Goose Island Beer Co.
Chicago, IL
Available: ND, SD, NE, KS, AR, MO, IA, MN, WI, IL, IN, MI, OH, KY, NY, DC, MD, MA
Brewed to honor the brave souls who kept the brewpub open in the early 90’s while wrecking balls tore down the surrounding mall. Dry and smooth, with a grassy, citrus aroma and honey malt middle.
ABV: 7.2
ABW: 5.6
Color: Golden Straw
Bitterness: 40
Original gravity: 1070
As I pour this spring-sunshine hued beer, a big, puffy tuft of a white head forms that diminishes quickly, leaving traces on the sides of the glass. Aromas are simultaneously spicy, fruity and a touch yeasty with suggestions of honey, lemongrass and fresh grass. Those flavors linger on the sidelines along with a strong yet subtle malt structure, allowing clove and other spices rise to the forefront of this zesty beer. Demolition can be a bit shy at first, but give it a little time and it proves to be a take-notice beer that demands attention.
Very pale in color, this deceptively strong, Belgian-style blond offers a homage to the great Duvel, and does so very well. Spicy Belgian yeast notes, with hints of coriander and lemon, fill the aroma, and full, sweet pale malt packs the palate. On top sit tropical fruits―Galia melon and lemon to the fore―with a gently tart bitterness from hops, a whiff of perfume and a peppery underlying warmth. Bitterness increases and the tang of hops grows in the dry finish. A delicate beer that, just like Duvel, creeps up on you. Take care!
Lisa Morrison, aka The Beer Goddess, writes about beer whenever she can and also gets to talk about it on a weekly radio show in her hometown of Portland, OR.
Author of the Good Bottled Beer Guide and The Book of Beer Knowledge, Jeff Evans is an eight-time editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and one of Britain's best-known beer writers.
Thu Jun 28th, 2012
The Events of Beer
Dinners, tastings, festivals, seminars, gatherings of all sorts. It’s that time of year, folks, when every weekend and most weekdays there is an “event of beer” within driving distance of...
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