Lolita - Goose Island Beer Co.

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.21/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

11/12/11 bottle courtesy of the awesome trader, mrbubbler. Thanks man!!

Appearance. Pours a deep rose-gold colour with some haze and a half finger of off-white/pinkish head that doesn't last long.

Smell. Nice sweet funk, sour cherries, sweet raspberries and barrel wood. Yum!

Taste. Lots of nice dry woody brett funk!! Medium sourness and plenty of tart raspberry and cherry flavours with a small hit of bitter funky wood in the finish. Nice.

Mouthfeel. Below medium body, medium-low fairly lively and fine carbonation.

Overall. A fine fruited sour beer with plenty of tasty brett. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 02:53:38 | More by Rutager

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.14/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Mix of orange and red color, obvious cherry influence on the color of the beer. Thin head, off white.

Aroma is plenty tart, tart sour cherries, raspberries, oak barrel, wine influence and slight bretty funk.

Taste, somewhere crossing the line between flanders red and american wild, this one has more sourness, more acidic, more oomph going for it flavor wise. Very similar to Oude Tart. Like a flanders, but with more sour kick and body substance. Pretty dry with the red wine tannins hitting on all cylinders.

Coolest thing about this beer, it isn't overly complex, but the beer has the right proportion of funk, oak, fruit and sourness to where no one thing dominates. Never noticed the alcohol was so high (9%) on this one, wow, this really covers that up quite well. Good carbonation probably makes it seem a little lighter and easier to drink without getting bogged down in the alcohol.

Drinks well with the song "Lolita" from the band Red Meat.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 21:18:50 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured a clear reddish color ale with a light pink bubbly head with medium retention and no lacing. Aroma of tart notes of raspberries with light Brett notes with some vinous notes also perceptible. Taste is a good mix between tart raspberries notes with well balanced vinous notes with some subtle notes of Brett at the end. Body is about average with great carbonation which feels right for the style and no apparent alcohol. Very good level of drinkability with well balanced complexity. I would love to have a lower ABV version of this that could be drank in the summertime.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 15:05:29 | More by Phyl21ca

harrymel

Washington

4.19/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled OCT 2010

Pink brown with little central etching. Smells like cracked hard candy with sour raspberries and some lemons, some cranberry. Taste is tart, not sour, with some raspberries, some sour beer. Thin bodied with moderate on hi carb with dry finish. Nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 06:21:58 | More by harrymel

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.71/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a tulip. Big thanks to stevefinny for this. 2010 vintage.

3.5 A: Lightly hazed peach color. Fizzy soda pop head that falls just as quickly as it forms.

4.0 S: Nose on this is quite pleasant. Great mix of fruity, acetic, and funky. It's tough to say which aroma is the focus, so I guess I'll say that the nose is codominant. Raspberry fruitiness, vinous grape, slight vinegar, rotting wood earthiness. Mustiness underneath.

3.75 T: Taste follows the nose. Raspberry, vinous grape, mix of acetic and lactic acids, outdoors and basement funk. Slight tannic astringency. Not much pucker in this, but enough funk to make up. Herbalness that comes off as slightly bitter.

3.5 M: Lighter medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Not a lot of spritziness in this, which is something I could use some more of.

3.5 D: Tasty beer that is good enough all around. I've yet to be impressed by a GI sour, but I'm never too disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 03:17:23 | More by DavoleBomb

hardy008

Minnesota

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

Pours a beautiful copper color with a one finger foamy white head which vanishes quickly, leaving no lacing. The aroma has tart raspberries, oak, and a small amount of funk.

Tastes like tart raspberries, oak, funk, and I can also pick up some of the wine from the barrel. There is a slight amount of sweetness which blends nicely with the tartness.

Light bodied with soft carbonation. Has a dry finish, and a tart raspberry aftertaste. The alcohol is well disguised for 9.00 % abv. Very nicely made.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 02:50:20 | More by hardy008

tut2528

Illinois

4.01/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 11/12/11

A: pours a murky orange with moderate transparency. a fizzy (soda-like) head was formed but it quickly dissipated with no lacing.

S: big tart raspberries dominate the body of this brew. there is a nice oaky barrel touch, wine, citrus, sour lemons, and some barnyard/hay funk.

T: a big blast of tart raspberries and massive citrus. and a big dry wine finish, funk is definitely present as well here.

M: very light on the tongue, big carbonation like champagne.

O: comparitvely speaking, this is my least favorite of the 3 sisters. but its still a nice sour. not much for complexity, but it i enjoy the balacne of the tartness and the wine characters.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 22:24:38 | More by tut2528

birchstick

Missouri

3.98/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 Vintage

A - pours a nice rosy red color without a head on it

S - nose has lots of raspberry with a little bit of oak citric notes as well

T - sweet raspberry upfront moves on to a nice mixture of raspberry and lambic-esque flavors, namely citric. On the backend the lambic succumbs to a very delicate raspberry flavor. Raspberry, raspberry, raspberry seems to be the theme to this beer.

M - soft mouthfeel with a smooth body. I am used to a little more carbonation in sours, but the creaminess works well here.

D - overall, I wasn't necessarily blown away by this; at the same time, I wasn't disappointed. It is a well crafted american wild ale, however I prefer mine to have a touch more of the citric lambic sourness to interplay with fruits.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 01:05:42 | More by birchstick

libbey

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Blind BIF #8 from trxxpaxxs. 22oz bottle split with my buddy Bo and poured into a Deschute's snifter.

A: The beer pours a clear orange/red that almost seems to glow. There is an initial cap of pure white head that dissipates quickly into nothing. No lacing to speak of. 3.5/5

S: Looks like we are hopping back on the sour train. It appears to be a raspberry sour train and my love for all things tart and raspberry will probably be reflected from here on out. Hint's of oak mingle with fresh raspberry skins, lacto barnyard funk. Awesome. 4.5/5

T: Initial blast of sweet and tart raspberries with layers of lemon zest. The oak and the funk come forward as it warms. Very balanced between the funk and the raspberry tartness. Delicate and lovely. 4.5/5

M: The carbonation level is a touch low which leaves the mouthfeel a bit thin but the flavors that hang around are fantastic. Super dry and snappy finish with flavors of raspberry tartness and oak lingering after each sip. 4/5

O: Overall this is a world class sour and should be pursued accordingly. I would drink this every day if I could. I'm so slutty for raspberry sours....

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 05:03:51 | More by libbey

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

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

Presentation: Bomber bottle chilled and poured into my Portsmouth Brewery tulip glass. 2011 vintage with a bottled on date of 11/12/2011.

Appearance: Nice ruby and amber in color. A nice lacing white lacing sticks around.

Aroma: Some noticable funk with some light raspberry puree. Some light medicinal and earthy notes. Feels like the added time on the bottle might have faded the raspberries a bit. A touch of oak and wine tannins as well.

Taste: Nice, crisp raspberry sweetness. Not very tart. Some oak and wine notes as well. A touch of funk and earthiness as well. The berries are not that bright as I would expect. Interesting and tasty.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied and nicely carbonated. Crisp and refreshing.

Overall, a nice wild ale but not the best I've had. The raspberries add some interesting flavors, but they feel faded and not as bright as I expected. Not overly tart at all, but pretty complex and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 01:28:32 | More by Gosox8787

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.83/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle poured into a Goose Island stemmed glass.
9% ABV, Bottled on 11/12/11, "develops in the bottle for up to 5 years."

A - An effervescent hiss loudly fills my quiet upstairs as I pour this clear tawny, ruby-highlighted amber beer. It's noisy head disappears before I can even snap a shot of the beer, oddly revealing what resembles oil-slick patters on top of water. Odd, but expected from the beer's acidic aroma.

S - Quite complex right from the get-go, Lolita is a unique beer with a lot going on. At first, loads of fresh raspberries pour out with sly wine barrel characteristics that showcase wet wood, light red wine, and distressed leather. As the beer warms and settles, the funky yeast turns medical and openly provides a doctor's office smell of sterility and latex gloves. Thinking of getting blood drawn before sipping beer isn't quite comforting but a good swirl returns the previously inviting complexities.

T - Powerfully tart raspberry juice is almost reminiscent of dry, tart cranberry juice in it's presence. Abundantly earthy this beer darts in a few different directions at once, skipping from wild barnyard-like yeast to soaked wine barrel staves back to a melange of fruitiness; raspberries being the most potent.

M - Bone dry from front to back, this incessantly tart, borderline sour-finishing beer is light-bodied, crisp with lively champagne-type carbonation. Lolita hides her alcohol very well giving this beer a very nice feel, ongoing burps aside.

O - Goose Island's Lolita paves new ground with an incredibly tart raspberry beer that captures the true nature of the fruit, not employing a sugary paste into the beer, but it's increasingly medicinal notes really, really hurt the good that's encased in this bottle. The wine barrel aging suggests a-typical white wine though the beer overall brings fourth darker fruits. A courageous experiment into wild yeast implementation though, for the price, I wouldn't purchase this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 23:44:16 | More by BeerFMAndy

zaphodchak

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

11/12/11
No head on my pour. reddish body.

Funk in the nose and some raspberry, but quite leaft.

Some tang, more funk. Raspberry is subtle, not too sweet. Well balanced. Some oak seems evident as well. Quite nice.

Understated carbonation-- not bad.

Nice, tangy, dryish and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 19:42:01 | More by zaphodchak

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -11.3%
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

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.9/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a La Fin Du Monde snifter. The beer pours out a semi-clear reddish amber color with very low carbonation and practically no head. The nose is very vinegary and slightly fruity. There is a nice faint funky note to it accompanied by tart fruit.

The beer has a fairly firm mouthfeel and medium body. The flavor starts out as a light fruity taste on the tip of the tongue. As it moves across the palate, the acid quickly intensifies and scours the palate, completely overwhelming the other flavors. The finish is quite tannic, wine-like, and mouth-drying, making the beer very appetizing. I don't get much fruit flavor on this from the raspberries. Whatever flavors exist are overpowered by the acidity.

I have had this beer on a couple of occasions, but this is the first time I have sat down with it with the intention of recording my impressions. I find that, despite the acidity, it is a pleasure to drink. I would rate it higher if I could detect just a bit more of a contribution from the raspberries. Moreover, I believe the acidity that's present is more than enough to support just a tad more sweetness. At any rate, am hoping I can soon try other sour offerings from Goose Island like Juliet and Madame Rose.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 00:31:10 | More by deadonhisfeet

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4.15/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nice fruity sour, not that complex, but rather pleasing.

Presentation: 22oz brow capped bottle. Simple and elegant white label with silver touches, red name typography with the name and a white background with the Goose Island branding. Side narrative includes serving instructions, main style and characteristics, and cellaring character,. Shows bottling date (11/12/11), and Alc. by Vol. (9%). Served in a snifter.

A - Deep amber/crimson pour with a short lived fizzy head, small memory and lacing.

S - The nose is incredible and a let down. The first whiff is incredibly complex and memorable. This is the stuff that legend is made of.. and then it fades! The sour, fruity, and yeasty nose that remains is really nice but that first promise of grandeur is gone, it was there, and the same happens with the rest of the flow…

T - Tart and fruity, touches of earthy yeast, raspberries linger with a dash of perfunctory funk, malty caramel memory in the distance under the pleasing tartness.

M - Light to medium body with tingly and persistent carbonation. Dry and fruity lingering finish.

O - Nice tart, fruity flow, complex enough… Pity about the early promise...

Notes: This is rather nice, but for me (and in this incarnation) it does suffer from quite a bit of hype… If only the promise of that aroma had stood up...

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 01:55:37 | More by Daniellobo

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.6/5  rDev -11.3%
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

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bomber bottled on 11-12-11.

A- Pours a hazy, reddish gold. Almost looks like an amber ale. Little retention on a decent sized head and good lacing.

S- Crisp, tart raspberry and fruit notes are prominent. Yeasty notes in the background. Caramel malts also peak in a little. The scent is very promising for the flavor of this beer.

T- Starts off fairly tart and with cherry and raspberry notes right up front. Nothing over the top sour here, just middle of the road. Oak and Belgian yeasts then take over most of the flavor after the initial tart flavors. Ends with a slight reminder of the previous sour flavors and more prominently, more oak and dry cabernet flavors.

M- Moderate carbonation like you would expect. Kind of an odd, dry feeling. Almost as if it were slightly powdery. A very sessionable weight and not too tart to drink all night. A solid sour from GI.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 00:43:23 | More by boilermakerbrew

zeff80

Missouri

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear copper color with reddish highlights. It had very little head to speak of but did leave some sudsy trails of lace.

S - It smelled of of raspberry. Strong raspberry notes with some floral and malty notes.

T - Good tart raspberry flavor with a sour kick. It is still slightly sweet with a touch of caramel maltiness.

M - It was crisp and sharp with a slight pucker-factor. A medium bodied ale with a clean finish.

O - This is very good I just wish it was more sour.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 01:56:05 | More by zeff80

Florida9

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Mildly hazy brown-tinted dark red in color, but still mostly translucent. Forms a fizzy dirty pink colored head that fizzes away nearly as quickly as it forms. No lacing.

S: Aroma of summer berries, strawberries, and raspberries mixed with an earthy oakiness and a slight vinous character.

T: More of the same: unsweet strawberries, raspberries, and cherries. A weak vinous note and some mild woodsy notes. Slight funkiness to it.

M: On the lighter side of medium. Carbonation approaching the heavier side. Mild tart with a slight tannic bitterness.

O: Certainly a good beer. Not the best wild ale I've ever come across, but not the worst either.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 23:53:27 | More by Florida9

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.85/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2011 bottle opened on 8.15.12.

A - Pours a clear red with a fizzy small, light tan head that is gone quickly.

S - Subtle cherry and funk.

T - Tart and muted cherry and a nice subtle funk.

D - Good carbonation with a light bodyd. A dry, tart finish.

O - Cherry and tart, subtle and nice. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 06:13:31 | More by HuskyinPDX

WesM63

Ohio

4.23/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a tulip.

A: Pours a clear amber red with a minor 1/2finger head. Retention and lacing are pretty much non-existent.

S: Smells of tart raspberries with some hints of wine/oak.

T: Huge amounts of tart raspberries up front followed by some oak/wine dryness.

M: Medium body with plenty of carbonation.

O: Overall, i'm very fond of this beer. Lots of raspberries with a hint of sour tartness. Some wine like flavors and feel. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 00:22:47 | More by WesM63

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.18/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a weird combo of brown and pink mixture with a light pink head quickly fading.

Tart raspberries, wine and oak dominate the nose. Musty and tart. Very good.

Taste follows the nose. Tart raspberry, musty dry oak and sourness.

Medium bodied with a lot of carbonation. Finishes very dry.

Very good beer probably behind Juliet, but ahead of Madame Rose for me. Very acidic and dry though. I enjoyed it, but needed a Zantac afterwards.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 19:51:50 | More by jmarsh123

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Lots of raspberry in this one, thanks Americo. Pink coloured body, fruity aroma. Fuller mouthfeel, also with assertive carbonation. A good tartness, a nice bottle to share because of the acidity. Some other berries there, lending balance, strawberry and some wild blueberry. Could even be some cherry.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 00:19:04 | More by northyorksammy

ginemesis

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A-Crimson, rich amber color. The color of a sunset. Head dissipated quickly.

S-Wonderful, oaky smell, white wine overtones with malty undertones.

T-Delightful tart flavor with a clean finish. Hints of cherry and tobacco.

M-Medium but transient mouthfeel.

0-Fan-damn-tastic. Worth the Jackson it costs to buy this bottle. Excellent in any season and environment.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 03:18:32 | More by ginemesis

yamar68

Minnesota

4.18/5  rDev +3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm surprised that I haven't reviewed this one yet. Bottled 11/11, #1340:

Pours a bright ruby with a short-lived half finger of white fizz that fades completely after about a minute. Even without any sort of collar, a touch of lacing is consistent.

The sour/tart pop that explodes from a fresh bottle has resided to a mellow overripe fruit character... mushy cherries and raspberries, fruit juice, a bit of aggression on the tail end of the nose.

This perfectly exemplifies the potential of short-term cellaring - the Sour Patch Kid punch that sort of turns me off from fresh Lolita has subsided to a mellow, dry, complex fruit profile. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 00:36:23 | More by yamar68