Belgian Week Day Five: Juliet

Sadly, we draw to a close on a wonderful week of Goose Island Belgian-Style Ales. Tonight we have a Belgian Style Sour Ale that goes by the name of Juliet.
I have to give a special thanks to Dale over at Finnegan's Irish Pub for helping me out with getting a bottle. I had not been able to find a 2010 bottle anywhere - I even asked the manager at the South Loop Binny's, and he said their computers had no record of it for over a year. Apparently, this year it was a June only release and was only available at their brewpub. Lame!

Juliet is Goose Island's take on a Belgian Sour Ale. And what a unique take it is. This beer is fermented with wild yeasts, which greatly contributes to its unique flavor. On top of that, each batch is aged in Cabernet barrels infused with blackberries. Ends up with a very sweet, wine-like taste. This beer is amazing. I guarantee that if you are a wine person, you will enjoy this beer just as well as most wines.

I did encounter a small problem with pouring this beer. There is so much carbonation that upon opening the bottle it started overflowing, not only soaking the label but also my shelf. And the carpet. So, two photos instead of a single messy one should be fine I guess.

Juliet
Brewery: Goose Island
Country: USA (Illinois)
Style: Belgian Sour Ale
ABV: 6.7%
IBUs: 15
Serving Size: 22oz Bottle
Cost: $15

Appearance: Saturated dark rose color. Opaque haze from the high amount of yeast. Very, very high levels of carbonation. I should have read the many warning about this. Glad I did not get the same effects as what people wrote about - some were reporting that their beer gushed out around 4-6 inches upwards. Yeesh. Poured a high head that wasn't creamy at all, but had an interesting pinkish tint. be prepared for sediment. Don't worry, it is safe to drink, but not too many people find chunky bits in their beer to be appetizing. If you want to avoid getting any in your glass, let the bottle settle before opening, pour very slowly, and leave a few ounces in the bottle.

Aroma: wine grapes and blackberries. Reminded me a lot of a sparkling wine. You can also smell the presence of the wild yeasts. Besides the blackberries, there is a smell of other berry fruits including raspberries and strawberries.

Taste: Like a sparkling wine with malt and yeast. The high levels of carbonation give it a crisp and light taste. The middle of it is very yeasty with a small amount of spices. Aftertaste is a bit sour with a little dryness.

Drinkability: Juliet is very crisp, light, and refreshing. I could drink it all day and night, if it wasn't for the high cost and rarity of a bottle.

Verdict: Buy immediately it if you can find it. You might have to do a beer trade on BeerAdvocate to procure a bottle, but I can imagine that at this point is will be impossible to get a hold of. Even if you are more of a wine person, you will fall in love with Juliet.

And this brings me to the end of Goose Island's Belgian-Style Ales Week. It was fun while it lasted. I think I need to do more themed weeks to get into the habit of writing, reviewing, and drinking more! Until next time - cheers.

Belgian Week Day Four: Sofie

Sofie is Goose Island's take on a Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale.



It's a shame about the bottle in the following picture, but that's what humidity does to things. A wonderful beer deserves a wonderful picture, and unfortunately it did not get what it deserves.

Sofie
Brewery: Goose Island
Country: USA (Illinois)
Style: Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale / Saison
ABV: 6.5
IBUs: 25
Serving Size: 22oz bottle
Cost: $7

Appearance: Bright golden yellow color. Pours a nice creamy head that lasts for a good amount of time. Very hazy and opaque. Plenty of carbonation as well.

Aroma: Very pleasing sour smell of citrus fruits and spices. Light smell of the hops are noticeable too, but with such a low IBU it is hard to taste.

Taste: This is a very tasty saison. Wonderful crisp citrus tastes that turn into a very malty aftertaste, with a slight sour pinch at the end. You can taste the alcohol in this one as well, but it isn't as detectable as it is in some of the other Belgian-Style Ales.

Drinkability: Sofie is a very light and refreshing Belgian-Style Ale. With its crisp citrus flavors and light body, I could easily drink a few on a warm summer evening. Just like this one!

Verdict: If you like saisons - or any refeshing ale - I recommend trying Sofie. It is really good.

Belgian Week Day Three: Matilda

3rd beer of the week - half way there! Tonight's brew is the delectable Matilda.

From the Goose Island website:
"Wild in character, with a slightly fruity aroma and a spicy yeast flavor that is as unique as it is satisfying – Matilda is an intriguing choice for beer and wine lovers alike. Dry and quenching, it’s the perfect accompaniment at the dining table or for casually socializing at the bar."

This beer also has a video about it from the brewmaster:



The first time I ever had Goose Island's Matilda was early summer last year. Since then, it has become one of my favorites. This beer is very, very versatile when it comes to food - it can go well with just about any meal. I have yet to find something that doesn't jive with it at all. Even foods that normally would not go well with the style (Belgian Strong Pale Ale) seem to do alright next to Matilda.

For a beer that can go well with just about any dish, and is also both an apéritif and a digestive, one would expect it to be a rather bland tasting beer. While I do admit that it does have a smoother and more mellow taste to it, I would never say it is bland by any means. There are a lot of flavors and aromas in there, a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy.

This is one of the beers that brought me into the craft beer world, and to it I raise my glass. Is it strange to toast something by using a glass full of itself? Hmm.

WARNING! Goose Island has issued a recall on certain bottles made between April and May of 2010. A wild yeast entered the batches and caused souring. Read more about it here, which includes which bottle date codes were affected. Check your codes, and if you find one that is affected bring it back to your liquor store.

Matilda
Brewery: Goose Island
Country: USA (Illinois)
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
ABV: 7.0
IBUs: 32
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: $7

Appearance: Orange / dark golden color. 2 finger head on this one. good carbonation that settles down after pouring. Very nice lacing, but I was not able to get it to hold long due to improperly cleaned glassware.

Aroma: Very malty, it is the first thing you will notice when you take a sniff. Alcohol smell shows a nice presence here, without being overpowering. Subtle smells of fruits and spices as well - subtle enough that it can take awhile to pinpoint each of the distinct aromas.

Taste: Distinct taste of the yeast and malts. There is a lot going on in the flavor department - subtle hints of fruits such as cherry and pear as well as various spices (some from the yeast used) and a hint of brown sugar throughout the beer. There is a slight floral characteristic, but it is hard to pin down.

Drinkability: The brewmaster sums it up nicely: "Dry and quenching, it’s the perfect accompaniment at the dining table or for casually socializing at the bar." This is something I could drink very often and not get tired of it.

Verdict: You know what I am going to say: buy it and drink it whenever you can. I recommend finding it on tap where you can, it is certainly a step up from the bottle conditioned form.

Belgian Week Day Two: Pere Jacques

I need to remember to eat something before starting a review.

I made the mistake of sitting down to review this beer right after work - and on an empty stomach. Naturally, this has made it a bit harder to write about. Oh well, on with it!

Pere Jacques is Goose Island's take on a Dubbel. A few of the Belgian-Styles have videos on their pages on the Goose Island website, Pere Jacques being one of them:

Pere Jacques
Brewery: Goose Island
Country: USA (Illinois)
Style: Belgian Dubbel
ABV: 8.0
IBUs: 26

Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: $7


Appearance: Dark reddish brown color. Poured with a nice one finger head again, but this one was quick to disappear. Very light carbination.

Aroma: Had a very present caramel smell. There were also some notes of malt as well as fig.

Taste: This beer does not disguise the taste of alcohol well. It wasn't overpowering, but it was immediately detectable. Slightly spiced, with an overall taste of dried fruits, malt, and candied sugar. Also, don't let this beer get too far above it's recommended serving temperature (40°F) because its taste changes rapidly. By my second glass, it had warmed up too much and tasted more like alcohol and bread.

Drinkability: Goes down smooth despite the very present taste of alcohol. Definitely a good sipper.

Verdict: Worth trying if you can get it on tap or in the 4 pack, but I wouldn't buy the 22oz bomber again. Chimay Premiere (red) costs a little bit more for a bomber but is a much better Dubbel.

Belgian Week Day One: Fleur

Kicking off the Goose Island Belgian Style week with the only one I have not tried yet - Fleur, a Belgian Pale Ale.

Fleur is the newest Belgian Style Ale, having begun brewing this summer. According to the brew calendar, Fleur will be brewed for the rest of this year so it is safe to say this is going to be one of their regular brews that you will see on shelves next to Matilda, Sofie, and Pere Jacques.

Fleur
Brewery: Goose Island
Country: USA (Illinois)
Style: Belgian Pale ale
ABV: 7.0
IBUs: 32
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: $8 - $9

Appearance: Hazy amber. Good amount of carbonation, and a nice one finger head.

Aroma: Malty smell, with a hint of fruit, spices, and a barely noticeable floral scent.

Taste: Very present malt taste, very little hoppiness in this beer. Although Goose Island's website said there was a distinct taste of strawberry, my first impression of the fruit taste was actually apple. Also present was a hibiscus tea flavor, which is not too surprising considering the hibiscus flower on the bottle's label. The aftertaste did have a slight tartness, just enough to have an impact without making the beer taste sour.

Drinkability: Although the flavors are a bit lackluster, this is a very easy to drink beer. Reminded me slightly of a chilled tea.

Verdict: Good, but not something I would probably enjoy regularly. Nice to enjoy with a small snack or on its own. Definitely worth a try but don't expect this to blow you away.

Goose Island Belgian Week

I decided that because I haven't been updating very regularly, I would start making a larger effort to work on this blog whenever I had a chance to. To help kick myself towards doing this, I made the decision that I would review all five of Goose Island's Belgian-Style Ales this week, one each work day.

Goose Island makes a variety of Belgian-Style Ales, each with a nifty label design. So far there are five available in 22 oz bombers - This year's Juliet was only brewed in June. I cannot remember if that is how it was last year, but all I know is that it is impossible to find this year's batch outside of the brewpub. Also, yes I know that Demolition is a Belgian Pale Ale, but I did not know that when I decided upon doing this... and also it doesn't have the fancy labeling so it will have to wait for another review!

This is the schedule as planned:

Monday - 2010 Fleur
Tuesday - 2010 Pere Jacques
Wednesday - 2010 Matilda
Thursday - 2009 Sofie
Friday - 2009 Juliet

Cheers!

Turbo Shandy: Not To Be Confused With Spoiler Shandy

 During the summer, a shandy is always a great fruit beer choice. For awhile now I have been a fan of Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, but now I might have a new favorite of that type: Hoppin' Frog's Turbo Shandy.

I was rather surprised to find out that this beer has an ABV of 7.0%. Shandys (shandies?) tend to be light on the alcohol content, mostly between 0.9% and 4.2%. What's even more surprising is that you really cannot taste the higher alcohol content in Turbo Shandy.

Turbo Shandy Citrus Ale
Brewery: Hoppin' Frog
Country: USA (Ohio)
Style: Shandy
ABV: 7.0
IBUs: 7.3
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: n/a

Appearance: Pale golden yellow color. Light fizzy head that dissipated rapidly , very little carbonation.

Aroma: Smelled a lot like a citrus fruit cocktail. No noticeable smell of the alcohol.

Taste: Initially a sweetened lemonade taste, with a light malty aftertaste. Just a slight tartness to it, but not enough to make it sour. Very refreshing. Although Turbo Shandy is 7.0%, the alcohol is not very detectable on the tongue. Extremely drinkable, no doubts about that - which can be something to watch out for, given it's high ABV!

Overall, I would not say this is a spectacular beer. However, as far as a shandy goes, Hoppin' Frog Turbo Shandy is high up on the list.

You Got a Purdy Beer There, Boy

I recently stumbled upon this video one evening, and I must say I really want to try some of the beers this company makes.


Atlanta Brewing Company from 22squared on Vimeo.

According to their website, in the spring of 2010 Atlanta Brewing Co. was rebranded as Red Brick Brewing Co. to match the name on their main beers and to avoid confusion in the market. A rather small market, to be precise - their beer is only distributed in the southern states of Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. This is rather unfortunate, as there seems to be growing interest across the US.

So anyone who is planning a trip down south, let me know - I have a few things for you to pick up while you are down there!

Cali-Belwhat

Since they started distribution in the Chicagoland area a few months ago, Stone Brewing has really grown on me. Finnegan's Irish Pub used to have 30 different beers by Stone on tap, so I got to try a rather large selection of their line-up, including rare beers that have been cellared for the past few years. Plenty of them stood out, like their Smoked Porter with Vanilla Bean, El Camino (Un)Real Black Ale, and the Cali-Belgique Belgian-Style IPA.

One great quality of IPA's are their ability to balance out rich, creamy, fatty, and greasy foods with their crisp refreshing bitterness. That is what helps to make them a great choice for a summer drink. Back when it was on tap at Finnegan's, I had a glass of Cali-Belgique with a plate of onion rings. By themselves, the two has really opposing tastes - Cali-Belgique with its floral and citrus bitterness, and the onion rings with their greasy and saltiness. However after a few rings, the beer seemed different - not as bitter, but instead creamy and drinkable, while still retaining a light citrus flavor. A very good pairing I think.

Cali-Belgique India Pale Ale
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA (California)
Style: Belgian-Style IPA
ABV: 6.90
IBUs: 77
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: (unknown at the moment, bottle was a gift. Will edit as soon as I know)

Apperance: Hazy golden orange. Creamy and lasting head that leaves a nice lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Very fragrant and floral with a nice citrus hoppiness.

Taste: Strong notes of orange citrus and pine bitterness, as well as spices. Decent carbonation, and a nice hint of sweetness in the aftertaste that was not expected with an IPA but helps to balance out the hoppy bitterness. Leaves a smooth coated feeling in your mouth.

This is another fine brew by Stone that I would recommend to anyone that likes bitter beers. Cali-Belgique also currently stands as one of my favorite IPAs to have with a meal. It balances very well with anything that has a nice creamy or rich taste to it.

You can still find Cali-Belgique at Binny's I believe - it has been awhile since I looked for it though.

An Ice-Cold Bitch

It's summer, and not much is better than sitting on your deck after a long day of work and enjoying a nice India Pale Ale. Flying Dog's Raging Bitch, a Belgian-Style IPA, is perfect for this activity. Not only is this a strong, crisp, and refreshing IPA, but it is also Flying Dog's 20th Anniversary brew. According to Flying Dog's website:

"Bitches come in a variety of forms, but there's never been something as sassy as Flying Dog's Raging Bitch Belgian IPA. An American IPA augmented with Belgian yeast, our 20th anniversary beer jumps out of the glass and nips at your taste buds with its delicate hop bitterness. At 8.3% ABV, this bitch is dangerously drinkable."

Raging Bitch
Brewery: Flying Dog
Country: USA (Maryland) 
Style: Belgian-Style IPA
ABV: 8.3%
IBUs: 60
Cost: $10 / 6pk (12oz bottles)

Appearance: Raging Bitch has a nice light golden copper color, and holds a thick head when poured well. Left a nice lacing that lasted even after I finished the beer, and persisted to stick for awhile as a constant reminder that I should clean out my glassware in a more timely fashion.

Aroma: Hoppy and slightly fruity. The high amount of hops give it a strong and fragrant aroma.

Taste: Crisp and refreshing. A nice mix of hoppy bitterness with noticeable fruits. I couldn't quite pick them all out, but I did notice hints of pear, grapefruit, and orange.

Drinkability: Even at a strong 8.3%, their website tells it like it is - this is a dangerously drinkable bitch. I was honestly surprised by the ABV, as it is hard to taste the alcohol in this beer. I expected it to be somewhere between 4 and 5 percent. Raging Bitch goes down smooth, and is very refreshing on a hot summer day.

I highly recommend trying Flying Dog's Raging Bitch. Right now it stands as one of my top IPAs, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I'm curious to see what foods this would pair well with.