Goose Island Sofie

Brewed by Goose Island Beer Company
Style: Saison
Chicago, Illinois USA

2009 bottle from Oct. 23 thanks to Secret Santa. Pours with a hazy golden body with a large, white head. Aroma of coriander, orange peel, white pepper, anise, jasmine and candied tangerine. Taste is a bit tart, with a harsh grain notes. Some citrus, pepper, florals. No brett at all as far as I can tell. Dry and bread like. Very effervescent and supremely dry.

Pours a light yellow color with a decent yeast haze and thick frothy white head. Aroma is of bright fruit, orange and lemon are very upfront with light up spice funk. Taste is almost radler like. Very citrusy with lemon and orange as well as a subtle spice and odd funk. Very crisp and refreshing. Solid.

Pours a light straw-yellow color with a medium frothy-white head which leaves some webbed lacing. Aroma is your typical Belgian ale - light green grape, Belgian spices, and a little Belgian funk. Taste is rather light - light Belgian spice, bright citrus, a little bit of sparkling green grape. Rather enjoyable for a style that is quickly losing my interest. Not as spicy with more focus on the citrus notes.

22oz bottle. Pours a bold, slightly hazy, medium straw color; significant bright white head with excellent retention and resilient lacing; an absolutely gorgeous pour; lightly effervescent; shimmering head. Lovely, crisp aroma: mineral and herbal bitterness, very charismatic yeast character (dough, light funk, nicely dry), with touches of white pepper; this is exactly what I want in the aroma of a saison: crisp, lively mineral notes, charismatic yeast, a light funk, nothing sticky, and mouthwatering acidity; hints of citrus throughout; this is a very attractive nose. Medium mouthfeel: following the aroma, lots of dough, white pepper, with hints of minerals and light citrus throughout; the core is nicely toasty, reasonably dry (though not quite as dry as the nose suggests); some heavier banana and bubblegum esters at the core of things; definitely shows some close similarities to Orval: the pleasant hoppiness, the light funk, the clarity of expression; a really lovely beer altogether. Lasting finish of toastiness, light minerals, nicely dry overall.

Pale straw gold colored body with a long lasting off white head. The nose was sweet pears with notes of funk and wood. There was also a lot of bubblegum and orange juice. The taste is straw with orange peels and a little hint of vinous character. There is a slightly soapy finish along with ginger and a little black pepper that tends to linger. The mouthfeel is soft with lots of carbonation that is not irritating. A nice experiment that is like the best of a wit combined with a saison and a little hint of wine. Well done.

Bomber. Light golden body, slightly hazy. Huge white head, mostly lasting. Citrusy aroma of orange and lemon along with pale malt with a hint of clove and pepper. The flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter and lightly acidic. It finishes lightly to modertely sweet, lightly bitter and moderately acidic. Medium body, watery texture and spritzy carbonation. Great dry, tart finish after initial tastes of orange, lemon and spice with a hint of mold. Mouthfeel reminds me of champagne. A little too citrusy. It masks any subtleties the beer may offer, but otherwise this is an enjoyable, easy-drinking saison.

Pours light yellow with a big bubbly white head. Tastes very dry, orange, vanilla, some tartiness. Very good saison.

Very fruity and spicy saison. I don’t get the "wild yeasts" so much as a fairly nice and strong saison. Lots of carbonation. Good taste. Bought for our hotel room in KC from the Sunfresh grocery store. I wanted to stock up on Boulevard BBQs, but I feared that they couldn’t handle six days in the airport parking lot in December.