On a recent visit to the Goose Island production brewery on Fulton Street in Chicago, I marveled at the barrel room. Row upon row of racks stacked with wine and whiskey barrels beckoned me to sample. Labels with hand-written brewer’s notes tempted me with seductive names like Juliet, Sofie, and Lolita. My heart raced as I read ingredients like “brett”, “lacto” and cherries. Sadly, their contents went untasted.
Last night I opened a bottle of the fruit of these barrels (and fruit is the appropriate word here), Madame Rose. Goose Island calls the beer a Flemish Brown Ale. After an initial fermentation in stainless, the beer is transferred into wine barrels for a long fermentation with wild yeasts and acid-producing bacteria. 40-pounds of cherries are added to every barrel.
Here’s my notes:
Madame Rose
Goose Island Brewing Company, Chicago, Illinois
Style: Flemish Brown Ale
Serving Style: 750 ml Bottle
Aroma: Blush wine and balsamic vinegar. Tart cherry fruitiness with almond highlights. Earthy, mossy, woody. Brings to mind the smell of fresh cedar mulch.
Appearance: Light brown and clear. Small carbonation bubbles and color make this resemble champagne. Off-white head does not persist.
Flavor: Mouthwatering tart cherry. Vinous red wine vinegar combined with complex lingering malt flavors. Dark plums. Light almond, wood, and floral notes complete the picture. Finish is dry and light.
Mouthfeel: Light body, but with a velvety chewiness. Refreshing. Spritzy.
Overall Impression: Complex without being complicated. Delicate and delightful. This beer falls somewhere between a Kriek and a Flemish Brown. It has the residual malt character of a brown and the tart-cherry fruit of a Kriek. Less funky than a lambic, but funkier than an Oud Bruin.
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I’ve been wanting to try this beer since I first heard about it. Glad to know it was finally released. Guess I’ll have to find a bottle…
Cheers!
…But I don’t think it is going to be released up here. At least I think I heard that somewhere.
I’ve been lucky enough to sample some of Goose Island’s Belgian style ales. I really enjoyed Sofie and still have Fleur in my cupboard. I hope this one appears over here in England in 2011