pinkish-white head that falls off choppily. Plenty of carbonation is visible as well, this is one very attractive beer.

The nose is great too, quite Bretty with a definite bandaid character, some barnyard and a nice, fruity component with a lot of berry character. The reserved acidity and mellow fruit character sets the blackberry character apart as unique from other berried-beers. Solid stuff, there's a mild vinegar character too.

The flavor palate opens with a distinct lactic and vinegar character, with the combination of clean lactic acid and high carbonation bringing to mind a good Berliner Weiss. Vinegar component is clean and mellow, akin to white wine vinegar. The blackberry character is quite well-expressed (reserved and non as strong as it could be, though). Fruity sweetness is apparent through the midpalate, along with a relatively reserved funk character, with grassy barnyard notes. Vanilla sweetness and a mild tannic character appear towards the drying finish, one that's a little disappointing in being a little watery. Light in body with high carbonation, this feels quite good on the palate, but didn't wow me as much as I was expecting. A little more body, and a shift from a lactic acid driven palate to a funkier one with a little more vinegar would make this beer truly wonderful. I'm also not sure I pick up much vinous character, and some of that would make this beer pretty epic. All told, a great wild ale, especially for a first attempt.

Edit: The addition of the yeast to the beer does improve the feel, specifically the body, a little bit and goes a someway towards improving the complexity, almost to the point where I'd give the taste a 4, but not quite.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2009 00:51:07 | More by DefenCorps

JizackFH

New York

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

A - This beer pours a nice ruby copper color. It has a small thin off-white head on it. The head falls to a small ring rather quickly, leaving no lace behind.

S - It smells pretty tart and acidic. There is a ton of Brett present as well as some muted berry scents. Also, I am getting some oak, leather, and some earthiness.

T - The taste starts off with an acidic tartness and a big bunch of Brett. There is some sour fruit and berry flavors. There is some spiciness from the rye malt and quite a bit of dryness from the brett. It is quite sour, but there is just a little bit of sweetness that helps balance it out.

M - This has a medium body and tingly carbonation. It goes down easy and has a fizzy feel to it. It has some mouth puckering sourness as well as a dry finish.

O - This is a very drinkable beer. I could easily keep drinking glasses of this tasty brew. Overall, I thought it was a very nice sour. I just wish the berry flavor wasn't masked so much by the brett. Other than that, I thought it was great. I would buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 13:20:44 | More by JizackFH