Lolita - Goose Island Beer Co.

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -12.6%
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

Treebs

Illinois

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

Had on tap at Acre for lunch during Chicago Craft Beer Week. Served in an unbranded tulip glass.

A: Pours a bright cherry red color with some dark orange hues mixed in around the edges when it catches the light. A frothy white heads forms on the pour and leaves some whispy lace behind is recedes to a thin collar for the remainder of the glass.

S: Some tart raspberry with a sweet earthy berry and light cab barrel coming up at the back end. Mild oak, but the tart raspberries are the main attraction in the nose.

T: The tart raspberry is up front and it's followed by a mild sour puckering in the jowls akin to biting into an unripe raspberry. The barrel plays nicely with a hearty oak character and light toffee sweetness. The cab flavors finish out the taste with an earthy cherry pit and smooth, vinous berry skin flavor.

M: Medium bodied. A little heavier than expected with a wild ale, but it had a nice zesty carbonation (possibly from being on tap?) that made it enjoyable.

O: A very solid beer, although I'd like to see it a touch lighter in the body and the nose wasn't near as complex as the taste. Would like to have again.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2012 14:04:05 | More by Treebs

homebrewhawk

Kansas

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 vintage. 22oz. bottle served in a tulip. Poured a reddish gold with a finger of off white head. Tart fruit, oak and a little brett in the aroma. Tart raspberries to start and a long finish of oak and vanilla. Medium bodied. There is a lot going on here. Not super sour, but a nice acetic bite that was in balance with the rest of the beer. A pricey bottle, but I'm really glad that I pulled the trigger.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2012 02:02:29 | More by homebrewhawk

jale

Michigan

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

Had on tap for Festiv-ale in Chicago.

A: Pours a cloudy cranberry-orange with a quater of white head.

S: Raspberry and nice wild funkiness.

T: Less raspberry then the nose. Sweet for a mere second to start moving into nice sourness and a hint of oakiness. Maybe faint leather as well.

M:Lighter side of medium with good carbonation.

O: I enjoyed this and had many pours.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2011 15:07:00 | More by jale

mltobin

Connecticut

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

Served on-tap in Westchester NY.

Appearance is gold with a rose tint to it, a smallish white head. The smell of Lolita contains raspberries, cherries, sugar and funk. I sipped this one and noticed tart raspberries right away, brett and an overall sweetness that goes with its` tart quality. MF medium with a nice level of carbonation. Try this one if you come across it.

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2011 00:14:54 | More by mltobin

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lolita

Pours a light beige head. Color is a peach hued amber.

Aroma: Tart raspberries, sour, oaky with a light spice. Nicely fruited.

Taste: Has a little too much spice here in a way that it takes away from the raspberries. Still slightly tart, but more sour. A bit medicinal.

Mouthfeel: Sour and tart. Medium bodied with a light to medium amount of carbonation. Ends fairly clean. Fruity.

Overall, a pretty solid sour. Easy drinking. I still wish the taste was more like the nose, however. Another solid offering.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2011 20:57:35 | More by mothman

kbutler1

Minnesota

3.78/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draft. Served at Pracna on Main for the 2011 MN Craft Beer Week.
Served in a snifter glass and pours a rosy, rust colored red with a slight head. Very raspberry fruity nose with some acetone type notes as well. Light mouthfeel. Raspberry sweetness upfront with a slight bitterness, almost like biting and tasting raspberry seeds. No booze notes at all to speak ok. Some mild acetone type sourness but not overly mouthpuckering by any means. I think this is a really decent beer right now but with time should develop further to increase its mediocre complexity.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2011 13:29:48 | More by kbutler1

thetomG

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On draft @ the Goose Island Belgian Fest

Very tart & sourish aroma. VERY bubbly and nicely carbonated - leaves some spotty lacing around the glass. Reddish purple hue - this is a fantastic looking beer.

Flavor is an awesome blend of several intense flavors - the tart raspberry really comes through with the wild brett yeast making its presence felt as well. Very tasty.

Interesting beer and something I'm looking forward to trying again, but not sure how much you could drink in one sitting. Nevertheless, this is one to seek out once they bottle it later this year - delicious!

Serving type: on-tap

08-30-2010 21:43:17 | More by thetomG

robbyc1

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Described as follows during October Beer Academy: "..Matilda aged in cabernet? wine barrels with wild yeast (brett) and Raspberries."

Appears hazy gold with no head, very fizzy.

Nose is best part, malty backbone with fruity notes, hint of the raspberry, faint wood notes. Smells tart yet balanced.

The taste is acidic off the top, then sour notes, yeasty belgianess with the hint of raspberry. You can perceive the Matilda behind this and it's gone beyond although I think I like the straight Matilda flavor better.

Fizzy, decent body, fine for the style. Not an easy drinker, complex brew that is good not great.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

10-29-2009 14:00:09 | More by robbyc1

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

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