Lolita - Goose Island Beer Co.

GoldenVIKE

Illinois

2.3/5  rDev -43.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Murky copper/cherry red pour with almost no head, lace, or even carbonation visible.

S - faint smell like raspberry fruit candy

T - very sour and dry tasting. tart but not sweet enough to balance the sour.

M - medium bodied, light carbonation

O - Too sour and dry for my liking. Could use more sweetness and carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 19:47:58 | More by GoldenVIKE

RickS95

Indiana

2.75/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Looks sort of like a beer, but mostly like a reddish brown wine. There's a head for a short period, but it's dissipates quickly. Slightly thinner and lighter than wine, but you get the idea.

The nose is very similar to some krieks I've had. A slight sour, vinegary scent that evolves into raspberry.

It's not great tasting. Almost a medicinal flavor, cough syrup like. A tart raspberry taste with just a hint of vinegar. Similar to red wine, just a bit thinner.

Very tart from beginning to end. Only slightly less harsh than a Belgian sour kriek. Not quite bitter, just tart and sour. Medium bodied. It's a dry finish, but it coats your tongue with dry. Puckers your lips.

Bottled on 11/12/11 so maybe I should have given it more time, but it's only barely drinkable and just beer-like. There's an alcohol heat, but not much taste. Not my favorite.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 02:55:59 | More by RickS95

BearsOnAcid

Massachusetts

2.78/5  rDev -31.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reddish chestnut color, almost no head on the pour. Looked like some big soapy bubbles that just feel flat.

Very earthy dirt funk that I get from most raspberry wild ales. The raspberries seem to be doing its usual thing it does in wild ales. Reminds of the seeds mixed with rotten raspberries. Acidic and a mild pretzel aroma.

Tart raspberry syrup flavor. Not like an artificial flavor but not very fresh tasting. Flavor just drops off completely after swallowing. A very mild one dimensional bretty finish could be salvaged. This beer is like drinking a funky sour raspberry soda.

It was okay to drink but like all of the Goose Island sours (except for MAYBE Juliet), I would never seek it out or bother trying it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2011 15:44:40 | More by BearsOnAcid

rmcnealy

Illinois

2.78/5  rDev -31.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served chilled in a traditional becker.

Poured a dark amber with a very small active bubbly head that fleeted quick. The beer is rather translucent with virtually no sediment. The first aromas are familiar of red wines with an end tapering of what appears to be cloves. The taste is very tart and the raspberries become quickly evident. The carbonation is also showcased at this point. The taste fades quickly leaving a slight bitterness with a fruity, berry residual at the end. Very interesting taste. I get what is trying to be done here, but not sure I agree with it. I'd almost rather have some freshly made sangria if given the option. Definitely not my favorite Goose Island offering, but it was bottled before A-Busch took over so I can only imagine down from here.

Found at Cardinal Liq's, Niles IL

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 23:00:44 | More by rmcnealy

SpeedwayJim

New York

3.3/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Thanks to schen9303 for this one. Poured from a 22oz bottle into a Duchess oversize wine glass.

A: Gentle pour yields a single layer of big white bubbles that dissipates quickly. Beer is a clear, dark, midnight red. Lacing is non-existent.

S: Nose is pungent sour raspberries, cherries, oak, and Brett. Sweet and simple overall but aromatic and very enticing.

T: Opens slightly spicy and sweet. Brett in the background that is overshadowed by slight yeasty bitterness and sweet cherry. Middle is more red fruit with a mellow, creeping Farnese that never quite gets there. Finish is cobweb and yeast. Aftertaste is sweet red fruit puree.

M: Medium bodied and moderately carbonated. Lively in the mouth and abrasive going down. Finishes dirty with a slightly lingering aftertaste.

D: The appearance and smell of this beer leads me to believe that this one's gonna be amazing... But the taste never quite gets there. Not really tight, funky, or oaky. I would definitely like to revisit this one somewhere down the line, but as is, I'll pass for now.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2011 00:04:54 | More by SpeedwayJim

jegross2

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewing the Lolita from Goose Island Brewing Company. This was the last of the "Three Sisters" that I needed to review, the other two being Juliet and Madame Rose.
Score: 82

Bottled 11/12/11, served in a Surly Darkness snifter and enjoyed on 03/07/12. You can see my friend Kendra's head creepily photo-bombing this beer picture. This review is from notes from our tasting session that night.

Appearance: Dark ruby orange color that falls between translucent and opaque. Pours three quarters of a fingers of white bubble head that quickly settles into no head at all. Minimal lacing, below average retention. 3.5/5

Smell: Tart cherries and fruitiness. There's a white grape sweetness and a definitely aroma of oak. Some apple too and a little bit of what can only be described as "funk." Like a dirty gym socks smell. Wouldn't be a bad aroma if not for that stinky funk. 2.5/5

Taste: Tastes substantially better than it smells. Sweet, candied cherry. A little sugary apple, white grape and fruit. Hint of oak. Crisp, refreshing and drinkable. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, high carbonation. Juicy mouthfeel. Sweet, sugary and slightly dry finish. 4/5

Overall: The other beers in the Three Sisters series (Juliet and Madame Rose) were noticeably better -- primarily because they did not have a funky smell. I suppose if you like that "funky sour" smell, then more power to you. At least it tastes way better than it smells.

Recommendation: If you like funky smelling sours that are cherry-apple flavored, then seek this one out. Those who do not like sours/lambics/wild ales can probably skip this one, and I think it's the least appealing of the Three Sisters for casual beer drinkers.

Pairings: Dark chocolate cake.

Cost: $16.99 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 05:21:36 | More by jegross2

vfgccp

New York

3.38/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

2010 bottle, drank 2/22/11.

A - Cherry tinted cognac. Low head.

S - Oak, woody, earthy.

T - Dry oak up front with a tang of raspberries in the mid profile. Almost Flemish sour characteristic. Sour cherries just after the mid profile. Carnations and flower stems in the finish.

M - Sour with a carbonated tingle. Very dry finish. Floral back end.

D - Not your every day standard, but interesting. The tartness will slow you down if you're not a fan of sour styles.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 01:59:23 | More by vfgccp

ChadQuest

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -17%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

This is my wifes favorite beer, so it gets opened commonly for that reason.
This is our first 2011 bottle.
The color is a strawberry orange color. Initially there is a fizzy white cap that fizzes out quickly to a nearly still looking body.
The aroma has a nice musty note all around it, which is nice, i dig it. The raspberries smell like the whole fruit, does not smell artificial.
Flavor wise this one is nice and tannic up front initially, and as you get to the bottom it looses some bite. There is a blend of oak and tart near the top that accents the forward raspberries.
The mouthfeel is medium thin, and could use a touch more carbonation but has enough to suffice. maybe if it wasn't brand new fresh that would have changed.

i would want more acidity, but that would hurt her preferance.
i like it, she loves it.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 05:58:32 | More by ChadQuest

musicforairports

New York

3.43/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2011 bottle into small snifter.

Pink/red color. A head develops but goes quickly. Bubbly.

Sour cherry, raspberry and vinegar notes on the nose.

Flavor is a balance of sweet and sour raspberry flavor. Not as complex as the nose and rather fruit-forward. Barnyard Brett notes are minor. Not too sweet, but the malty raspberry flavor is a bit overpowering.

Crisp, light-medium body, decently carbonated.

I found this beer very similar to Ommegang's Aphrodite--a little too fruit-forward for me. The barrel characteristics, at least in this fresh bottle, are minimal. For a great Goose Island sour offering, go for Madame Rose instead.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 01:48:28 | More by musicforairports

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to bpk59 for sharing this with me.

A - Poured into a Boulevard tulip a nice strawberry pink hue with a fizzy half a finger head that fades almost immediately leaving absolutely nothing behind. Very underwhelming.

S - Sweet malts and super, super light sour raspberry. Cant get over how light the sour/funk/fruit is in this beer.

T - Taste is light sour raspberries with a distinct malty finish. Very fruit but not in a good way, kind of fake tasting.

M - Mouthfeel is nice and light for a wild, with the ABV being nicely hidden.

O - Overall this was a very unimpressive and underwhelming beer. I love sours but this...this just isnt sour. Far too malty for my liking. Glad I didnt buy it.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 20:57:38 | More by rudzud

craytonic

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pour is ruby-amber, smallish head with no lacing:

Smell: Light, tart raspberries and some other berry flavors, a bit sweet and candy like

Taste: Slightly sweet and light raspberry taste with a very faint funk and some oak. A bit subdued and not very sour.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, light carbonation

Overall: Decent beer but not that impressive or worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 00:44:38 | More by craytonic

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

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

Appearance: Lolita pours a light cranberry brown color with translucent edges. A small eggshell cap rests on top and fades pretty quickly.

Smell: The aroma is good, but it really feels one dimensional, even after I keep going back for another whiff. Dark, tart raspberries in full force.

Taste: Some light malt sweetness is present up front, but that is not the focus at all. This is sour and acidic, with a good amount of raspberry flavor. Some other indistinguishable berry flavors hang around, and I do not get a lot of yeast or other depth. A light oily grassiness on the finish.

Mouthfeel: This is dry, light, and acidic. There is a light sweetness up front and a light oiliness on the finish. The carbonation is medium and fine; it neither adds nor subtracts from the beer.

Overall: Finding other flavors and depth beyond raspberry takes some effort, and there is nothing about it that really moves me. Compared to some of the other complex beers of this style, this is fairly forgettable.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 16:26:36 | More by KickInTheChalice

davey101

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bomber into a tulip glass. #1345, bottle on date 11/12/11.

A - Deep, clear red with some brown tints. A small off-white head forms but fades away to some edging.

S - Oh ya! Strong raspberry preserves and some fresh brettanomyces. Really vibrant and pleasantly funky. The finish has some oaky tannins and what can only be described as...burnt plastic.

T - Does not live up to that wonderful aroma. What happened? There is some fresh raspberry with some faint notes of funky brett, but its very tame and muted. Aftertaste is slightly buttery with some oak barrel notes. Mouth feel is light but highly carbonated.

O - Wonderful aroma, boring taste. I was really expecting more from this beer. Perhaps it just needs some age for the brett to start working up, but as a fresh wild ale it is really tame.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 03:27:52 | More by davey101

zachary80

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

650ml bottled 11/12/11, #1507

Pours with the slightest bubbly white head which dissipates rapidly. Tons of little bubbles streaming up through the auburn body. Ruby highlights.

Aroma is good. Leather, funk, a little hay character. Raspberries mingle with the wild yeast influence.

Flavor is a bit of let down, everything seems muted. Picking up a little tannin character. Raspberry is subtle, accompanied by a mild breadiness. Most of the flavor leaves the palate immediately, with an astringent and funky lingering flavor that is neither good nor bad.

Mouthfeel is overly thin and carbonated, even for a wild ale. Very dry. Alcohol is well hidden for the most part, but begins to show itself as the beer warms up.

Overall this could use a bit more of everything. Raspberries are weak. Belgian yeast character is lacking. Could use a bit of sweetness to back everything up, or some more malt influence. I'll lay one down for a while but I do not have much faith in this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 02:53:42 | More by zachary80

alpinebryant

Connecticut

3.55/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12/4/10 bottling

Pour of a clear raspberry brown , healthy white head of mini bubbles

Smell of raspberry, tart acid and light malt

Tasting not surprisingly of raspberry, light acidity and some mild funk flavors. Extremely smooth and easy drinking. Definitely does not come across as a 7% abv beer. Healthy carbonation and a light body. Second of the three sisters in preference. Madame Rose easily beats this on my scale. Partially wild, but mostly tamed. It is good but I would hesitate at the wild ale categorization in taste but the aroma seems about right.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2011 23:34:43 | More by alpinebryant

TurdFurgison

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I got this bottle thanks to sean9689 (thanks Sean!). It pours a murky plum color, with initially a finger of large celled foam but after like 5 seconds there was no foam at all. Every pour was the same, no lasting foam.

Very nice aroma, tart and acidic. Further sniffs bring maybe a little pickle juice (only a little, not objectionable). On tasting I think the pickle juice might be in there after all, at least in the background. The main thing I get out of this is sour cherry and a little vinegar. More of a Flanders Red style than an American Wild, I think. The acidic burn keeps this a sipper more than a chugger.

Nice, I think it's better than Madame Rose, maybe not quite as tasty as Juliet. Worth trying if you can get it for less than the $25 it goes for in restaurants.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 04:07:00 | More by TurdFurgison

JustAnotherGalen

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 22 oz bottle into a Chalice

A: beautiful. Crystal Clear red/brown. Small Champagne like head. Recedes immediately. No lacing.

S: Funk/ barnyard, much less raspberry than I expected. Slight hint of a Bandaid/ phenol. Slight oakiness.

T: Hint of raspberry. No residual sweetness from the raspberries, only sharp acidity. Sour apple.

M: Sharp carbonation. Very thin body. Slightly numbing alcohol finish.

O: Glad to have tried it. For the price, I will not revisit. Not bad, but nothing standout forme. Thanks to GI for putting the time in to making sours.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 03:05:51 | More by JustAnotherGalen

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On Tap at City Tap House for Philly Beer Week 2012, Served in a tulip glass.

Lolita comes out looking the part with a dark red deep amber look coming from the glass. This is much darker than expected going into blackberry color. Right off the tap, there was nothing in terms of head of even a flimsy foam, nothing, it's all good though. Smell is pretty integrated with raspberry scent over faint wine coming through when the warming takes place. It's pretty tame to tell you the truth. I don't get any funky scents coming up, just mainly fruit. Taste is pretty one sided towards the raspberry flavor which is nice and not artificial. The fruit just does not pop out for me as much as I would like. The wine is light to and the barrel flavor non existent. Some malt presence in the end with a slight tart hit that is not sour, don't go looking for a pucker bomb, Lolita is not the one for that. Body is less than medium with a trace of carb. Nice stuff, but not something I will be going for again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2012 02:26:57 | More by onix1agr

tewaris

Minnesota

3.55/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear pink-brown colored with a medium head and poor retention. Aroma is not terribly exciting but good nonetheless: raspberries, slight funk, and very soft. Taste is low on fruit and heavier on wine with moderate tartness. Good mouthfeel with medium body and good carbonation.

Overall I'd have preferred had it been fruit forward. Not really a fan of the wine barrels.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 03:08:32 | More by tewaris

brystmar

Texas

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From bottle to tulip glass.

A: red with minimal white head, poor retention. Fits the style, but I'd love to see more foam.

S: sour raspberries, sweet fruit, yeast.

T: same as the nose, but not as intense. Ripe raspberries. Sour for sure, but only mildly so. Finishes almost bitter and not nearly as pleasant.

M-D: body and carbonation both fit the brew well. Drinks easily and enjoyably. A solid offering.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 05:49:50 | More by brystmar

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a shaker pint glass at Durty Nellie's.

Whilst out to bear witness to an '80s extravaganza, what better beer to order than a wild that made it only to precious few stores in the area? It pours a clear garnet-amber topped by a minor bit of dirty white foam. The nose comprises light raspberry, cranberry, cobwebs, Brett, peaches, red apple, and sour cherry. The taste holds notes of tart orange, cobwebs, Brett, light caramel, light cream cheese, lime, and grapefruit zest. The body is a light medium, with a moderate carbonation and a decidedly dry finish. Overall, a pretty good wild, but nothing really outstanding here by any means. To me, it's too much like an odd, tart wine to allow thorough enjoyment.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2011 20:13:08 | More by TMoney2591

jcartamdg

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured brownish red with no head into my DFH signature glass. Aroma of oak and funk, not much of a hint of raspberries but it is there in the background. Taste follows the nose, really oaky more than most beers I've had. More fruit in the taste. Tart but still smooth while hiding the alcohol. Tasty beer, I'm glad I tried it!

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 23:33:23 | More by jcartamdg

thydarkprevails

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark pink/red. Aroma is raspberries. The taste is sour raspberry and merlot. Very astringent. It’s not as bitter as one would assume. The tartness is well balanced by the malt. Mouthfeel is rather thin. Overall not my favorite beer but worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 03:06:33 | More by thydarkprevails

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled 12 Nov 2012. I drank this at Matt's birthday tasting last night. Thanks for sharing this, Jon!

Mildly hazy raspberry red with a thin, off-white head that falls off to a ring rather quickly. The nose is nice. Big raspberry fruitiness, sharp, mildly lactic with some acetone. Seed tannins are reserved. The wine character isn't really noticeable here, it is washed out by the fruit and the Brett notes.

The palate opens sharp, lactic and Bretty with clove and plastic, a little harsh and unpleasant. Nice raspberry fruit, mildly seedy and moderately tannic. Drying on the finish with flavors of fruit, oak and tannins, this is decent stuff.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 15:28:48 | More by DefenCorps

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

650 mL bottle poured into an Allagash chalice. Bottled 11/12/11.

Appearance - Pink, maybe more red. White head that fades to nothing. A little lifeless after it sits.

Smell - Strong raspberry aroma. Had this right after Juliet and the fruit is significantly more pronounced. Light musty wine aroma behind it.

Taste - Strong raspberry flavor again. The beer is much more subdued than in Juliet, with the fruit at the forefront. The barrel makes an appearance, but it's blended with the fruit. Musty light sourness that is probably masked by the fruit sweetness. Barely sour. Mostly a tartness from the fruit. Much like Blushing Monk.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with good carbonation. Slightly dry.

Overall - Good fruit character, but I want more beer. Not as good as Juliet.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 04:11:25 | More by Alieniloquium