Mae - Goose Island Beer Co.

emerge077

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Unlabeled, purple-waxed 22 oz. bottle, huge thanks to Dave & company for sharing this on the brewdeck at Fulton. Second time trying this, first time taking any notes on it.

Pours a lightly hazed gold, with rapidly streaming carbonation. Frothy white foam laces a little bit around the edges into a spotty sea foam pattern. Plenty of carbonation visible through the side of the glass.

Softly funky aroma of wild yeast, reminds me of Upland lambics right away. Lacto and mild Brett, minerals and damp hay, some soft peach fruitiness bleeds through behind it.

Tart and crisp with zesty carbonation, it has a certain depth to it, and not just a one-note sour ale. Peach pit with bits of clinging flesh, wild yeast elements, light acidity. A touch more oak presence in here would be nice. Crisp with a pleasant dry finish that triggers the salivary glands. Light bodied and refreshing. It would be easy to finish a bottle solo, hope they release this eventually.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 18:59:44 | More by emerge077

HopHead84

California

4.18/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11/25/2011

Bottle shared by Alex, thanks! Snifter.

A: Transparent gold and bright with a finger of white foam. Nice color.

S: Pronounce fruity esters, reminiscent of apple, pear, and pineapple. Peaches are evident. I get some wheat and biscuit with brackish notes. Leather blends with oak. Tartness is light, and lactic notes are evident.

T: Lightly floral, with pronounced apple and pear. Peppery phenols are light. I get a little pineapple and a good amount of peach with oak and a little leather. The beer is light tart with a lower moderate lactic sourness.

M: Light in body with lower high carbonation.

Overall: A nice Saison/Wild Ale. It's more Saison than Wild Ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 17:23:50 | More by HopHead84

beertooth

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Mae pours a hazy, pale, straw yellow with a thin whisp of bubbles and white foam. Looks like a Saison.

The nose is slightly acidic with a touch of wild funk. Notes of wooden peach basket, tropical citrus, lychee flesh, and rolled, cut lemons are popping out.

The taste follows the nose, but is much brighter. Peach skins and pits, white wine grapes, lychees, yellow citrus. Also, tart, sharp minerals that lend a salty element. I also pick up a slight buttery pretzel dough note. It's extremely dry and quenching. The acidity really builds up after each sip. Awesome stuff, very close to New Belgium's Tart Lychee, but a bit more sour.

Medium bodied with a medium level of carbonation.

Mae is a great wild ale. I really hope we see it again in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2011 22:57:18 | More by beertooth

Sean9689

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Goose Invasion @ Small Bar Fullterton.

This stuff ran out before we got there, but thanks to Adam (FlssmrBrewAlum), we were able to have a glass of it. Really appreciate it, homie!

A - Pours light golden color, white head, thin ring around the glass accented by white whisps on top.

S - Orange peel, sour/tart, slight funk, peaches. It has a great sour/tart character that has basically overtaken the original saison base beer.

T - Lots of peaches, sour/tart notes, lychee, oak. A decent "pucker" on this beer, but not a Lou Pepe pucker at all. The peaches are evident right away, while they're more subtle on the nose.

M - Light, crisp and smooth, good carbonation, dry finish.

O - Probably the best beer of the night for me. It's an excellent sour that I would love to have again, if offered. Hopefully, it stays as sour and tart as it is right now, because other beers like this (ie. Scully) have changed since I last had them.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2011 14:20:13 | More by Sean9689

sidetracked

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Small Bar Fullerton for the Goose Island Tap Takeover.

Cloudy, pale gold with a thin white head that dissipates quickly but lingers around the edges. No lacing.

Sour aroma, tart unripe fruit, white vinegar.

Mild sourness throughout the taste. Little more fruitiness comes through at the finish--unripe sour peaches, sour green grapes and a little woodiness.

Medium body with medium/high carbonation at the finish. Slight dryness.

I didn't notice many of features of the base saison, but Mae has an amazing sourness accented by the peaches added. A great beer that I'll definitely seek out again if Goose Island makes more.

4/23/2011

Serving type: on-tap

04-24-2011 21:15:32 | More by sidetracked