Lolita - Goose Island Beer Co.

Thickfreakness

New York

3.8/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle dated 11/12/11... so how is it, that this just appeared in Saratoga Springs, NY a few weeks ago?

A- Pours like a cranberry juice/7-up mixture into my Ithaca Excelsior glass. Has a small head that fades immediately and leaves no lacing at all. Really nice carbonation at first, but that fades quickly as well.

S- Sour berries, yeasty funk, and hints of sweet malts. Gets a bit more barnyard/compost/horse poop notes as it warms up. Picking up hints of red grapes, sour green apples and some wood.

T- Sour raspberries and crab apples that tingle the tongue, nice red wine barrel tannins, and a funkiness that'd make Bootsy proud! The sweetness of the berries creeps in here and there, but tartness and compost are the major players here. I was really hoping for more funk/horse blanket/manure from this. I think the high acid of the fruit is knocking the Brett down a few pegs.

M- Not as much Brett funk as I was hoping for. Decently tart and puckering. Nice crisp mouthfeel... a touch dry with a nice sour apple raspberry kick. Starts out with really good carbonation, but that fades as it sits around warming up.

O- I had higher hopes for this GI Wild Ale. Gets much better as it sits around and warms, especially on the nose where it really opens up and comes alive. Unless I figure out something to cook and showcase this brew... this is a one and done for me. Glad I finally tried it, but wasn't really impressed. Nothing wrong with it to speak of, but very underwhelming overall.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 02:08:16 | More by Thickfreakness

hooliganlife

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2011 vintage

pours a faint brown with a hint of ruby. little to no head.

on the nose, very raspberry forward. some rip berry with subtle oak.

flavor, light raspberry with a tad more oak and slightly sour brown ale. faintly sour.

light, very light for 9% abv. mild carbonation.

pretty good, would be far better with more carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 19:07:05 | More by hooliganlife

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

Humulus85

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

My first of the three sisters. 2011 vintage (11/12/11 #1338), been cellared since purchase. Served from a 22oz bomber into a big red wine glass.

Pours a beautiful, slightly hazed, rose. Fizzy one finger head dissipates quickly, leaving no lacing. Lots of bubbles, very effervescent looking.

You can smell the funky raspberries as you pour. Smell is of aged berries and some barnyard funk, but in a good way. Smells like a fruity wild.

Fermented raspberries and that wonderful brett funk. Can taste the red wine barrel in the finish. Leaves a lingering tartness that makes me want to keep sipping. Very complex. I like this one.

The mouth feel is what seals the deal for me. Light and playful on the tongue. Tons of little bubbles. Tartness coats the mouth perfectly and the red wine barrels add a nice dry finish. Very well done.

Overall this one took me by surprise. I like sours, but am not normally a fan of fruit beers. I have always wanted to try this particular brew and was lucky enough to find one. I'm glad I didn't let this sit in the cellar much longer, six months in the bottle seems to be perfect; just enough for the brett to do its thing but keep the raspberries at the forefront. Recommended highly to any BA who can get their hands on it. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 18:15:03 | More by Humulus85

Holland

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to DaBubs for this 2011 version.

A: pours a deep red to burnt orange color depending on the light. Had a nice thin head that dissipated quickly, but I can still see a lot of bubbles rising and a thin ring around the edge of the glass.

S: first smell is apple cider vinegar, then some red wine, and a hint of sweet fruity raspberry. I'm surprised at how well the sweet smell carries. However, there seems to be something a bit off here.

T: bitterness, raspberry, wine, and a surprising amount of wood flavor on the back end.

M: medium body, good carbonation, nice spritz

O: after having it a few times, the taste is just not quite there. Not sure what it's missing. It was good, not fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 00:58:35 | More by Holland

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cheers to Bilco for sharing this beer

Review adapted from notes taken 3/31/12

Appearance: An interesting color, somewhere between orange and pink - minimal, fizzy white head, pretty clear

Smell: Slightly sour, fruity, with a nice amount of funk - dry raspberries - tart, nicely dry overall, with some sweetness

Taste: Sour, funky, and fruity - lingering tartness, a touch of vinegar, a base of pale malts, dry fruit, nicely balanced - nicely balanced - raspberries, and sweet tarts (the candy, seriously)

Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, dry, a little sticky

Overall: Great, not epic-level

This is a great beer, but it is not exceptional. There are some great fruit flavors, some nice sourness, and a nice balance of tartness, but it's not remarkably complex.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 05:31:06 | More by angrybabboon

rapidsequence

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle. Erin got it on her Chicago trip. $15ish. Bottled 11/12/11.

Appearance: Pours a brilliant clear red with a very short lived white head and no retention. None. Looks lifeless and boring.

Smell: Tart lactic and less vinegar. The wine barrel is very prominent, maybe too assertive. Very obvious tart raspberry. Sour, acidic, fruity, vinous, and just a little funkiness.

Taste: Again, prominent cabernet flavor, but it balances well with the tart raspberry, making a big, fruity vinous beer. Tart, but not overly puckering and as above, not real funky-- a mostly clean, fruity sourness. The finish has a more beer-like sweet pale malt flavor, with slight spicy yeast character.

Mouthfeel: Its slick, slightly sticky, and almost flat. The tannins and tartness give it some life, but it really needs some bubbles.

Overall: Its a beer that has some issues, mainly with carbonation, but the flavor is delicious and very well balanced, with excellent barrel notes. Does not taste at all like 9% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 01:14:07 | More by rapidsequence

bsp77

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Tulip.

Appearance: Orangish-pink with thin light tan head.

Smell: Tart raspberries, apple cider, vinegar, oak and pepper.

Taste: The taste mirrors the smell, but the Cabernet Sauvignon oak barrels come through more strongly, giving this a definite wine-like character. Raspberries are also pretty dominant, but not as tart as expected. Some lemon as well. Overall, more peppery and dry than tart.

Feel: Moderate carbonation, fairly light body, extremely dry finish.

Overall: Certainly not one of the most mouth puckering Wild Ales out there, but I am not sure why so many think that is a bad thing. This is actually well balanced from all the components and I love the wine-like character it has. Plus this is much more refreshing than any red wine.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 21:56:08 | More by bsp77

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

4.63/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 Bottle into goblet.
My mouth has been watering for a good sour lately.

A- Copper/red pour (looks like the color of raspberry jam) Short lived half finger soda like head that lasted mere moments. Lacing is zero.

S- Huge raspberries, followed by a lemon and cranberry sourness. The wine barrels add a nice sweetness that compliments the sour and the tart berries. Slight yeast quality.

T- Right up front you get sweet raspberries, than as your mouth analyzes is more it turns super tart and finally a clean feeling washes over your tongue. You drool a little and go back for more. I really get a wonderful vinous quality. The raspberries really punch you in the tongue and you get a cranberry juice as the two mix together.

M- Light bodied, high effervescence.

O- This is a home run in my books. It's not an over the top Cantillon sour that the masses would wince at. It's easy drinking, palatable to most and just an overall wonderful experience.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 00:47:18 | More by korguy123

stercomm

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass.

A - Coppery red in color, slight white head which recedes quickly, very little lacing.

S - starts out with a musty sour scent, get some raspberries with a malty backbone.

T - Sour raspberries, some funkiness and malts. A very nice tartness to this balanced brew.

M - medium bodied, medium carbonation, nice pucker factor

O - Nice sour beer

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 00:15:34 | More by stercomm

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

bonkers

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to my cousin Jeff for sharing, it pours a reddish copper, moderate white head, nice lacing. The aroma is sweet, tons of rasberries, some hay. Big sweet rasberry notes, slight vinegar, sweeter finish. It is more tart than sour. The body is light, high carbonation, no discernable alcohol. Very enjoyable brew, very vinous, a beer non-sour heads can enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 16:27:46 | More by bonkers

prototypic

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lolita pours a copper color. It’s mostly clear and has an interesting pink or reddish color when held to light. Looks good. Nice color. Carbonation appears to be rather active. An off-white collection of bubbles gathers on the surface, but disappears quickly. It never really materializes. Bummer. Lacing was very light and spotty.

The nose is good. It starts out with a very musky and funky scent. The use of Brett is apparent from the first whiff. I like it. The funk smells only moderately strong, which I like. A host of other scents are noted. Berries and oak are among the most prominent. It definitely smells tart. The berry notes blend really well with the funky characteristics. Belgian yeast is noted and smells nice, as always. Alcohol is there, but doesn’t overwhelm. Smells good.

The flavor is impressive. I actually like this a lot. It starts out with really nice earthy, musky, and light funky notes. The barnyard, funky flavor is light to moderate and tastes delicious. It works really well with the raspberry flavor that follows. Raspberry is easily noted, but isn’t all that strong. In tandem, they produce a really nice tart flavor. It’s far from mouth puckering though. Just a mild tart flavor. It’s honestly delicious. Oak adds quality depth and character. Alcohol really isn’t all that noticeable. I wouldn’t have guessed 9% territory. Finishes with a berry funky oaky flavor.

Lolita has a lighter medium body. Carbonation is very soft and restrained. It feels really soft and smooth. It goes down far too easily. I figured this bomber would take a while, but…yeah…not so much.

Lolita is a really nice release from Goose Island. I was apprehensive once I saw that raspberry was used, but it turned out to be a positive. The fruit flavor is nice and subtle. Works really well with the other flavors. This is really good stuff. It’s pricey, but very good.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 03:21:59 | More by prototypic

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

650 ml bottle, 2011 vintage bottled on 11/12/11. Served in a Unibroue tulip, the beer pours a hazy reddish/amber color with about an inch light tan cola-like head that fizzled away pretty quickly. Not much lacing, either. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like sweet and tart raspberries, oak, lemon peel, and some red wine/grapes. It tastes like tart and sweet raspberries, oak, red wine, earth, and a bit of lemon. It's more tart tasting than sweet, but the tartness isn't close to being overpowering at all. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it's a bit thin and is well carbonated. It's also easy to drink. All in all, I think it's a good brew. But for $15.99 a bottle, I'm not sure if I'll end up buying another bottle to age or not.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 22:29:15 | More by bluejacket74

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into tulip - 2010 vintage

Pours a brilliant red and pink color with some darker cherry hues. Crop of beige head slowly dissolves in to some patch film and lacing on the glass.

Sour and fruity in the nose with a big helping of raspberries. Juicy with some underlying funk and earthiness. Oak comes through with a bit of lingering red wine.

Dry and tart up front with some funky tannins. The raspberries come through pretty well along with some red wine grape notes. Some earthy tones with hay and dry funk, Light warmth towards the finish with some more raspberry sourness which lingers on the tongue

Medium body, decent carbonation, sticky, dry and lingering on the tongue. This was another solid beer from GI, although this might have been my least favorite of the 3 sisters.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 01:35:55 | More by xnicknj

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to Bilco for sharing the bottle.

Appearance: Clear ruby. Crazy color when held to light. Pinks, hints of orange, and deeper reds. Dusky rose. Clear with a strong carbonation. Almost no head, but what does appear is light pink and bubbly.

Smell: Raspberry flesh and brett funk. Earthy and sweet. Slight tartness rounds out the fruity/earthy aromas. Very clean. A touch powdery. Some lingering oak notes pull through. Raspberry juice and some fleshy notes.

Taste: Sweet and laden with fruit. Raspberry flesh mixes with a damp earthiness. Slightly funky with a layered sour/tart note sneaking through on consecutive sips. Slight bite to the whole thing. Juicy raspberries. Powdery yeast characteristics. You can taste the barrel.

Mouthfeel: Lighter side of medium with a solid carbonation. A touch dry and bubbly. Drinks like a beefy champagne.

Overall: Solid, but not quite of the caliber I was expecting. The flavors war with one another at the start, but eventually settle down. A bit of time might temper it and really let the flavors meld and create something great.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 23:54:03 | More by Goblinmunkey7

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

wifehatesthebike

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled dated 11-12-11.

Appearance is a deep pinkish red. Very clear and a bit watery.

Smell is brett and red fruit. Also subtle notes of wood.

Taste goes through a couple different stages. First up is fresh raspberries and tart fruit. Next up is murky and woody. The taste finishes long, slowly drying.

Mouthfeel is briefly lively followed by a watery slide down the palate.

Overall, this beer is good, but somehow not great. It is more tart than it is sour in my opinion. I live close to Jolly Pumpkin and go there often. If their beers weren't so well done, I might have a slightly higher opinion of Lolita.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 01:36:48 | More by wifehatesthebike

FosterJM

California

4.3/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

1196th Review on BA
Bottle to Bruery Tulip
22oz

Bottled 12/4/10

Thanks to Chris for this bottle last year. (I believe his BA name is Cadaugherty)

App- A very well blended color. Had a bit of reds, pinks, browns, yellows. It had a good sour color(Not a good description I know) but had traces of the raspberry purple with some good barrel color. Not really a head again, more bubbles but did leave some okay bubbles.

Smell- A huge sour note opens this up. The fruit comes in with some good layers of the raspberries, acid, tart, a bit of dampness and some oak from the wine barrels.

Taste- Very well done beer. I can see why no one wanted to give me one last year. Incredibly detailed with notes of funk, sour, acid, but not tummy upsetting though. The earthy wood notes balance it all out.

Mouth- A lighter medium body with a medium carbonation. A bit prickly with a good amount of funky, sour and fruit on the finish.

Drink- The 2nd of the 3 sisters has again lived up to the hype. A great american wild ale with wonderful use of a often misdone fruit in Raspberries. I want more!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 17:06:09 | More by FosterJM

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out to aasher for sending this one my way! 2011 Vintage! Served from bottle into a Goose Island wine glass. Poured a deep red-orange with a minimal white head. Maintained decent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, raspberries, tart, cherry, tart cherries, wood, and acetic acid. The flavor was of sweet malt, tart, tart cherry, fruit, vinegar, wood, earth, sour, and subtle funk. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. The fruit profile going on here was really nice with a nice sour and tart aspect carrying through. This made for a really nice brew that was quite easy to drink and very enjoyable. I honestly wish I had a lot more of this as it was quite nice. A definite must try if you like sours.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 10:52:13 | More by thagr81us

sitarist

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours ruby red, with orange highlights. Thin, eggshell white head falls quickly to a thin ring. Lots of large bubbles at first fade away.

Oh yeah! A nice mellow funky aroma overwhelms my senses, and tickles my nose. Ripe plums, cherries, g-spot, humid dank forest, lemongrass....the list goes on and on as I continue to savor its seductive aromas.

Its flavor yields a nice balance of sweet, and sour. Sour cherries, raspberries, ripe plums, light spice, and oak. It has a saltiness that takes away from its subtleties.

Light to medium in body, the carbonation barely comes into play, dry. Very drinkable for its style.

What this beer lacks in wow factor, it has in balance. Light, and quaff able; it still remains interesting, and complex. I can easily drink the whole bomber. Alcohol is well hidden, beware.

2011 vintage.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 03:58:38 | More by sitarist

WankelEngine

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a Goose Island chalice
2011 vintage

A: A ruddy, ruby color with a hint of orange and no head or lacing. 4/5

S: Decidedly tart and funky. Some barnyard funkiness and a light, sweet fruit smell. 4/5

T: More tart than I expected. This complements a luscious raspberry flavor. There is a good amount of funkiness that lingers after the tartness has faded. I can taste a sweet but light caramel malt backbone. 4.5/5

M: The tartness is mouthwatering. Very little carbonation but what is there is effervescent and crisp. Light-medium bodied. 3.5/5

O: I had this on tap a year ago and remembered it fondly. It is still a very good beer. Fruit in beer can put me off sometimes, but this is really well executed. The raspberries complement both the tart flavors and later the funk in the aftertaste. 4/5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a Goose Island chalice
2010 vintage

A: Pours a hazy, orange-red color. There is some off-white foam while pouring but quickly fades to absolutely nothing. No lacing. 4/5

S: A fairly light and mild smell. Notes of barnyard funk and a little bit of tartness that tickles the nostrils. I can smell some fruit but it is faint and indistinct. 4/5

T: The first thing that I taste is sweetness. The raspberries come through clearly and distinctly, unlike in the aroma. After a brief moment the sour characteristics appear. There is a mouthwateringly tart flavor that becomes prominent during most of the sip and into the finish. Less prominent is the funk. Tastes of horse blanket and wet wool. There is also a faint but still noticeable vinous character, especially in the finish. 4/5

M: Medium to light bodied with a good amount of effervescent carbonation. 4/5

O: I had this side by side with the 2011 vintage. This beer is much more subdued that it’s 2011 sister. Light caramel malts give a good base for both beers, but this one ends up being sweeter. It is a little bit less “in your face” than the 2011. Also, this has more carbonation which makes it that much more enjoyable. 4/5

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 21:08:50 | More by WankelEngine

rlee1390

Indiana

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Cloudy red/slightly pink, highly carbonated.

S-Cherries, raspberries, sour notes, wine flavors and some grapes.

T-Fruity cherry, raspberries, some sour notes between tart and sour, grapes as well.

M-Light to medium bodied, well carbonated.

O-This is considered one of their sours but I prefer the tart beers like Fleur and Matilda to this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 15:41:05 | More by rlee1390

bashiba

Iowa

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a murky red, light bit of a soap ring head.

The smell is nice and tart and musty.

The flavor is a nice mixture of musty brett and tartness with some light woody cedar flavors and a touch of sour cherry.

The mouthfeel is clean and dry.

Nice american wild, good but a little simple.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 03:13:28 | More by bashiba

Etan

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a Libbey stout glass. 2011 bottle.

A: Pours a translucent, rich red with a small head of tan bubbles. Head disappears immediately. No lacing or retention. But goddamn, what a beautiful color.

S: Strong horseblanket wild yeast, vinous fruit and oak, subtle raspberry, mild cleansing alcohol.

T: Palate is immediately hit by a beautifully-balanced wave of tart fruit. Slightly astringent tannins from the barrel pushed up by sweet, perfumy raspberry. Sourness smooths toward the finish. Lactic funk, oak, floral notes, more raspberry, lemon, a hint of alcohol in the finish.

M: Medium-bodied with fine, tingling carbonation. Dry.

O: Well-done. The raspberries were certainly perceivable and enjoyable, and the sourness balanced nicely with the rest of the profile, with the alcohol being extremely well-hidden. Not quite worth the $18 I paid for it, but highly enjoyable nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 05:52:26 | More by Etan