Sofie La Mure
Goose Island Beer Co.

 

 

Best by May 28, 2024, so about 2 - 2.5 years old at this point.

Pours a cloudy, completely opaque burnt orange color. Very thin, fizzy white head forms on the beer for a moment before fizzing out and disappearing.

Aroma has notes of tart acidity, lemon rind, lemon and citrus with a lighter tart berry note. Interspersed in with that citrus acidic tartness is a pronounced barnyard funk. Brett, wet horse blanket, and wet hay all come through. The nose on this has me expecting a very acidic, sour beer ...

... and while its acidic, the flavor profile is no where near as acidic as I expected. There are notes of brett funk, and some wet horse blanket like notes up front but there are also notes of grain, blackberries, tart lemon, lemon rind, white pepper corns, and a slight herbaliness on the back end. Its funky, tart, and spicy, but in a very restrained and even handed manner across the board.

Feel is light, crisp, and sort of bright or lively. Carbonation follows with a lovely brightness to it. Pretty dry through the middle and into the finish.

I will always have a soft spot for Sofie and this is a really nice variant. Well worth drinking if presented the opportunity for fans of the style.

 

 

Poured from 22 oz bottle into cervoise. Best by 28 May 24 (5 years).
A: Pours a clear golden yellow with 1 inch finely-bubbled white head that fairly quickly recedes to a thin skim.
S: A burst of brett funk, white pepper, earthy minerals, and blackberries.
T: Blackberries with an odd red wine note, white pepper, brett funk also comes across different here, and the earthy minerals are more bitter and astringent here. Hmmm...not as good as the aroma.
M: Light body. Moderately effervescent. Odd clash of bitter astringent mineral and soft berry sweetness with a subtle vinous note. Not well balanced.
D: Save your $10 and take a pass. I wanted to like this given how much I like the original Sofie. Just get regular Sofie.

 

 

This has a substantial yet delicate funk, bringing notes of hay and barnyard, with a light but firm froth in the medium-light body, accented by light but tart blackberry that's slightly herbal, finishing barely semi-dry.