Barrel Aged Sai Shan Tea
Goose Island Beer Co.

 

"Rare Tea Cellar Emperor's Lemon Meritage Saison" aged in a Justin Isosceles wine barrel. On-tap at GI Clybourn. Served in a tulip.

A: Pours a light clear orange with a small white head.

S: Lemon tea, slight vinegar, dry oak.

T: Heavy oaky lemon, slight herbal bitterness, orange peel, pale malt, more tannic and vinous wood, mild stone fruit esters, slight vanilla. Dry and slightly acidic in the finish.

M: Light carbonation, light-to-medium-bodied.

O: Wine barrel and lemon tea a bit too strong on this one, making it a bit too dry and lemony. Still interesting.

 

 

On-tap at GI Belgian Beer Fest. Served in a pint-shaped taster glass.

A - Big creamy white foam that settles to a chunk cap, leaving behind glass-coating lace. Lightly hazed golden orange body.

S - Extremely lemony - there's a bit artificial character to it, but it avoids coming off like Pledge or anything like that. There's some iced tea flavor in the periphery, but not much of the advertised wine or barrel flavors.

T - Taste is quite similar - a hefty dose of lemons with only a hint of beer present. Again, there's a bit of tea, oak, and peppery yeast in the periphery, but this comes off like a lemon iced tea more than a beer. Alcohol is shockingly well-hidden.

M - Smooth texture, pleasant zesty carbonation, medium body, and a bit of tannic character in the finish.

D - It's extremely easy to drink - refreshing and a nice change of pace. It's perhaps a bit too heavy on the lemon at the expense of the other flavors (I could have stood for more barrel and wine character). That being said, I liked it more than the base beer.

On tap at Goose Island Clybourn, review from written notes.
"Aged in Justin Vinyards Isoceles wine barrels."

Served in a tall footed tulip glass. Saturated orange color, concentric rings of lace stick around the entire time. Sticky collar of finely textured foam adheres to the sides. Floating island of foam in the center. Lightly fruity aroma, wet hay, oak, dominant (seemingly) white wine notes. Peach, apricot, orange.

Fruity flavors, grape skin tannins, slight presence of alcohol, similar to wine. Peachy, vanilla from the oak, some bitter citrus peel/pith. Light lingering bitterness in aftertaste. Understated barrel character, more fruity wine notes contribute a mild natural fruit sweetness. Light creamy feel. Fruit forward, hidden abv, though there is some wine-like warmth, pleasantly tart fruit, and lingering bitter tannins.