Madame Rose - Goose Island Beer Co.

ChicagoHopHead

Illinois

2.1/5  rDev -49.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pour into a tulip glass with little to no head.

Initial wine smell with light vinegar in the background.

Initial taste was of vinegar/sourness. Hard to distinguish cherry from sourness.

LIttle carbonation which made the beer seem flat. More characteristic of a wine than a beer.

Overall I did not like this beer. I am not sure if it the style or this brand. I hope to try another brand of this style to have a better grasp of this experience.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 02:30:16 | More by ChicagoHopHead

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

2.65/5  rDev -36.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Brownish red color, cloudy enough to be opaque when held to light. Hard pour begets a hearty head which unfortunately does not beget hearty retention. Disappointment ensues.

Steely tart cherry with an underlying carob powder earthiness. Tastes pretty much like it smells: tart, natural cherry with a metallic tone and chicory undertone.

A disappointing beer from Goose Island. Tart and monotone my wife dumped hers but I finished mine with a meh upon last sip. Rose is more of a corner pimp than a madame. That was a stretch.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 23:03:35 | More by donkeyrunner

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.24/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A: Poured a hazy amberish-cherry color with a small dirty white cap which fades leaving a still boring beer with almost zero lacing and bubbles.

S:Nose is sweet cherry, like artifical cherry like I would get a cheap kids drink blended with fresh red cherries. Bugs are present leaving some funky notes on the nose with some old wood and vinous smells

T: Initial red cherry, cheap tasting like its kool-aid. Thankfully the taste fades rather quickly under the bugs and barrel influence. A little booze sting comes on at the end. The finish is somewhat dry, tart and sweet simultaneously

M: Medium bodied, I felt undercarbonated, still and a snoozer

O: Not bad but mot something I would go for again.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 14:22:31 | More by barleywinefiend

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.35/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks goes to smurfbeer for this bottle. Split into tulips.

A: Rusty brown hue. Small off white head fades quick leaving a smattering of soapy lace.

S: Pleasant sour cherry is the most dominant aroma. Moderate spices, pie crust, wet wood and a dash of vanilla. Not much funk. I really hoped for funk.

T: Mildly sour cherry and a good amount of oak. That's pretty much all I get. Not medicinal. That's a plus.

M: Smooth medium body. Very mild carbonation.

O: Well this was better than The Dissident for sure. However it was nowhere near being a great FOB. Maybe some age would do this one some good.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 01:53:06 | More by beerwolf77

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Thanks to lurchingbeast for sending me this bottle.

Pours a  dark golden ruby color with burnt orange edges and a one finger off white head that quickly settles into a lasting ring.  Spotty lacing left behind.

Funky barnyard aroma with lots of vinous fruit and prominent barrel, giving off strong notes of oak and vanilla.  Lots of cherry and other dark fruits.  Plenty of bugs and funk.

Medium body which is dry, very tart and puckering with lots of earthy funk, oak barrel and sweet fruit.  Prominent tart dark cherry but still sweet with lactic funk.  Subtle acetone presence at first that becomes a bit overpowering with a powerful, lingering vinegary/solvent finish.  A bit harsh on the acidity but decent amount of sweetness and oak countering things.  This had the potential to be a lot better but the acetic solvent character is just too strong for my liking. 

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 03:23:04 | More by corby112

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a tumbler.

2012 vintage. Well, hadn't seen my man VDubb and his lady in some time, so I figured I'd bring over a bottle o' this to mark the occasion. It pours a dark faux-murky ruby-garnet topped by a finger or so of off-cream foam. Not all that much to look at, though, until it was held up to the light. The nose comprises dank/slightly tart cherry, light caramel/maple syrup (I couldn't untangle the two), and a touch of general earthiness. The taste holds notes of sweeter-than-usual cranberries, light tart cherry pit, light earthy greens, and a smattering of vague sweetness running beneath it all. Honestly, this aspect let me down a little, especially considering the pedigree of her sisters. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry, sticky finish. Overall, a pretty nice brew, but one that just didn't live up to expectations. There was hardly any appreciable tartness of any kind, the cherries came through somewhat muted (even transmogrified at times), and the whole thing came across as just too sweet for its own good (and, mind you, this is without coming across as sweet in any absolute sense whatsoever, only a relative one based on the style/expectations/whatnot). It's still generally enjoyable, but nothing to really celebrate too much.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 16:00:50 | More by TMoney2591

ChadQuest

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A pretty hazy burnt brown amber mahogony color with a off whitey dirty cap over heads.
The aroma is more subtle then i expected for how much time i let this one go with the brett. It is presented in such a mild behaved manor and integrated with oak and cherry.
The flavors are upfront strong and fade out very quickly, such a short finish, even more so then other dry beers, Especially considering that this one isn't super Lactic. This is a great beer to introduce someone to sours with. While the funky brett character is moderately revealing it is the cherry soaked oak notes that carry the body of this beer.

Of the 3 sisters, all of them are great in their own right, but this one least fit my preferances(high lactic, strong brett), but would be the most approachable for a new to sour beer drinker.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 06:05:58 | More by ChadQuest

steve8robin

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Glad to finally see this released. First I've seen it on shelves. 2010 vintage. 22oz bottle...

A: Deep ruby red with plum and copper highlights. Small white head that fades very quickly and leaves a tiny lace on the side of the brew. Good.

S: Just get a sour tinge, not much else. Eh.

T: I immediately get tart grapes and cherries upfront. Almost like if the made a grape sour patch kid. Some bready rye in the middle with not much on the backend. Good.

M: Medium body with a good carbonation. Good.

D: Once you get past the tartness, this is good. Decent.

All in all, this is not a good brew. Simply put, ok. It's a sour and I know I am not the best judge as I am not a fan of that flavor in beer. However, trying to judge without bias, this is not one of the higher end sours by any means.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2010 02:30:19 | More by steve8robin

merc7186

New York

3.43/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottled on 7/31/12.

Bomber into sampler glass.

A: Dark Amber Hue, Passes Some Light, Mild Head Ring, Mild Lacing

S: Mild Sour Cherry, Mild Sour Mash

T: Mild Sour Cherry, Mild Red Plum

M: Mediocre Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Tart

Overall, pretty average (or less) after having after a Juliet (and much better sours)

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 04:43:17 | More by merc7186

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bomber dated 7/31/2012, poured into a wine glass of the shape recommended on the bottle.

How can I say that I really liked this beer, and was still disappointed by it? Let's see...

The beer pours an amber brown, and develops a small, white head that vanishes quickly and leaves no lacing. That's not the disappointing part, as it's pretty typical for an Oud Bruin.

Right off the bat, this smells like it's going to be sour. It has a little funk, and some oak. But this beer is supposedly brewed with cherries and aged in wine barrels, so where are the fruit notes? The smell is monotone. Even as it warms, it never changes into something more interesting.

On the tongue, it is maybe a little bit more complex. It is really sour, which is great! And as it approaches room temperature, it reveals very subtle complexities -- a hint of cherry, tobacco, and leather. But they are almost imperceptible.

In the end, this beer reinforces my opinion that Goose Island can make a pretty bottle, but can't quite pull off Belgian styles.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 06:58:38 | More by DaveAnderson

craytonic

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Dark ruby-amber with a small off-white head

Smell: Some cherries and brett, not particularly sour. Perhaps some bits of oak.

Taste: Some cherries, but not tart or sour. A bit of oak and brett. Not that noteworthy.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, average carbonation

Overall: A very ho-hum beer, below-average for the style. Points for a cool label I suppose.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 00:48:59 | More by craytonic

HopHead84

California

3.5/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

3/24/2012

Bottle shared by Tim at Kill the Cellar Day, thanks!

A: Dark orange with a fast fading white head. Nice color.

S: Strong cherry notes with a slight medicinal influence. There's a touch of vinegar. Sweet malts are apparent and there's a firm lactic profile. I detect a slight mustiness and a dash of leather.

T: Lightly tart with a little sweetness. Cherries remind me a little of cough syrup. Light acetic acidity with notes of vinegar. Malt is moderately sweet. Light oak notes are present in the cherry finish. The beer possesses a moderate lactic sourness.

M: Spritzy mouthfeel with a medium body.

Overall: The medicinal notes are somewhat distracting but this is still pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 20:25:03 | More by HopHead84

peabody

Kentucky

3.58/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours out a little brown to redish tint. A finger of bubbles adorn this one.
Smell is cherry skin and and grape wine. The alcohol is quite prominent.
Taste is sour cherry and some sugar malt. Kinda one sided but still very good.
Mouthfeel is clean as can be expected. The alcohol keeps the palate involved and leads to more tipping of the glass.
Overall I think the price comes into play. It's pretty good but not 25$ good.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 21:39:21 | More by peabody

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours a faded hazy mahogany red with a foamy looking bubbly head. The nose is ok, fair bit of oak with light vanilla and cherry as a moderate acidity and sawdusty Brett. Flavor is similar. Decent acidity in the finish, cherries are light and the oak is still most prominent with a fair bit of vanilla. Light body, assertive carbonation, semi dry finish and assertive but nice sourness. Decent, drink closer to room temp. Balanced but a touch flabby.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 14:28:04 | More by cpetrone84

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2010 bottle. Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a tasting glass.

Appearance: This has a kind of faded, dirty brown appearance with a cranberry tint and a subdued off-white head.

Smell: Lactic and vinegary cherry and lemon in the nose, with a touch of sweetness and some oak.

Taste: There is a lot of cherry in the flavor. After some smooth malt presence up front, sweet cherries turn lactic and sour. Accompanied by some other stone fruit flavors, this becomes more and more sour.

Mouthfeel: Some vinegar and puckering sourness. The body is pretty much medium for the style, with a high level of bubbly carbonation. Dry, more so at the finish.

Overall: This was pretty good, but I do not have a reason to really go after this again. Especially for the price, there are better options.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 16:42:02 | More by KickInTheChalice

ElCommodoro

Texas

3.65/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is a delicious and unique, but very one-sided beer. I was expecting one-sidedness, but not this much vinegary sourness since the bottle only indicated that it was Belgian-style and not that it was a sour. I consider that to be very pertinent information and am baffled as to why they wouldn't mention it. I like the vinegary, unripe cherry flavour, though.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 09:37:48 | More by ElCommodoro

AgentZero

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Shared with Jason, Sean, and Chris at the Bristol.

A - Brownish beer with a minimal head. Bit of red and pink. Small white head, bit of retention and lace.

S - Litte bit of cherry with a load of vinegar. Some wood, hints of vanilla on the nose as well.

T - Sour and acetic with a lot of vinegar. Tart cherries are there, little bit watery on the end, and not super tart. Slight funk, wood, and vanilla. Kind of a strange oud bruin, finish is a bit weak.

M - Medium bodied with a little too much carbonation.

D - This is solid, not great. Fairly easy to get down, but wouldn't seek this out at the prices it is at.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2011 05:02:06 | More by AgentZero

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

3.68/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz into snifter.

A- Light brown with signifigant ruby highlights. Aggressive pour still summons a lackluster head.

S- Strong berry sweetness, mild vinegar.

T- Mostly tart cherry skin. Some *mild* funk, hints at a kriek- this is pretty obviously a homage and not an actual attempt. Berries are pretty vibrant. Mild twinge of vinegar, but it's subtle.

M- Nice and dry, good tartness without destroying the tongue. Pretty well-balanced, no complaints here.

O- Overall, this is a pretty good American Wild Ale. I found the serving size to be a bit much- would much rather see this in 12oz bottles. I would revisit this, but would not go out of my way to land another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2011 22:22:44 | More by ShogoKawada

birchstick

Missouri

3.68/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a bright cherry red color workout much of a head on it. Nose is cherries, vinous character, sourdough bread. Taste starts with cherries that move to a citric character. Some bready malts take the palate next and are overwhelmed by some more citric cherry flavors mixed in some vinegar that is ultimately drowned out by a lingering vinous flavor. Really nice complexity. Decent mouthfeel. Overall, this is a really nice beer. I don't know if I would pay the price tag again for it, but wouldn't say no.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 00:03:47 | More by birchstick

vic21234

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bomber poured into a snifter. Bottled on date is 07/31/12.

A- Pours a cloudy brown color with some hints of red. A half finger of an off-white head quickly fades to some lacing along the sides of the glass.

S- The smell is of an overall tartness. I smell cherries and sour grapes more than anything, very reminiscent of wine.

T- Taste acts much on the smell. Starts off fizzy before the overall sour and tartness comes in. Sour grape notes dominate the taste for me. I expected more of a presence of cherries.

M- Light and highly carbonated, sour and tart yet an easy drinker. Alcohol is very hidden.

Price point on this one is kind of high, and I would have thought there would be more of a cherry presence in the taste. This is a nice one to give a try though.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 15:02:21 | More by vic21234

Papi

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Golden brandy color, hazy. Head dissipates pretty quickly to minimal lacing.

S - Tart cherry aroma up front and with wood shavings.

T - Quite tart from the beginning, bordering on a sour. Dry and light like a white wine. Indeed, I almost taste tannins. Finishes dry and not much sweetness.

M - Light/Medium body, nice carbonation tingle and dry finish.

Interesting beer that I would serve with apple, sausage and walnut-stuffed pork chops.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2011 19:23:37 | More by Papi

indesertum

New York

3.7/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Reddish brown. Small head. No lacing in a clean glass.

Smells like sour cherries. A little oak. Tastes like sour cherries, some oak, some lambic barnyard funk. Not so much funk.

Little complexity. Light refreshing balanced.

Would rather drink rodenbrach grand cru for the price

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 01:10:23 | More by indesertum

koopa

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bomber purchased at DeCicco's in Ardsley NY

Appearance: Pours a slightly cloudy brown tinged burgundy with a 1 finger off white crown that shows moderate retention and lace.

Smell: Decent amount of yeast (non funky other than a light lemon brett note) and a moderate cherry pucker. A hint of oak also says hello.

Taste: Same players as the nose but it doesn't come together well for me. Flavors are mild and lackluster but I do enjoy the moderately citric/puckering finish.

Mouthfeel: A bit undercarbonated for my liking.

Overall: A decent beer but it doesn't contend with the better options in the style category.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 22:50:24 | More by koopa

nhindian

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle split with russwbeck and poured into a Goose Island wine glass.

A - Much darker than Lolita, more like a darker orange and brown rather than the vibrant colors of the former. Still low head formation and retention, around that half-finger mark with sparse lacing. This does have a somewhat clearer body with less sediment.

S - As with Lolita, the barrel is very present in the aroma. Strong oak characteristics with grapes, and like Lolita, the fruit component isn't incredibly strong. Not as tart either, but there is a potent vinegar quality as well. Wish the cherries were a little more forward.

T - The tartness is ramped up a bit on the palate, but with the overall profile taking a hit as the individual notes seem to fall behind. The vinegar is here as well, and only after these two fade do the cherry and oak come through. It's pretty sweet too, which couples nicely with the tartness. The finish has a lot of barrel influence, too, as it is long with the wood and vanilla. Not as boozy as Lolita.

M - Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with lowish carbonation. Actually feels very similar to Lolita in that regard. Still feels decent, if not a touch heavy.

D/O - Drinkability is moderate. For the style, it's pretty good, but I would've liked more cherries here. I like the amount of barrel I get here, though.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 23:11:00 | More by nhindian

smakawhat

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass. Vintage 2012.

A very light mahogany red is poured with a very soapy tan head making about a finger in size. Head settles to a good solid puck of about a centimeter, with large carbonation bubbles when forming. Lots of rising carbonation through the very opaque body, rising fast. Fairly decent looking brew, very nice red body on this.

The sourness is strong with this one, very tart aromas, and some good funk. Hints of tart cherry, and a warm sour sensations. I am strangely getting sweet coffee scents off this too with sweet milk and cream. Smells really very nice, a real fascinating mix

Hits the palate slightly wet, not much malt depth for coating. Surprisingly not that carbonated or fizzy feeling either. Mild sour cherries and skim milk like tastes hit the palate. Fleeting flavor profile on the finish. The palate other than slightly cherry fruit is really not that diverse and kind of one dimensional.

Overall this is kind of a let down, it's one of my favorite styles and this has some great qualities but it feels like something is missing. Nothing more I can say.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 02:01:49 | More by smakawhat