It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Written: Dec 17 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good Foaming Action; Complex
Cons: Doesn't Taste Like Other Winter Beers
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| Bryan_Carey's Full Review: Goose Island Christmas Ale |
Goose Island Brewery is a successful craft- beer operation, located in Chicago, Illinois. I enjoy most of the products that Goose Island produces. Most of them are very distinctive and enjoyable. I didn't even know that this company produced a winter beer at all, until I stumbled across it one day, while loitering in the beer isle in the grocery store. I was looking for something new to buy and, given the solid reputation of Goose Island's other products, I decided to give this beer a try.
Basic Characteristics:
I popped the top of my Goose Island Christmas Ale and poured it into a glass. The color of the beer is a deep copper, and the foaminess was excellent. It produces a solid head of foam that holds its own. Sitting there, in my clear beer mug, the site was handsome, indeed.
The aroma of this beer caught me off guard. It has an unusual smell, with a mixture of hops, alcohol, and burnt twigs, with a hint of spice. Goose Island uses Belgian Specialty malts and crystal malts in the brewing of this beer. I don't think they use any spices at all, even though the smell is indicative of spice.
The taste of this beer is complex, just like I expected it to be. There is a malty flavor, followed by hops, and a bitter, alcoholic finish. This beer has a bitterness level of 55 IBU, which is higher than most beers. The alcohol level is high, too, with a 6.8% level, by volume.
Food Compatibility:
With this type of unusual, complex flavor, Goose Island Christmas Ale could be matched up with many different foods, like pot roast, pork chops, filet mignon, etc. I think it would also go with some sweeter desserts, like pumpkin pie.
Final Thoughts:
This beer is a tough one to call. Judging it as a winter seasonal, I would have to say that it's not as good as many of the others in its class. But, if I judged it in a more general way, without comparing it to other beers in the same category, I would say that it's interesting and worth a try. It did win two Gold Medals in the World Beer Championships, so it does have its admirers. If you decide to sample some, I would recommend getting just a bottle or two to try, rather than a full six pack or twelve pack, because there's a good chance that you might not like it at all.
My overall rating is 3 stars. If I could give half- star ratings, I would rate this beer 2.5 stars. It is interesting, but it doesn't necessarily put me in the Christmas spirit, like other winter seasonals. With its higher than average alcohol content, a couple of bottles will warm you up, that's for sure. But I expect a little more than just getting a warm, fuzzy feeling, when I drink my winter beer. So, this beer is a toss- up. Some will like it a lot; others will think it's not that great; and some people will even hate it. I give it a marginal recommendation, just because of the complex flavor characteristics.
Recommended:
Yes
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