Madame Rose - Goose Island Beer Co.

unclejazz

New York

4.4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

I have had the pleasure to have the 2010 release on multiple occasions. This review is of the 2012 release bottled in July.

A-nice fluffy head and plenty of carbonation throughout the experience. Reddish-brown in color, slightly hazy.

N-ripe tart cherry and tannins in the initial nose, secondary was vanilla and sweet breast malt.

T-sweet tart candies lead with a cherry chaser, solid brown ale back bone reminiscent of Rodenbach, but with more Grand Cru tendencies.

M-lots of carbonation and sharp bite on the tongue. Nice background of funk and horse blanket action. I now see there might be a high point for this guy about 6 months down the road.

O-there are some real similarities between this and Supplication. It doesn't age as well, but hit hard up front in the some way. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 01:11:23 | More by unclejazz

Thickfreakness

New York

4.6/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 bottle

A- Pours a rusty rootbeer brown into my Excelsior tulip. A very thin strawberry tinged head whispers and bubbles, but fades away immediately. The dots of lacing that remain are sucked down by the surprisingly oily legs that drag them into the abyss. Nothing really special to look at, but not bad for a Flanders Oud Bruin.

S- Sweet, yet very tart cherries. Brown sugar, wet compost, horse blanket, old barn, and subtle hints of vanilla and cocoa hidden well underneath. Picking up some sour red grapes and musk.

T- Punched in the mouth with sour cherries strained thru a horse's blanket. Really no other way to describe it. Very faint hints of vanilla, cinnnamon, raisins, milk chocolate, brulee'd sugar and banana in the way back of the bus. It gets extremely funky as it warms up! Damn, I almost wished I had just drunk this straight from the cellar. Lots of spiced banana and black pepper on the finish.

M- Very complex, juicy, yet dry! Dry red wine, tart cherry, little touches of banana and spice. No carbonation at all. You can almost feel the bugs in your mouth! This shit is funkier than Bootsy Collins! Tons of barnyard and compost, but with such an amazing blend of fruit and spice. Truely awesome and awe inspiring.

O- Really sad that I only have one more bottle of this little piece of GI infection perfection! I gotta grab some fantastic goat and sheep cheese to pair with this one on the next go round. Absolutely stunning!

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 00:53:58 | More by Thickfreakness

brentk56

North Carolina

4.11/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

2012 bottling

Appearance: Pours a rusty color with garnet highlights; the modest head fades quickly to a ringlet leaving just a few dots here and there

Smell: Lactic cherry sour notes and a vinous, wine barrel character

Taste: Lactic cherry flavor, up front, with acetic sourness building in the middle along with oak notes; chalky and dry, after the swallow, though the lactic cherry quality lingers into the finish

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: Very enjoyable to drink but really lacks some complexity - where is the funk and depth of flavor?

Thanks, BlueOkie, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 02:13:04 | More by brentk56

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

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

This poured out as a deep brown color with a fizzy tan head on top. The head fades not leaving any lacing or retention. The smell of the beer is tart with cherries and has a subtle sweetness as well as plenty of oak barrel on the nose. The taste of the beer is tart/sour there is a good amount of cherry in the mix. The flavors are a little medicinal at times but it could be much worse. The mouthfeel is thin, with a sharp carbonation. The beer is dry. Overall it's a pretty good Flanders, worth trying if the price is right.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 02:14:50 | More by Knapp85

MadScientist

New York

4.29/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: A deep amber brown with a ruby hue and good clarity. Pours with a finger of rocky off-white head that quickly fades to just a ring of fine bubbles around the edge. This style should have an average to good head retention but tart sours have a tend to have a pour head retention due to the high acidity.

S: It's got a mouth watering smell that signals beckoning sour beer fan to enjoy a tasty treat. A noticeable acetic sour aroma with moderately-strong red currents. There is moderate dark stone fruit aromas of sour cherries and nectarines along with some malt character. There is a moderate oak aroma as well.

T: A great sweet tart balance in the front an a little bit of caramel and oak on the finish. The fruit is again red cherries and red currentsThe sourness is a little more restrained than the aroma would suggest but still dominates the flavor along with the fruit and oak flavors. The balance is moderately sour. The hops don't add much just a light bitterness the is obscured by the tartness. The finish is dry with an aftertaste the oak and fruity notes.

M: Very lively beer on the palate having a light bodied with high levels of carbonation.

O: A fairly good Flanders Brown is always and exceptional beer when I can get my hands on one. This one is somewhat above average for the style and Like that isn't too sweet, which is with the style just not my preference. This beer could definitely age well and i'd probably enjoy it even more in a year or two.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 21:58:09 | More by MadScientist

Pencible

Virginia

4.23/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: This poured an opaque dark mahogany with a bit of tan head.
S: It smelled like huge sour cherry, with some apple cider vinegar and brown sugar.
T: It tasted like sweet and sour cherry and apple, with some vinegar and brown sugar. It had a clean and moderately sour aftertaste.
M: It was thin with moderate carbonation. Very light body.
D: This was a great Oud Bruin. It had a delicate and complex scent and taste. The body was a bit weak, but it was really easy to drink. Age or drink fresh. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 01:01:33 | More by Pencible

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A fixture upon the Nouveau Craft. Cherries, some contained sourness, and well balanced. A masterpiece. Capone’s restaurant acquisition. Well saved for Oscar night -no wine shall compete with you tonight. Reddish tinge and cherry and yeast aroma. Lasting head and lace. Smooth mouthfeel. A sipper and full drinkability with dessert

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 00:23:20 | More by northyorksammy

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

4.11/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into the glass, Madame Rose was a little darker than I would have suspected. For a Flanders it was a fairly dark brown with a sour aroma. Little head was produced by this one, as would be expected for the style. In the initial taste, one can detect bitter cherry, dry tartness, grape skin, and tart cherry hints at the back of the throat towards the end. The sour notes linger in the aftertaste but are quickly brushed away in the aftertaste by the carbonation. I never really detected much of the barrel aging in this one. It seemed more like a Flanders with more intense cherry notes. It is a better than average interpretation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 12:19:00 | More by JohnnyHopps

Treebs

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle served in a GI Chalice. 2012 vintage, bottled on 7/31/2012/

A: Pours a slightly opaque brown color with sienna colored edges. A thin sandalwood colored head forms on the pour and recedes a to thin ring.

S: Tart cherry skins, some oak and a definite cab presence. Brett is present on the nose. Sweet cherry as well.

T: Oak, tart cherry skins with an underlying funk. Red wine grape, slightly acidic with a little bit of vinegar. The funk comes up much more on the finish with a slight hint of pale malt.

M: Medium to light bodied with a medium high carbonation level. Moderately dry finish.

O: Moderately funky with some nice cherry tartness to it. The barrel is nicely integrated and it leaves a nice array of grape and oak in the background.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 03:50:15 | More by Treebs

ckollias

Maryland

4.24/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Enjoyed this bottle out of a Belgian tulip glass.

A: Pours a hazy brown hue with a two finger white head that quickly dissipates into a wispy lace leaving no trail down the glass.

S: Strong tart and sweet fruity aroma.

T: Extremely sour and tart brew – with a good cherry and fruity background. Finishes on the sour yeasty side.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: An excellent sour beer. Definitely an acquired taste and a sipping beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 02:40:36 | More by ckollias

CloudStrife

New York

4.46/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle split and poured into a snifter. Bottled July 31 2012. #1424

A: Pours a very hazy brown ruby with a one finger off white head. Cant see too far into this brew. Head dissipates to a thin covering after a minute or so.

S: Amazingly tart right off the bat. Loads of Brett yeast with an assertion of cherry. Oak is certainly a highlight of the smell as well. Fully encompasses the realm of sour, very impressive.

T: As you would expect from the aroma this one is a sour and tart beer. Very nice how they crafted such a blend of Brett yeast, sweet malts and cherry. Good oak aging, has a nice wine character to it. Very enjoyable.

M: Light on the palate, good carbonation. Real crisp finish from the tartness. Booze is lost in the wonderful taste. Will make you pucker up the first sip. Pleasurable to sip.

Overall this is phenomenal. A must try for any sour fan. Was very fortunate to get a bottle of it and hopefully you can be too. WIll seek this out for the rest of my life.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 00:58:14 | More by CloudStrife

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cheers to Goblinmunkey7 for sharing this beer, the final beer of our substitute Extreme Beer Fest

Note: 2010 vintage

Consumed 2/9/13

Appearance: Lightly cloudy, medium amber with a a lot of red tones - pink with some brown - small, off-white head - minimal lacing, okay for the style

Smell: Damp and musty - sour, in a decidedly lactic way - a damp, dirty cellar - Brett funkiness - some hints of red wine and cherries, neither is particularly prominent - hints of some acetone, but it's minimal

Taste: Damp and musty, with cherries - lactic sourness and something that tastes like an old, wet sponge smells like - wood and red wine - cherry flesh and skin - yeasty weirdness - funky, tart - lightly acidic with some vinegar - some pale and amber malts, vaguely roasty

Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, adequate carbonation, with a damp, sour finish

Overall: Madame, you are weird

This is not as sour or cherry-forward as I anticipated. But it does fit the weirdness I would anticipate from an Oud Bruin. Damp, musty, and bizarre. I'm curious what a fresh bottle would be like. Fortunately, I have one.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 05:16:40 | More by angrybabboon

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4.26/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

2010 vintage.

Appearance: Deep garnet. Relatively clear. Small collar of loose bubbles. Minor carbonation on the pour.

Smell: Tart cherry. Wood, distinctly oaky. Powdery Brett. Cherry flesh and skin. Some acetic edges. So much wood. Wet and vaguely sweet. Light earthy funkiness. Cherry juice and worn leather. Some juicy dark fruits, mainly berries. Slightly vinous.

Taste: Delightfully tart. Wet and juicy. Cherry flesh, skin, and juice. Loaded with oak. Powdery yeast influence adds some earthy elements. Touches of something floral. Rich backing berry flavors. Acetic tartness, almost citric at times. Warming pushes the oak up a touch. Cherry sweetness. Hints of leather. Mild malt backbone has some lighter malt sweetness. Slightly floral at times. Brett profile is pronounced, but not excessive. Nice job overall complexity. Tart.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and a moderate carbonation. A touch of lingering tart dryness on the finish. Wet prior to the finish.

Overall: The redheaded sister isn't bad looking either.

A nice blend of tart and.juicy fruit sweetness. Oak is a bit heavy in the long run, but it doesn't really hurt it.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 05:13:56 | More by Goblinmunkey7

cjoc83

Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

2012 Madame Rose (bottled 7/21/12) pours a murky, hazy opaque brown with hazelnut hues at the edges of the glass when held up to the light. Minimal head and no lace (as expected for the style).

Smell is a little tart cherry, vinous red wine character, some barnyard phenols, and sweet malt. Not really getting any oak, but still smells pretty damn good.

My first go around with an Oud Bruin is certainly a good one. Cherry and lactic acidic tartness are accompanied by funky brett and some sweet and bready malt character. Some oak character comes through mid-palette. Finishes with a sweet/sour taste that lingers in the mouth.

Medium bodied with lively carbonation keeps this beer refreshing and crisp. Dry finish.

As I stated above, I have no experience with this style, but it doesn't seem too much different to me than a Flanders red. A great mix of sour and sweet flavors with some red wine notes and oak character to top it off. And although this is a great beer, I probably wouldn't buy it again just based on the price. But a great beer that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 23:28:13 | More by cjoc83

Giggy

Michigan

4.11/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle that I picked up in a small grocery store/ meat market for Christmas. Didn't get around to drinking it right away.

A: poured a nice brown with a garnet hue. Nice fluffy tan head.

S: tart. Dark fruits- cherries, currants, and prunes. Wood, red wine and a slight vinegar.

T: tart cherry with vanilla, caramel, & oak.

O: med body. Sour beer

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 18:49:02 | More by Giggy

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

4.05/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2012 22oz bottle:

Appearance: Crimson with a small head that quickly fades away to the perimeter.

Smell: Damn, smells like a sour to me! I get the tartness of the cherries and there's some kind of coriander element there, but it's probably just that belgian yeast.

Taste: Belgian yeast and the cherries combine nicely over a nice malty backbone. The finish is crisp and dry, leaving hints of the cabernet barrel, belgian yeast and sour cherries.

Overall: Very drinkable and refreshing. Would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 03:43:53 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

UnderJoath

Illinois

3.89/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

2012 bottle poured into tulip glass. Pours a deep red almost purple with a thin light head that quickly disappears. Aromas contains an acidic cherry. Tastes less of cherries than the aroma lets on. Still a lot of tart character, little malt with a bit of funk to it. Moderately carbonated that tickles the nose. Overall, a solid GI brew but not quite up to par as her other two sisters.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 07:09:39 | More by UnderJoath

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

DubbelTrubbel

Iowa

3.8/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Bottle into goblet-style wine glass. 2012 vintage.

A- Rich mahogany brown, one finger of tannish head dissipates quickly

S- funky yeast, wine, sour cherries, then some oak. Hint of malt. As it warmed, it was like Bourbon county with wine- noticeable oak.

T- Sour cherries against a brown ale- a little charred malt at the end. Then some weird funk. Leans toward high bitterness.

M- Really nice mouthfeel, very easy, smooth feeling.

O- For me the best part of this is the smell- quite good. I think the taste needs the most work- It doesn't stand up the smell in complexity. I would not buy again at the $18 a bottle price.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 23:56:32 | More by DubbelTrubbel

MordorMongo

Indiana

3.78/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Start of a year of at least a review a day. 2012 Vintage. Decided to start with some GI, why not?

A - Ruddy brown, minimal head and lacing, pretty standard oud bruin look honestly.

S - Some vinous barrel, slight cherry (not as much as past vintage), vinegar notes, very slight funk hiding in there somewhere.

T - Not as much cherry as last batch, definite lactic sour dominant, not as much funk as I would like, vinegar more evident in finish. Woody notes throughout but overall just a bit dull, not near as crisp, fruity and funky as last one.

M - Medium, some carb in there, more than what appears visibly.

O - For the pricepoint and GI rep I would expect more but hard to say this is a let down. A very solid oud bruin, would love some bigger cherry influence and more FUNK, but I won't say no to another one so cannot complain much.

Definitely preferred last batch to this one....but perhaps my memory is just playing tricks on me. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:29:09 | More by MordorMongo

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.03/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured out a ruddy kind of appearance that you expect from a flanders oud bruin, equal parts amber and light brown. It would seem like a flanders red versus a flanders oud bruin would be a better beer to showcase the cherries, but nonetheless, here we are. Thin head, no lacing or retention really.

Aroma, fits the bill, minimal vinegar feel, the cherry is there, but at over 2 years old, this one is probably a little less on the fruit mouthfeel and higher on the sourness because of it.

I thought it was pretty good, but the brown malt made me keep wondering if this would be better suited for a red. I guess my natural preference is for a flanders red moreso than a brown, so that's probably all it is. The wood presence is there, but not heavy on the palate. For my money, I think this is far superior to Rodenbach. The wine barrel intrusion is minimal, but complimentary and tannic. That with the brett give kind of a chalky, grittyness that sticks to the teeth, pretty enjoyable at a little over the two year point. Not overly acidic, its kind of a more bretty then lactic sourness.

This is one of the more rare beer reviews from beerandraiderfan, as this review is being written immediately after consuming said beer this New Year's Eve, 2012. What can I say, everyone of drinking age isn't drinking anymore. In the end, its a pretty good and enjoyable beer. How many more will I continue to get a hold of? I dunno, there's one or two still in the cellar, it costs a little to get it shipped here, and its about the same price as Oude Tart, so prolly not much, but it doesn't mean this isn't a quality beverage here. . . man.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 07:29:37 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Gobzilla

California

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

A: poured a pale brown in color with slight ruby highlights and almost no head which barely left any lacing sticking to the glass.

S: not as funky on the brett as the description suggest however there was a good presence of cherry fruit, signs of vinegar, a little vinous wine barrel character and citrus notes.

T: cherry fruit was a little more pronounced on the palate but not too loud alongside good vinous wine barrel accents, mild bretty funkiness, brown sugar sweetness followed with a bit of citrus twang, slight vinegar flavor and a touch of vanilla.

M; the brew was light to medium in body with a low amount of carbonation which had a fruity, vinegary, citrusy, vinous barrel, semi sweet and tart finish.

O: I thought it was just an average oud flanders but was still good and worth the try.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 11:23:50 | More by Gobzilla

pigc

Nebraska

3.98/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 bottled 7/31/12 poured into tulip.

A - Dark brown with slight reddish tones with a one finger head that fades quickly. Medium amount of carbonation bubbles.

S - Tart cherries, lactic acid, slight barnyard funk and acidic vinegar.

T - Starts out with a mildly tart cherry followed by a bit of funky brett. Not picking out too much more on this other than some slighty acidic tannins.

M - Light and lively with decent carbonation.

O - Slightly one dimentional, although I do enjoy the tart cherry flavor. Madame Rose is a relatively tame sour. Worth trying this once but the $17 pricetag is a bit steep for what you get here.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 02:42:31 | More by pigc

yamar68

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was quite the pain in the ass to track down this year... 2012 vintage at cellar temp:

Pours an appropriately murky reddish brown body - a finger of off-white to brown head swells to form the first set of lace and eventually fades down to a thick stubborn collar that laces just as well.

Mild funky red fruits... overripe cherry and tart brown sugar notes, very smooth, no obvious sour presence, incredibly approachable in this respect.

Oh that's good stuff... a reserved sense of tart cherry flesh layered over sweet dark malts and semi-sweet dessert flavors. Some floral qualities, a variety of pleasantly sour fruits... very smooth stuff. Won't make you pucker but the variety of nuanced flavors and aromas will keep you interested.

Good shit.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 01:20:47 | More by yamar68