Juliet - Goose Island Beer Co.

Treebs

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle served in a Lost Abbey Teku glass. Bottled 1/26/12.

A: Pours a deep ruby color with a thin white head forming on the pour. It recedes quickly to a very thin ring. No real lace left on the glass.

S: Nice tartness with a hint of lactic sourness. Sweet berries with a hint of tart blackberry and some strawberry sweetness. Light oak flavors with some subtle red wine notes in the background.

T: Huge lacto sourness up front. Mild blackberry tartness with a touch of fruity sweetness. Very acidic sourness with a subtle dry malt body to it. The finish has a slight hint of red wine.

M: Mouth puckering sourness with a medium to light body to the beer. Medium carbonation with a slightly tart, fruity finish. Major teeth coating going on as well.

O: The black berries and red wine barrel really play off each other nicely. The lacto sourness cuts the sweetness of the berries and the malt body brings it all together. A very solid sour overall and definitely a beer that I would like to have again.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 20:25:07 | More by Treebs

RuckusDu

Colorado

4.15/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - A slim head of light cappuccino and slight purple in color. Foam disappears quickly. Body is very cloudy and a reddish/purpleish/amber color.

S - Lots of white wine and raspberry. Slight funkiness and very acidic smelling.

T - Green tart raspberries. Lots of earthy/vegital funkiness. Wine is not as pronounced. As it warms, things start to blend a little more and not as in your face tartness.

M - Very tart makes it drying. Carbonation is good especially considering the low head. Body seems a little too thick for this.

O - Good flavor and goes for that super sour beer thing. I do like the not so subtleness, but can only handle so much.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 22:19:54 | More by RuckusDu

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

The_Blodge

Ohio

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

A: Poured from a bottle into a tulip glass. Pours a deep ruby red color with a thin white head that quickly dissipates into nothing. The beer then almost appears flat. Not totally transparent but very clean. Almost wine like.

S: Earthy, sour funk but pleasing. Wonderful perfume that lingers. Subtle alcohol. Citrus

T: Very tart and sour. Pucker up baby! Subtle sweetness up front with notes of oak and citrus. Alcohol is well hidden.

M: Light bodied with tiny bubbles that dance on the tongue.

O: A very interesting sour beer. I think that it is a good representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 01:19:46 | More by The_Blodge

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pour is a dark transparent ruby red with a beige tiny bubbled head. Nose is heavy tart berry, fair amount of dry wood, hints of lacto and vanilla, light Brett leather note. Taste is heavy sour dark berry, lightly lactic. Wood isnt there near as much as the nose. Body is lightly dry, a hint syrupy, rather puckering and highly carbonated. Not bad, pretty sour, strong berry note, not too much else.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 14:01:56 | More by cpetrone84

cfrances33

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 bottle, served on 8/19/12 in a wine glass.

Pour: Blood orange with a finger of bubbly pinkish head. Diminishes to nothing.

Smell: Hay funk, raspberries, cherries.

Taste: Tart pear, mixed berry (indiscernable between blackberries and raspberries for me), slight cherry, funk.

Mouthfeel: Great carbonation, a little sticky. Not too tart.

Overall: This beer took me by surprise and was pretty kick ass.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 23:41:01 | More by cfrances33

MattyG85

Minnesota

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

2012 Vintage. 650 ml bottled 01-26-12. Poured into a stemmed goblet glass.

Appearance: Pours a deep brownish amber orange with a moderate amount of bubbles. A very small fizzy head quickly fades away. Not much lacing is left.

Smell: Big sour smell upfront with lots of tart cherries. Some Belgian yeast along with good hints of blackberries. Brett, rye, and hints of oak and wood. Hints of dark fruit including dark cherries, raisin, fig, and prunes. Also picking up a little banana and a slight hint of caramel malt. Some booze is also in the mix.

Taste: Like the smell, but with an even bigger taste of blackberries. Starts out with a pretty sour taste of tart cherries and brett. Then comes a big flavor of blackberries. Some Belgian yeast spice and some notes of dark cherries, prunes, raisin, and fig. Also some banana. Notes of oak chips and wood. Some malts with rye and a little caramel. The tart fruits stand out the most, but it is not overbearing with the sourness. Very good taste.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with a medium to high level of carbonation. Crisp and pretty tart. Has a drying finish. Alcohol is hidden fairly well.

Overall: A really good take on a sour. A good combination of tart and sweet fruits. Bold but not overbearing with the sourness and acid.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 06:09:51 | More by MattyG85

zeledonia

Minnesota

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

Bottled 26 January 2011. Tasted 3 August 2012, reviewed from notes.

Pours a pale clear amber with a shot of ruby color. A very pretty, feminine color. Half-finger of red-tinged head that disappeared pretty fast (as is typical of wilds). Not much lacing.

Smell starts with tart berries. Really well-balanced. Fruity sugars, that are not quite sweet, complement the sour so well.

Taste is tons of tart berries, melding with a really mellow sour. It's like eating a lightly sweetened berry pie. Delicious.

Mouthfeel is light-bodied with tingly carbonation. Quick dry finish.

A very tasty fruit sour. I'm most impressed by the balance between the berry fruitiness and the tart sour. Another impressive beer from Goose Island.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 06:05:26 | More by zeledonia

nppeders

Minnesota

4.73/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottled: 01/26/12. 1200

Appearance. Ruby red with hints of plum.
Aroma: Brett, underwhelming
Taste: whoa ...hits hard with tartness, fruity, red wine, and oak in the middle with Brett and lactic cheek Puckering sourness on the dry finish.
Mouthfeel: thin
Overall: amazing balance, brett mainly in the nose, don't get much blackberries, but the wine barrel really came through. One of the best American wild ales I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 02:08:38 | More by nppeders

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I got a 750mL bottle of the 2012 in Spring 2012. Pours a copper orange that is hazy and has a slight but quickly disappearing head. Scent is strong of aged blackberries. The taste is mostly of fermented blackberries that are fruity, delicious, and has a good drinking texture. Mixed with some wine but I'm not sure what kind of wine. Has a dry finish. A delicious beer that doesn't really taste like a beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 23:44:27 | More by Lemke10

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

ginemesis

North Carolina

4.68/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- very similar to Lolita, strong Amber color, very little lacing

S- Sour and oak combined with a hint of blackberry. Smell matches the taste, which is appreciated as it should be a precursor to the taste.

T- A cross between a wine and beer, fruit, and oak. Quite sour, but not overwhelmingly so. Sour taste vanishes well.

M- light bodied, slightly cleansing

O- A good sour beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 03:35:37 | More by ginemesis

siradmiralnelson

Iowa

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

Poured from 22oz bottle into Globe glass.

A. Poured very similar to Lolita. About a half a finger of head that disappeared right away. Not much lacing. Color is a dark amber. Lots of carbonation rising up from the bottom.

S. Smell is very wine like. Some sour, some fruitiness, some yeast. A bit of alcohol, with some oak and woodiness.

T. Taste is also very much like Lolita. Excellent beer. Crosses the boundaries between wine and beer. Get sour, fruit, earthy oak and wood flavors. Pretty tart, but not an overpowering sour. Can't say that I get specific blackberry flavor, but there is definitley a berry fruitiness.

M. Medium/light bodied.

O. Very unique and excellent beer. Not much different than Lolita for me. Lots of flavor nuances going on. Great beer to give someone who is a wine drinker and is new to craft beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 00:52:41 | More by siradmiralnelson

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

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

Great sour event tonight at Hair of the Dog in St. Louis featured this and Lolita on tap.

Pours a deep purple to brown color. Ok head retention and pretty good lacing. Scent is of dark fruits and slight sour acidic notes.

Taste profile was complex and interesting. If this is let to warm up a bit, it tastes almost like a mix between blueberry and blackberry wine. High carbonation, but very drinkable and fairly refreshing. Smooth throughout, with a slight biting finish. Hardly any hops presence, but the mix of acidic sour and berry sweetness produces a slight bitter mix at the end.

Overall, a very good sour from GI, but nothing compared to the Cantillon Iris I had right before.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2012 05:55:56 | More by boilermakerbrew

Jparker37

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber poured into a snifter, no tulips on hand. Bottled 1/26/12.

A - Pours a light red with some purple highlights. Thin white head collapses to a small white ring around the outside of the glass. Has great clarity.

S - A small hint of tartness but not fruity. Also a glimpse of some delicate brett funk that increases with temp. Mellow alcohol is noticeable alongside oak for great complexity.

T - Starts with some spicy rye malt and cherry like sweetness but a wave of crippling tart/acidic body catches me off guard. The little bit of fruitiness hidden, I believe to be from the blackberries. Not very sweet whatsoever. Delicate brett flavor follows the nose with equal nuance. Has a pleasant lingering acidic bite to its finish.

M - Light body, light carbonation. Lingering tartness.

O - Evaluating this beer is tough. I don't know if it should be more of a sour summer/refreshing beer with light brett characters and lighter acidity or bigger and more complex overall. However, There are things I greatly enjoyed: the subtlety of a brett smell, the curveball of huge acidity, the unique color.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 01:44:46 | More by Jparker37

sukwonee

Washington

4.35/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: looks like watered down unfiltered apple juice (I don't mean that as a bad thing). Very little head that quickly disappears. Almost zero lacing.

S: Sour, funk, some fruit notes. Smell is not too intense overall. I also smell some... fruit jam(?)

T: Tastes like a flanders red with some kick towards the middle/end (must be the rye) and tartness. Wine barrel comes through definitely (lingering taste is also very similar to after you have a sip of wine), but I don't really get much blackberry (probably meant to be very subtle anyway - blackberry is not overpowering by any means). I like it. A tad bit sweet for a sour (for my taste) though.

M: Dry, puckering, well carbonated. Characteristics you look for in sours

O: Very nice (but pricey!! - $20 in chicago). I am glad I got to try it. In my personal opinion (which doesn't mean much since I am relatively new to sours) this beer tastes more like a flanders red than anything else.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 21:20:09 | More by sukwonee

HuskyinPDX

Washington

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

Bottle opened on 7.25.12.
Bottled 1/26/2012

A - Pours a cloudy amber-red with a small off-white head that fades mostly to the edges.

S - Belgian funk and tart cherries.

T - Tart and funky cherries. Appealing.

D - Great carbonation and a light, tart body.

O - Great sour and tartness with a sweet cherry body.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 04:01:21 | More by HuskyinPDX

minnesotaryan

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 vintage poured into a snifter.

Pours a beautiful translucent pinkish red, not much head, nice carbonation presence.

The nose has a nice presence of black berries, brett funk and oak from the barrels.

The taste is incredibly tart, black berry and sour green grapes, apples, hints of oak, there is lemon towards the finish as well as a good amount of funky brett notes.

Mouthfeel is smooth, has a good carbonation presence, but, it is very dry and leaves a lasting sour impression.

I really enjoy this beer, it might help that I love black berries, and they shine nicely in the mix. Good complexity in every sip.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 02:55:05 | More by minnesotaryan

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Bottled in 01/26/12 and served in tulip glasses.

Pours a lovely warm shade of rosy burnt-orange. Very effervescent on the pour, similar to sparkling wine. The head fizzled loudly to a small outer ring on the surface. 4.0

Sniffing this one, I get a lot of sourness and a lot of Brett. An emphasis on Brett; nutty morels and rife with horse blanket and wet straw. Very tart note of berries is outshined by the prominent French oak barrel. Notes of vino from the cabernet are also quite evident. Very lightly crisp rye malt note that is flooded by acidic aromas and cheesy funk. 4.5

Exceptional layout with a forefront prickle of spicy rye base and nutty Brett funk, easing out into green berry tartness and oak in the middle, and finishing with a pronounced vinegary sour that's semi-fruity, more rye grain, and a clenching tannic character. Don't get me wrong, the acidity is there from start-to-finish, but the other flavors trade spotlights early in the sip. Just the right amount of 'pushing-the-envelope' tartness, overall. Woody, sour, and with a half-teaspoon of sugar sweetness. Vinous notes are lesser than those in the nose. Notes of white cranberry, tobacco leaf, red currant, blackberry, and sour cherry. 4.5

Drinks slowly because of the acidity. Big pucker dries out this light-medium body of beer. The carbonation is pretty stand-pat. There's enough going on in the complexity of flavors that you don't need a showy effervescence. Well maintained. Justifiably exquisite. 4.0

American Wild Ales have a pretty high ceiling, in general. Juliet hovers amongst other great examples in the top tier of sour craft beers. An elegant offering from a prestigious brewery. One o'their best sister beers. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 04:19:41 | More by thecheapies

rlee1390

Indiana

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

A-Nice ruby color, carbonation, one finger head but it doesn't last long.

S-Grapes, oak, frunk, blackberries and cherries. Just the from nose this beer has potential

T-Sour, the oak and grape notes are wonderful. Finish is sour with blackberries tasting wonderful.

M-Medium bodied, nice carbonation and very smooth.

O-A great Sour. Better than Lolita, looking forward to Madame Rose. Would be great to try those three blind.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 01:08:25 | More by rlee1390

nlmartin

Ohio

4.7/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer was chilled ice cold to prevent gushers. The beer was allowed to warm up to a proper temperature. The beer was served in a snifter.

A- The body of the beer is a bright clear golden coloration with a tinge of red. The head was short lived and disappeared.

S- As mentioned I poured the beer way to cold and it smelled like an acetic mess. Allowing the beer to hit a proper temperature opened this bad girl up. Very satisfying lactic notes combine with berries, and tart cherry aromas plenty of oak in the backside.

T- Nice acitic and lactic notes combined with grapefruit, lemons, mixed berries and oak. The beer is very vinous and even a bit tannic at times. Nicely done!

M- The body of the beer is light and very refreshing carbonation is perfect.

O- This is a world class wild ale. The beers aromas and flavors are well done. I bought this beer for $13 and it was well worth it. I would snatch this off the shelf in favor of many other first rate wild ales.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 02:49:19 | More by nlmartin

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.93/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into a tulip glass.

A: Pours a reddish copper color with excellent vibrance and lowish clarity. The head sucks - as soon as it tries to form, it fades to nothing in no time.

S: Light vinegar, rye malts, pleasant earthy funk, tart blackberries, and other assorted fruits. Lacks the restrained intensity of La Folie, but I still like how it smells a lot.

T: The first sip brings intense tartness, but it balances itself well with the rye's neutral bitterness and the ever-so-slight dark berry sweetness. The barnyard funk appears on the aftertaste and exhales. There are some light subtleties throughout, as well, aiding complexity. I said that the rye and mild sweetness helps balance it out, but it still seems a little harshly acidic at times. Otherwise, it's damn good, with a nice Flemish-style quality to it.

M: Very dry and mouth puckering, which is expected given its wild characteristics and rye backbone. I really like how the prickly, lighter texture becomes slightly creamier after swishing it around in the mouth. It's more of a sipper than a chugger, to be sure. And while carbonation is high, it's never overdone. If I have a complaint, it's that the oak tannins are a little overdone on the back end.

O: The only other sour I've had apart from La Folie - and it ain't La Folie. This is best split amongst multiple people, because a little REALLY goes a long way. Despite that, it's still a wholly solid and unique wild ale that any sour lover(s) would enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 01:55:49 | More by ThisWangsChung

mattsander

Alberta (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Rich blushing copper, excellent clarity, beautiful tiny bubbles. Stunning beer.

S: Earthy, velvety, slightly mushroom-y brett character that I absolutely love. The fruitiness is big but its hard for me to pinpoint what berries I'm smelling. Some tobacco, overripe apples, butter and booze as it warms. I actually really like how nondescript yet pungent the berry aroma is.

T: The tartness comes first here, with a huge fruity/herbal/tobacco center. It finishes long, earthy and sour. This is an awesome beer.

M: A big audacious sipping beer. Due to the higher finishing gravity this has a flanders sweet/sour vibe.

A totally awesome beer from Goose Island. This impressed me as much as any of the Russian River sour beers.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 01:12:27 | More by mattsander

herman77

Minnesota

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

A: Crazy red/orange with a bit of lavender. Very hazy, can't even really see thru it. Small white head that dies down quickly. No lacing.

S: Very sour and funky. Can pick up on some sweet blackberries as well. Some menthol characteristics as well... Vick's vapor rub?

T: Really, really tart. The sourness is there as well, but wow... that has some crazy tartness to it. Lots of tannins from the Cabernet Sauvignon barrel. And lets not forget about the funk. One of the most funkiest sours I've had. Barnyard and wet hay (in a good way). Just like the nose, you pick up a bit of sweetness from the blackberries.

M: Medium to lighter body. Very active and high carbonation. Lots of little bubbles.

O: Drinkability is so-so since its so damn tart and funky. Split this two or three ways and it's good. Well made for sure and worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 02:31:01 | More by herman77

CloudStrife

New York

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

22oz bottle poured into a snifter. Bottled on 01/26/12.

A: Pours a bright orangish red like a pomegranate. Head is quick to fizzle away. Very opaque, only lets light through.

S: Very funky and tart, I love it. Strong hints of blackberries and currants. Reminds me of a sour fruit wine.

T: This is one awesomely sour ale. Hits all sides of the tongue with berry. Currant, cranberry, blackberry and any sour berry you could think of. A little lacking in complexity.

M: Crisp and fairly light bodied. Pretty high in carbonation. Gives you a little pucker when it hits the side of your tongue.

Overall a delicious sour that is certainly worth a try. Glad I got two bottles, just wish I aged one :-)

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 03:11:41 | More by CloudStrife