Imperial Brown Goose - Goose Island Beer Co.

FernMaster

Missouri

2.78/5  rDev -33.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served on tap, poured into a goblet.

The color on the Imperial Brown Goose was satisfactory, moderately brown, little light shown through, but in the light it had a crimson appearance. However there was less than a finger's worth of head. What little head there was stayed around for some time, but if failed to lace the glass. The smell is definitely in your face, it says that it was aged in Bourbon barrels, but my friend and I were getting whiskey from this. It seems like that it was aged in whiskey, not bourbon. I'm fine with either, but just a heads up if that matters to anyone. The bourbon smell was very very dominating, there may have been some other smells trying to get attention standing on the outskirts of the bourbon, but I couldn't pick them up. The smell is only fitting because the bourbon is the main flavor in this beer. My friend - who's not a beer person, but a hard liquor person - appreciated this, however, I didn't. I'm very fond of beers that are aged in bourbon barrels, or any other barrel, but the Imperial Brown Goose is one that lacks subtly. The bourbon is completely overwhelming of any other flavor in this beer and surprisingly enough, it burned like bourbon. I'm serious about this, it freaking burned to drink! The taste was also too sweet, so much so that I didn't feel like finishing it (come to think of it, I don't believe I finished the entire glass). This beer just lacks balance, so much so that I can't really recommend it to anyone except the most curious of people. I was saddened by this too because I love Goose Island, but every brewery makes a mediocre brew every now and then.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2009 21:38:37 | More by FernMaster

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-26-2013 19:30:07 | More by Slatetank

wyatt13

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

05-12-2013 15:51:29 | More by wyatt13

Snudge4Ever

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

04-30-2013 01:51:29 | More by Snudge4Ever

harrymel

Washington

3.59/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

2006, opened with PhineasGage when he was in town.

Pours a nice dark tawny with a fleeting sheet of light tan foam. Smells sweet and rich. Lots of nougat, vanilla, toasted malts and a bit of turbinado. Taste was dark malt, nutty brown character, some oak, a bunch more vanilla, some cocoa (really faint), plenty of oxidized malts and a good leathery tone. Medium on full bodied with a watery feel from the seemingly lower carbonation. Happy to have had it, wouldn't probably search for it again.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 04:31:15 | More by harrymel

Kelp

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

04-22-2013 20:58:57 | More by Kelp

matjack85

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

02-11-2013 19:35:38 | More by matjack85

DerekMorgan

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%

02-01-2013 00:20:03 | More by DerekMorgan

jderosia603

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

01-20-2013 03:33:27 | More by jderosia603

pzymali

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%

11-08-2012 23:14:29 | More by pzymali

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -10.3%

10-07-2012 03:12:16 | More by t0rin0

Pete27lax

New York

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

09-15-2012 02:59:04 | More by Pete27lax

ucis

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%

09-04-2012 17:56:56 | More by ucis

ajs4bd

Missouri

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%

07-13-2012 17:22:29 | More by ajs4bd

overvolting

4.83/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I sampled this for the first time at a craft brewfest in 2012.
Goose island said they recently recovered some bourbon casks they had misplaced and this was in them, aging for 6 years instead of the usual 8 months, in the casks. Yes this was batched in 2006.

Wow.
I felt bad with every sip that I was depriving the world of tasting this nectar but like that last dorito in the bag, it was impossible to resist it.

Very smooth and dozens of flavours delivering bourbon like an irish car bomb wrapped in a psychedelic amazing techicolour dreamcoat.

I tried other bourbon stouts and they were not in the same ball park. In fact, this one almost ruined the beer show for me because nothing compared to it.

Edit: I forgot to mention that according to goose island, I killed the last sip. This no longer exists in their possession.
Sorry!

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2012 03:59:33 | More by overvolting

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%

06-19-2012 14:35:02 | More by coreyfmcdonald

s1ckboy

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -4.3%

06-11-2012 14:19:44 | More by s1ckboy

asafarc2

Rhode Island

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-11-2012 05:31:08 | More by asafarc2

GrindFatherBob

New York

5/5  rDev +19.6%

06-04-2012 12:28:23 | More by GrindFatherBob

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A nice little surprise found its way on tap in front of me. Pours a clear dark brown with a thinnish off white head that quickly dissipated. Wow that's got some bourbon going on in the nose! Hints of sweet caramel and a chocolate try to round out the aroma but this is quite the bourbon bomb. Flavor is what you expect brown sugar and caramel malts layer underneath a mountain of oak and sweet bourbon. Long lingering alcohol burn long after every sip. Medium body with a light level of carbonation and a sweet and hot kind of mouthfeel. This is definitely a d sipper, but I could see myself enjoying this on a cold winter night.

Serving type: on-tap

06-03-2012 21:42:53 | More by johnnnniee

standardcherry

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

06-02-2012 19:06:27 | More by standardcherry

DP34

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -10.3%

04-15-2012 17:19:29 | More by DP34

chrispoint

Connecticut

2/5  rDev -52.2%

02-18-2012 08:24:10 | More by chrispoint

imperialking

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

02-10-2012 05:14:34 | More by imperialking

MikeyMikee

New York

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%

01-24-2012 05:25:30 | More by MikeyMikee