Christmas Ale - Goose Island Beer Co.

OleJohnnieAle

Minnesota

3.43/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 Vintage - 4 pack - one now... one each year for the next 3

A: Pours a hazy dark bronze with a quarter finger of head. very minal fine lacing left.

S: Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and maple up front. Some nice baked bread aromas and a bit of biscuity malts.

T: Nice bready malts are present up front with a very short burst of sweetness.

M: Medium bodied and smooth, even carbonation. Very smooth.

O: For as much as I have heard about this I have to say pretty disappointed by the bland nature of this beer. Nothing too special here so I am hoping that some time in the bottle may help. Although I was disappointed, this is a really good beer still, just nothing special. Will definately get again for more of the novelty.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 01:15:10 | More by OleJohnnieAle

touchmeimsac

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5%

05-15-2013 13:08:38 | More by touchmeimsac

jkball01

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -14.7%

05-13-2013 16:36:04 | More by jkball01

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5%

05-12-2013 16:43:44 | More by mikeburd1128

YoDude

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Goose Island Christmas Ale 2009, aged 3 years 7 months in my beer cellar, 5.7% ABV, and poured into a Goose Island MBA Tulip glass.

Appearance: Poured amber brown with a deep thick head and a lacing that refuses to recede from its initial pour line.

Smell: A nice Holiday scent of dried fruit and nutmeg that is not overpowering.

Taste: The buttered toast and caramel malts lead to a lingering cinnamon-like bitter finish. As the beer warms, the flavor of black licorice emerges.

Mouth feel: Medium body and good carbonation, with a balanced sweet and bitter finish.

Overall: This American-style Brown Christmas Ale has aged very well. If any one flavor was originally dominant, that is not longer true. The Holiday spices have married well with the caramelized malt to make it very easy to enjoy more than one glass full. This beer may very well have reached its peak age, but I will continue to test as I still have three bottles in my cellar.

Serving type: 22 oz. bottle

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 04:55:55 | More by YoDude

drlovemd87

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

05-10-2013 01:24:43 | More by drlovemd87

cadaugherty

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

05-09-2013 00:50:03 | More by cadaugherty

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +5%

05-06-2013 00:09:15 | More by mikeincharleston

dvmky

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

05-05-2013 17:34:18 | More by dvmky

lic217

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

04-30-2013 09:25:24 | More by lic217

VikeMan

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5%

04-27-2013 18:30:22 | More by VikeMan

bossmanbuzz

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

04-27-2013 02:20:01 | More by bossmanbuzz

erialbill

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

04-26-2013 15:42:55 | More by erialbill

Rappaman

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +18.1%

04-25-2013 01:05:40 | More by Rappaman

Sparty55

Michigan

4/5  rDev +5%

04-23-2013 01:47:25 | More by Sparty55

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

04-22-2013 20:58:14 | More by Kelp

Kunstman

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

04-20-2013 16:55:43 | More by Kunstman

jreindl

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -21.3%

04-20-2013 04:39:04 | More by jreindl

msturek

Texas

5/5  rDev +31.2%

04-19-2013 01:33:07 | More by msturek

civicm87

New York

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

04-16-2013 21:49:10 | More by civicm87

AlphaKingKegger

Ohio

4/5  rDev +5%

04-16-2013 04:17:52 | More by AlphaKingKegger

Pencible

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: This poured an opaque mahogany with a little tan head.
S: It smelled like roasted barley and earthy toffee, with a bit of vanilla and nutmeg.
T: It tasted like copper hops and roasted barley, with some earthy toffee and vanilla and nutmeg. It had a clean and bittersweet aftertaste.
M: It was watery with moderate carbonation. Light body.
D: This was reminiscent of Our Special Ale. Nice scent and taste, but nothing special. The body was only ok. The finish was smooth enough, so it was easy to drink. Seemed like it could really improve with age. Fresh wasn't bad, but fairly mundane.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 01:12:39 | More by Pencible

Hugonaut13

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

04-13-2013 04:10:53 | More by Hugonaut13

MRsojourner

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

04-08-2013 02:54:07 | More by MRsojourner

polopaul20

Maryland

4/5  rDev +5%

04-05-2013 19:35:15 | More by polopaul20