Christmas Ale - Goose Island Beer Co.

unklesyd

Oregon

4.6/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

GI Christmas Ale is one of my favorite beers for any season. In a blind tasting, you might mistake it for a roasty ESB. Crisp and fully flavored without being overly heavy or malt-sweet, this is a great one for summer as well as winter. I'm drinking the last of my winter stash in August, and it is as well received as in December.

Wonderful deep garnet with a thin ring of continuous head.

Great nose of husky grains as they are mashing as well as some very subtle candy figs.

Fantastic balance of flavor. Deep and rich, but crisp bitterness that stops short of being cutting. Slightly bitter chocolate and rough grain. Faint raisin aftertaste.

Flavor enough to want to drink this one all night, but it is very rich, and so you will want to stop between bottles to cleanse the palate and stay sharp.

I can't wait untill January to see this one again, I'm buying a case.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2006 01:35:13 | More by unklesyd

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