Christmas Ale - Goose Island Beer Co.

fx20736

New York

4.43/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

2012 edition. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, served at cellar temp.

Gorgeous tawny port reddish brown with a thick, sticky creme brulee head that leaves nice lacing.

aroma: ripe dark fruit with some cocoa

mouthfeel: silky, soft and smooth

taste: plums, richly toasted malt, cocoa, maybe some diacetyl, with some woodiness, walnut and herbal bitterness.

notes: quite impressive. this is like a ramped up version of their brown ale with much higher hops and some dark fruits. It is complex with multiple layers of flavor. Yet another great beer from Goose Island.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 16:34:14 | More by fx20736

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - a brisk pour gets only a moderate head, creamy and with good retention. Dark iced tea color, red notes make for an attractive start. Sticky residue of lace.

Aroma - the sniff test reveals some initially fruity aromas giving way to coffee notes which ultimately prevail. Malty nose with raisin and spice breaking through now and then for a nice blend.

Taste - lots of good flavors intermingled here. Roasted malts and coffee, with tastes of cinnamon, allspice and a nice dose of hops thrown in. A good glass o' beer.

Mouthfeel - medium to slightly heavy, nicely carbonated throughout but not seltzery. Just right.

Drinkability - These were a pleasure to drink. Very enjoyable and a nice surprise to find tucked away in my storage well after Santa had retreated northward.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2004 22:31:29 | More by brewdlyhooked13

SawDog505

New Hampshire

4.4/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured 2012 ABV 7.3% bottled 8/31/12 into a 13 oz tulip. Confused as to this being called a brown ale, seems more like a Old Ale to me. Pours a deep mahogany, lots of floaties, and a nice really off white head, that leaves lots of lace. Smell is carmel, nutmeg, toffee, and bready. Taste is much stronger, very little nutmeg with loads of carmel and toffee and some dark fruit, this is going to be a staple this Holiday season. Body is on the larger side, plenty of life, not dry, and really drinkable. This beer is really special, drinks much bigger than its ABV and it is really more complex than its size would have expect.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 16:08:37 | More by SawDog505

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep brown color, with about a finger of off-white foamy head that remains throughout the beer.

The scent is of toasted caramel malt, herbal hops, notes of yeast.

The taste is of toasted caramel and biscuity malt, moderately bitter herbal hops.

Medium body, smooth and creamy, moderate carbonation.

This was a very nice brown ale, full of rich flavor and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2012 15:55:28 | More by BeerCon5

zerk

California

4.38/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly cloudy amber with a thin white head that leaves some lace on the glass. Aroma is sweet... carmel and biscuity malts with pine and herbal aromas. Flavor begins with some carmel sweetness, but is by no means cloying. Becomes somewhat grassy... then finishes with a healthy dose of pine. (I was actually burping pine for a couple of hours after this one.) All flavors are kept very well in balance. Body is slightly thin for the style and carbonation is medium. This is a very drinkable winter warmer, and is one of the more impressive beers in Goose Island's lineup. Very well done!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2002 20:43:49 | More by zerk

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy, deep mahogany body with a creamy light tan head that holds well and leaves some nice lace throughout the glass. The aroma is cocoa-ish and mildly fruity with a soft background spiciness (piney hops?). The body is medium and creamy in the mouth from a very fine and natural carbonation. The flavor takes an interesting turn with a sweet fruitiness and some citrusy and piney hops atop a lightly syrupy maltiness. A distinct caramel note is revealed as it warms in the mouth, and some chocolatey character remains but it also picks up a roasted edge that combines with a firm bitterness in a dry and lingering, mildly roasty finish. Very nicely done with a good amount of complexity. Interesting and enjoyable. Best enjoyed slightly warmed. Well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2003 19:45:06 | More by NeroFiddled

1fastz28

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

pours a very dark amber copper color with an off white opaque head. smell is complex with lots of hops and malt fragrance presence, also has a nice caramel scent with it. taste is equally intriguing the mouthfeel is thick and rich my favorite. lots of malt taste, with hops and other spices. all around smooth and tasty beer. i recommend

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2007 00:55:07 | More by 1fastz28

BeerlyHuman

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +15%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle to pint glass with absolutely beautiful color! I guess mahogany best describes it. Decent head. Very nice smell and the taste is almost as nice as the appearance. The spice blend is so balanced its hard to depict a dominant flavor. Nice mouthfeel and excellent drinkability. I like it the way it is so I doubt I cellar any. I'm glad I tried it and may buy more although I am anxious to try some other holiday ales. I was a bit suprised at the $10.49 ticket on this beer. But the store I bought from is usually higher than most. Try it it's good!

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2008 22:57:26 | More by BeerlyHuman

DavoleBomb

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +15%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass. 2009 vintage.

5.0 A: Clear amber color. Two fingers of thick, creamy baige head with great retention and tons of lacing.

4.0 S: Sweet caramel from the top. Lightly toasted malts as well. Herbs and spices including basil and nutmeg. Pleasant, but could be more powerful.

4.5 T: Not much bitterness, which is a good way to approach this. Rather, light caramel sweetness again with lightly toasted malts. Spiciness is a bit more subdued in the taste, but is still present. Slight alcoholic warming throughout. Simple, yet tasty and executed well.

4.0 M: Lighter medium mouthfeel. Good carbonation and decent creaminess. No flaws here.

4.5 D: Very drinkable beer. This is one of the few brews that impresses me without having tons of flavor. This is a relatively simple brew that displays a good recipe and great technique.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2010 00:55:55 | More by DavoleBomb

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.38/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2009 Vintage. Opened on Christmas Day with @LaitueGonflable and our dad.

Pours a very pleasant deep coppery brown colour, with a fine head of light pale yellow. Lacing that is formed it tight and fine. Haze in the body occludes the carbonation, but it looks pretty decent. Overall, it's a lovely looking beer.

Nose is rich and sweet and spicy. Big nutmeg characters, and a very traditional Christmas pudding character. Dried fruits, deep caramel sweetness and plenty of lightened spice. Smells delicious.

Taste is possibly even better, giving a slight spicy brandy character to mingle with the brown sugar, crushed spice and dried fruit characters. Lovely hint of booze on the back just works perfectly, and is surprising given the low ABV. Feel is smooth and slick, minimal carbonation, but this matches extremely well with the sweet and smooth characters on the palate.

A fantastic beer, and a wonderful drop to celebrate Christmas with the family. A year of age on it? Wonderful. I'm not sure what it's like fresh, but the integration and balance is just right a year on. Really lovely.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 08:12:53 | More by lacqueredmouse

SHODriver

California

4.38/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours a deep brown with some light coming through near the edges with a slight reddish hue. Ample off white head shows great retention
S: complex nose with some spices, a bit of bitter hop aroma, some roast malt and a hint of sweet malt aroma as well
T: Sweet toffee on the front with some spicy flavors to carry through to a slight roast flavor toward the end. A bit of piney hop flavor comes through to finish off the experience and the beer finishes with a toasted malt aftertaste on the swallow that gives way to some oily hop bitterness.
M: Slightly thin with slightly prickly carbonation, not bad
O: A delicious brew that I look forward to every year.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 02:24:56 | More by SHODriver

BigRedN

Nebraska

4.35/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Part of the pub pack offering. Bottled on date of September 24, some talk about continueing to improve for up to 5 years. Uh, no it won't, this ones goin' down right now. Who can actually keep something this good for so long?

Appearance: Dark red/amber. Clear, can just see through when held to the light. Off white head (tan), a good pour yielded about a 1/2-inch head that dissipated to a ring around the glass and a thin cloud over half the liquid. Good lacing to the finish.

Smell: Almost all hop aroma noticeable. A hint of something else, not really spicy, but slightly burnt malt aroma.

Taste: Hop blast followed by a nice malty sensation. Toasted malts, flavors of burnt chocolate and coffee. Malt in the middle followed by a hop finish. Very well done.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, very little to no carbonation. Smooth.

Drinkability: A very well balanced and thought out beer. Well made, although one would not to imbibe too many at a setting and OD.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2005 05:00:48 | More by BigRedN

tedsox31

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. A nice dark red color with an off-white head that left a lot of lacing.

The smell to me is of toffee and caramel, and a lot of spices. Maybe some cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar?

The taste is a great balance of hops and malt. The malt and spices seem to come through first, and then that is followed up by the hoppiness.

Mouthfeel is fine. Nothing remarkable. There is some carbonation to it, and some creaminess.

A very drinkable beer. I really like this kind, and I had one last year that I liked as well. Goose Island changes their recipe every year, and the past two years that I have had it I have liked it in different ways.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2008 16:40:04 | More by tedsox31

Marcrates

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Deep reddish brown color. The head is off-white, and very creamy. Sticks to the sides of the glass quite well. I like the way this one looks on this cold December evening in Ohio!

S- I smell a carmel malt smell, and some mild spices.

T- This has a medium carmel-malt bite at first, and then a rather even hops after taste. I really like the balance of this beer.

M- Feels great to me. Just the right amount of thickness. Heavy enough, yet not overwhelming.

D- Very drinkable indeed. It may seem a bit heavy to someone who only drinks light beers, but it may seem a little light to those who prefer heavier brews.

My overall opinion: I think this is an excellent Ale, with just the right amount of balance in taste / mouthfeel. It is something that both experienced beer advocates and newbies alike could sit down and enjoy together. Not too heavy, not too light.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2009 21:17:40 | More by Marcrates

GilGarp

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz. bomber bottled 9/10/09.

Served cool into a Belgian goblet, the beer has a great redish brown color with excellent clarity and a creamy white cap. The head settles slowly leaving just a bit of lace on the glass.

Aroma is mild spices over a brown ale body.

Flavor is really just about perfect for the style. It has a great carmel malts in the base with perfectly judged warming spices. Cinnamon and clove come through just enough.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with just about the right amount of carbonation. I could always do with fewer bubbles but that's just my opinion.

Overall a very good American brown, as it's labeled here, but an excellent winter warmer, if you ask me.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2009 17:20:22 | More by GilGarp

DAllspaw

Indiana

4.35/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Nice dark ta color with food clarity and small bubbles. Some toffee in the aroma and some bready malts but not what I expect from brown ale given the pronounced yeasty funk.

Taste is lighter than typical brown but then again more in taste like a belgian ale, nice bit of spice and easy drinking at this ABV.

Nice beer, goose island specialty beers never disappoint.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2011 22:11:18 | More by DAllspaw

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2009 vintage pours a hazed, tawny brown color with a light cap of tan head. Average retention and lacing is just spotty.

Nose is like a spruce tree with a bunch of hazelnuts hanging from it...maybe a better analogy might be an Anchor OSA with a splash of Avery Old Jubilation. Hops are still there for sure, surprisingly grassy and floral.

Taste has a really nice creamy feel to it with a vanilla-nutty, malt-yeast interplay. Reminds me alot of AV Winter Solstice...love that beer, so this one is right up my alley. Rarely do I find myself lamenting the split of a 22 oz bomber, but in this case I found the bottom of my snifter rather depressing. Delicioso! Age has been kind to this one...yes, yes.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 07:06:45 | More by twiggamortis420

warrenout330

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 vintage, poured from a 12oz

A- pours a murky mahogany color... thick off white head... decent retention. Spider web lacing to the glass.... yeast visible in the chalice

S- sweet roasted caramel, big pronounced nuttyness. Fig/raisin hints... earthy hops still present

T- earthy hop bite, sweet roasted caramel... nutty undertones .... hint of figs lingering

M- prickly carbonation still... smooth and oh so creamy... slight chewy body... earthyness over all

O- never had this beer fresh, and I probably never will. This is by far one of the best winter seasonals I've had and its probably because of the age... I may let the other 6 age for another year... than this will really turn out how I want it...

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 07:02:55 | More by warrenout330

Tballz420

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a dark beverage with an amber hue coming through the majority of it. It smells like a bundle of stuff, leaving me with a candy-like scent. There is a lot going on with the taste, i like the well blended in hops that hits my tounge first. Its got some sweet malty elements, candy like and other spices are involved. Id say give this goose a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2003 22:04:37 | More by Tballz420

bleacherbum

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Being a Chicago native, one would think I'm biased toward Goose Island from my first review on beer advocate. Such is not the case. I have had this beer multiple times, only when fresh. Always thought it to be pretty solid, but cracked a year old bottle open tonight and felt compelled to review. The bottle says it's cellarable up to 5 years, but I figured I'd try one during it's fifth life....

A: Clean and pretty clear. Some sediment escaped in to the pour. There was barely a dusting of yeast when the bottle was purchased, but this baby is full of sediment after a year.

S: The British are coming! Big English Old Ale/Barleywine characteristics on the nose. Caramel, toffee, smoke, tobacco and chocolate, with a hint of leather and wood. All very subtle and blending well.

T: Sweet toffee, hint of roasted malts and English esters. What a neat little beer! Completely different than it was a year ago. The malt really shines. Slight hint of diacetyl and hop. Very warming and nice.

M: Lower carbonation. Very fine, with a lingering twinge on the palate and just a hint of bitterness. Makes for a very drinkable beer.

D: As stated above, extremely drinkable. It's like barleywine light! It's an Old Ale!

A delicious, complex beer at the tender age of 1. Will purchase more of these for the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2008 05:03:51 | More by bleacherbum

jdense

Oregon

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. bottle purchased at Belmont Station served during Twelve Beers of Christmas tasting, 12/22/09.

Reddish amber body, finger and a half tan head, slow dissipation with nice lacing. Sweetish nose, a bit more cocoa than dark chocolate, not much spice to speak of, and there was a bit of hop bite masked by the fruity sweetness. A really great tasting Winter Warmer, the sweetness is nicely balanced by subtle spices and hoppiness. Nicely carbonated and very drinkable. The consensus was this was one of the stars of the night, and I'll certainly be seeking out another bottle of this. Very accessible, worth bringing to a holiday party for craft newbies. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2009 15:11:47 | More by jdense

animal69

Louisiana

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- pours a cloudy med. copper color w/ a thick off-white cap that takes it's time settling down into a ring of lace that nicely coats my nonic

S- smell is of a citrus and strong tea w/ a bit of orange spice, hints of bread come through as well

T- taste is mostly well rounded bready cereal grains w/ piney tart and strong tea bitter hop flavor, some nuts and floral-like fruity about midway, finish has a subtle "winter" spice mixed w/ mineral note as it lingers at the end of the tongue

M- a semi-sweet, med. bodied brew w/ a nominal amount of carbonation, felt pleasently slick on the palate

D- quite drinkable, prob. my favorite holiday beer so far, really enjoyed the moderate use of spices in this one

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2009 00:29:38 | More by animal69

KevinBrewer

California

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on 10/09/09; Reviewed on 3/12/11

A- Slightly cloudy reddish mahogany with a small tan head that dissipates to a thin film, leaving minimal lacing.

N- Deep caramel malt, toasted nuts, and brown sugar with a dark grassy hop accent.

T- Rich caramel/nutty malt backbone balanced by a clean hop bitterness and grassy/spicy accents. Sweet grain, dark grassy/spicy hops, and a smooth hop bitterness linger into the aftertaste.

M- Medium to full bodied, sticky hop oils, smooth cask-like carbonation, and a semi-sweet finish.

D- Very tasty, and the low alcohol content makes a bomber the perfect after dinner treat.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 03:08:12 | More by KevinBrewer

kzoobrew

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on 10/30/09

Clear tawny brown body. Slightly hazed but free of sediment. Massive 5 plus finger head rests atop. The head works its way back ever so slowly leaving plenty of broken lacing plastered to the glass.

Sweet brown bready malt aroma emanates from the glass. Brown sugar and grassy hop aroma sits just behind. At this point the aroma is not complex, there is not a great deal of depth but it is absolutely wonderful.

Sweet maltiness rolls across the tongue. As the beer moves back on the palate the malt develops a deeper, darker flavor. The back of the palate the malt displays a rich coffee flavor before lightening again as the beer fade. A sweet brown sugar sweetness is left on the back of the tongue. Soft but pleasant hop presence can still be noticed. Lightly floral and subtle citrus flavors compliment the warm malt very well.

Medium bodied Brown Ale. The carbonation is a shade below medium, providing a very nice feel on the tongue. Very soft, lightly chewy texture. The finish is moderate and inching towards long.

Not a big beer that you would think to sit on but time has been kind to this one. Very pleasant flavors, warm and well integrated. Very easy to drink, very enjoyable. I wish I had a few more sitting around.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 19:08:34 | More by kzoobrew

Lemke10

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I had this on-tap at Thunder Bay Grille in Rockford, IL in December 2012. This pours a medium brown color with an off-white head. The scent is sweet with malts with hints of nuts. The taste is toasted filled with lots of good spice flavor and nuts. Has a great texture and flavor making it a great all-around beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2012 05:46:48 | More by Lemke10