Christmas Ale - Goose Island Beer Co.

blackcompg

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle from their seasonal 4pak...

Appearance - Poured nearly 3 fingers of tan mocha head with slight reddish hilights - this eventually reduces to a solid 1/4 finger cap that remains for the session, body is a slightly opaque deep red amber, leaving very nice tan lacing rings inside the glass.

Smell - Ripe dark fruits, slight fruit cake, dark cherries, slight whiff of ginger bread, and slight white and milk chocolates. Really smells good, like a kitchen at Christmas.

Taste - Wow, spiced rum fruitcake! Seriously, begins with spicy yeast flavors of slight allspice, a sweetness of dried fruits, figs, plums, a touch of molasses, and there is an earthy herbal flavor - very much like like tea, the finish is definitely more tea with a touch of allspice and molasses sweetness. Nice balance and complexity.

Mouthfeel - Nearly medium, carb is medium but smooth and slightly foaming, finishes just dry and is very drinkable.

Overall - This is my very first Christmas ale, and I am quite pleased with it. This is not overly sweet by any means, and has a nice transition with a dry and lightly bitter finish - begging the next sip. I'm intrigued by the tea flavor, but find it very familiar and enjoyable. Check this one out, I found this at my local Walmart!

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 04:47:20 | More by blackcompg

JasonTaverner

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

05-22-2013 22:10:02 | More by JasonTaverner

brewcifix

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

05-21-2013 21:57:35 | More by brewcifix

Rogorama

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +18.1%

05-21-2013 13:56:22 | More by Rogorama

ackeeper

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

05-21-2013 01:28:20 | More by ackeeper

InspectorBob

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

05-20-2013 16:21:22 | More by InspectorBob

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