Matilda - Goose Island Beer Co.

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at New Deck Tavern in West Philadelphia, 4/8/2013, into a wine glass.

Aroma: Smells like Belgian yeast for sure. Spice, banana, clove, and some sweet fruit, perhaps apples but there may be a little bit of orange or lemon zest in there. Very nice smelling nose that is faithful to the Belgian style. (5)

Colour: Slightly hazy amber body with a nice, fluffy 1cm white head that dissipates quickly leaving a thin white film and a likewise thin collar. Lacing is excellent. A beer that looks very appetizing, with the carbonation coming out well. (4)

Flavour: I taste some combination of tart apple and bitter orange throughout, with a non-cloying malt sweetness that is very complementary to everything else. There are a good bit of spices, clove and banana in the back end. Best way for me to describe the flavour is that it's like a Hefeweizen (that aspect is probably from the yeast) combined with some sort of fruit ale like a Serendipity. I really liked quaffing this one. (4)

Mouthfeel: An exceptionally smooth, well-carbonated medium-thinner side bodied brew that leaves a somewhat dry finish. It's refreshing, and the aftertaste is pretty similar to a good Hefeweizen- spices, banana, a little bit of clove that makes itself recognizable but disappears after a comfortably short amount of time. (4)

Overall: This is a very refreshing Belgian pale ale that makes me think I'm drinking a Hefeweizen at times, and a faintly fruity ale at other times. I didn't have high expectations for this one, but since my old boss ordered and paid for a round of this one, I got it and was very pleased with it. Definitely a great spring/summer beer to have, and not terribly overpriced either. (4)

Serving type: on-tap

04-09-2013 23:48:35 | More by Stevedore

rodkin

Missouri

4.44/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Well it's 81 degrees in my house, so I need a refreshing beer. 2013 release.

Pours a slightly cloudy amber, fluffy white head.

Smell is big floral belgian yeast, juicy apple, pear, grape. Slight bit of clove. Banana.

Taste is fruit, flower, yeast, banana, slight musty funk.

Medium bodied, slightly creamy, decent carbonation

Excellent for the style, a fantastic beer for warm nights.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 02:44:25 | More by rodkin

RichD

Rhode Island

4.63/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2010 Vintage, 22 oz bomber bottled on 1/29/10 poured into a tulip glass.

A: Pours a medium orange color. About a fingers worth of white sudsy head. Leaves some nice lacing on the glass as I drink this gem.

S: Lots of fruity goodness coming through on the nose. I can tell there is a little funk going on in here. I get some orange and a little bit of apple and pear in here as well. This is what a Belgian should smell like.

T: Boy this brew is funky. Big fruits coming through here. Apples, pears, a little orange. This definitely follows the nose well. There's a small amount of hops and there are some caramel malts. This almost resembles a hybrid mix of a saison and a hefe, which is most definitely the brett coming through. This is such a deep brew with the fruity taste and the malts. Great profile.

M: A medium mouthfeel, nothing heavy here. No booziness, which is nice. Overall a pleasant feeling.

Overall: This brew is fantastic. I've had the 2012 version fresh on tap and aged for about 6 months from the bottle. The 2010 version is by far superior compared to the 2012 version. I recommend having this aged every time. This is definitely my favorite Belgian and I hope Goose Island keeps the quality up there.

P.S. Also had a 2011 version and it's still nothing compared to the 2010. I highly recommend drinking this with at least 3 years on it. Amazing.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 03:40:34 | More by RichD

HabiMendes

Rhode Island

4.36/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

The Matilda is a mix of amber and cooper, with a bubbling, almost white neck, and hazy body. The aroma exposes very well cloves and honey, and a little spice in the taste. Hop bitterness is present, well harmonized with the malt (of which I expected more expression). The end leaves us with hops, very briefly though. It's a good beer, although too much alcoholic in comparison with its other elements, that are more discrete and delicate. Thumbs up overall.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 03:10:28 | More by HabiMendes

Dave1999

Virginia

4.21/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a very cloudy amber with a big foamy white head.

Smell is dark fruits, cinnamon, apples and nutmeg.

Taste is much like the smell, the spices really come through. Tastes like apple pie, quite delicious.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Overall this is a really tasty beer, the spices really come through.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 21:53:13 | More by Dave1999

Wolfpack2005

North Carolina

4.19/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

2012 vintage. Poured into Kuhnhenn snifter.

A-Slightly hazy orangish-amber with a small amount of sediment floating around. @ finger head that leaves minimal lacing.

S-Light tart nose with a mix of funk and slight fruitiness. Picking up a little banana type yeast.

T-Light bready malts that leads to a very mild funk. Then a sharp ester-like bite on the back end. Also picking up the bananas from the nose and Belgian yeast flavors in the aftertaste

M-Medium body, slightly higher that average carbonation with a fairly dry finish

O-Easy drinking, straight-forward BSPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 00:45:43 | More by Wolfpack2005

MadScientist

New York

4.69/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

A: A deep golden beer with excellent clarity. Pours with a finger of fine to rocky, off-white faom that leave fine lacing on the glass.

S: Lots of floral hops and orange aroma with a some black pepper. There is a moderate amount of bubble gum, barn yard brett aroma in there.

T: Fruity and spicy with a touch of honey-like malt sweetness. There is a moderately-low hops bitterness. Some brett funk. Oranges, peaches and black pepper. The balance is a slightly sweet and the finish is medium.

M: Medium bodied with a strong level of carbonation.

O: Exceptional, everything I want in a Belgian Strong like fruit and black pepper without being all that sweet with a satisfying brett character.

12 oz Bottle, bottled on: 07/26/12

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 23:41:30 | More by MadScientist

barczar

Kentucky

3.91/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours a clear medium golden with a frothy half inch whitish head that dissipates into a ring of foam at the rim.

Floral notes mix with fruity esters and confectioners sugar to form the initial aroma. Banana esters complement the floral character, accented by soft citrus.

Flavor reveals deep belgian yeast ester character. Citrus notes of tangerine and orange accompany peach, pear, banana, apple, and sweet tart esters against a backbone of fairly bready, lightly toasted malt. The finish is floral and has a slight earthy bitterness that intensifies as it warms. Plasticy phenols surface in the aftertaste, along with a musty character.

Body is moderate, with carbonation a touch on the high side.

Lots of fruity, estery goodness and good yeast complexity. Malt and hops support well, but the yeast is the star. Phenols were a bit offputting.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2013 23:41:00 | More by barczar

fdig23

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the bottle.

Appearance: Pure gold with a medium white head. Poured side by side with an Orval, so its really not fair but it just looks bland comparatively.

Nose: Bleu cheese, barnyard funk and sour lemon wrapped up in nice toasty malts.

Taste: Lemon zest up front mellows out into a funky hay bale middle and ends with a pure malt finish. It's very similar to Orval but with the yeast characteristics taken up a notch. Loses a lot of balance in doing so.

Mouthfeel: full carbonation, nice and creamy. Feels a bit dense for the style though.

Overall: A nice, zesty, mildly funky brew that could easily be a summertime standby.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 20:17:03 | More by fdig23

macrosmatic

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a CCB pint glass.

A: Hazy deep amber, with one finger's worth of white head, and low-ish visible carbonation.

S: Fruity esters (apples, pears, cherry), pilsner malt, and some booze – standard Belgian nose here.

T: Follows the nose. Fruity yeast esters, light bready malt, with a bit of funk and barnyard. Overall quite tasty.

M: Body is on the lighter side, not quite watery. Low alcohol presence, good carbonation sensation.

O: This is good, and easy to drink. But there's really nothing to make it particularly stand out.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 20:07:26 | More by macrosmatic

Premo88

Texas

3.79/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 3.75

On tap at the Hay Merchant in Houston ...
13 oz. poured into tulip glass.

L: crystal clear amber with great-looking 1 1/4-inch head that seemed to dissipate fast. Not much lacing.

S: a little hefeweizen-like; muted wine smell ... yes ... esters. similar to Rochefort 8 without the raisins. again: fruit.

T: bit of bite from hops muted by ester/hefeweizen-like estery taste. bananas?

F: perfect carbonation.

O: despite the ester taste, I expected slightly sweeter finish. pretty dry. the muted wine taste/smell seemed different ... not terrible by any means.

I need to try this one again. As a proud American, I want to give my patriotic best to try our versions of all beers, including the Belgians. And this certainly reminded me of Duvel, which is on point for the style, obviously.

(note on lacing: Is it possible that a glass is so clean and waxxy smooth that it doesn't allow for much clinging of the foam, i.e., the foam slides back down into the water and nothing will stick to the glass? I'd swear that was what was happening at the Hay Merchant)

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2013 07:11:29 | More by Premo88

mtstatebeer

West Virginia

3.24/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

20 oz. bottle (date 04/01/11-2149) served in a tulip glass. Pours a fairly clear amber color with a very thin off-white head, good lacing. Aroma is caramel, sweet citrus, slightly spicy, a hint of alcohol, and vinous. Flavor is sweet malts, caramel, peppery, a bit of cinnamon, dark fruits, and yeasty. Mouthfeel is medium, fair amount of carbonation, a little cloying. Decent beer, a bit too sweet for my liking, I suppose the hops have all faded away.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 03:11:49 | More by mtstatebeer

stoplookdrink

Wisconsin

4.4/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

My first outing with a Goose Island product. Bottle date of 7/26/12. 12 oz. Btl.

A. Pours a very light carmel color with a very slight haze. Not much head to speak of. Clinging lace.
S. Amazing fruity with hints of floral aroma. Very inviting.
T. The aroma gives the flavor away. An assualt of smooth rich "fruityness" hits the back of your throat. A very rich assualt at that. I'm not a big fruit beer guy but this is a unique mix that works for me. Light on the carbonation. Just enought to tingle the tounge.
F. Excellent feel. Starts with the fruit /floral and ends with a gradual fade of flavor to a warm alcohol finish.

Sounds like I'm reviewing Juicy Fruit gum! Sorry to be so redunant with fruity. This beer was a surprise to me, so I was pleased. I would recommend this beer as great change of pace brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 03:07:44 | More by stoplookdrink

Pencible

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: This poured a hazy gold with some off white head.
S: It smelled like sour apple and orange zest, with some apricot and grassy hops and spicy Belgian yeast.
T: It tasted like grassy and waxy hops, with some sour apple and orange zest and spicy Belgian yeast. It had a musty aftertaste that was sweet and sour.
M: It was watery with moderate carbonation. Decent body.
D: This had a great scent, but only mediocre taste and body. The finish wasn't entirely clean, so it was not the easiest to drink. I'm curious how age would affect it, but it was only average fresh.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 20:33:27 | More by Pencible

dar482

New York

3.39/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

One of first Belgian ales that I have had in a while. It appears light, a bit cloudy, and yellow. The taste is a bit flat. It has a good biscuity malt flavor with a slight sweet taste. The mouth feel is silky, but it is light and drops off a bit fast. Watery almost.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2013 23:30:17 | More by dar482

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.49/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I believe I paid 3.18 for this one at Vintage Estate.

A - Pour is very oily with a 1/2 inch of sticky white foam atop of a orange yellow colored beer. Slight yeast floaties make it have a bit of haze.
S - Kind of smells like a triple with coriander spice, fruity yeasts, and some biscuit malt. Strong smells rather authentic.
T - Very tasty the hops are that of a citrus tone, the coriander spice is there but well integrated, and the finish has a nice bit of sweet honey like yeasts that give it a semi dry feeling.
M - Very easy to drink like a balanced IPA. Hides the ABV well.
Overall another great beer from Goose Island makes me psyched to get my (2) four packs of BCBS. Solid Belgium pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 02:15:28 | More by DrDemento456

Vixie

Illinois

4.11/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours a nice orange with just a hint of red. Has huge tan head with a lot of bubbles coming up from the bottom of my Duvel glass.

Smell starts out sweet, there is lemon, grass, malt, and yeast, and a little floral.

Starts out with a bit of citrus, then spices kick in. Has notes of pepper and coriander. It finishes with a bit of hop bitterness, just enough to balance the initial sweetness.

Good feel to this one, nice and solid, very good for the style.

One of the nicer Belgian styles to come from an American brewery. Actually tastes like something from Belgium, had I not known where it was made, I would have guessed Belgium. Has a nice blend of the flavors I expected, all balanced well. I will definitely be drinking more of this.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 03:30:16 | More by Vixie

ckollias

Maryland

4.36/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed this bottle out of a Beligian tulip glass.

A: Pours a golden hazy hue with a 2-finger, white, frizzy head that slowly dissipates down the side of the glass and ends in a solid persistent lace with a decent trail.

S: Pineapple and fruity aroma with hints of Belgian yeast and honey.

T: Sweet pineapple and tropical fruit flavor. Hoppy Belgian yeast middle and finishes on the spicy side.

M: Thick body and med-high carbonation.

O: Really good Belgian strong ale. Solid all around.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 01:19:52 | More by ckollias

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.05/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep reddish golden color with a decent sized fluffy beige head that slowly dissipates to a cap on top. Smells of sugary malt with pomme and light pitted fruit and a hint of spice and pepper to round out the nose nicely. The flavor is sugary sweet with hints of honey and light sugar. Heavy fruit flavors remind me of pear, tangerine and sweet orange. Hints of spice provide the only balance to the sweet malt and fruit flavors. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet almost syrupy mouthfeel. This is a nice Belgian strong, simple straightforward and quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 01:01:26 | More by johnnnniee

hardy008

Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy dark orange color, with a 3 finger foamy white head. The head slowly faded to two fingers, then a collar. Leaves spotty lacing. The aroma has pears, apricots, white grapes, yeast and pale malts.

The taste is not as bold as the aroma suggest. Has white grapes, pale malts, and yeast. No sign of the pears or apricots in the aroma. Lightly sweet, almost watered down. Not sure what happened here, but the taste does not live up to the aroma.

A little more than light bodied, with soft carbonation. Almost feels watery. This is a 2012 bottle, not sure why there should be any issue with lacking flavor. It seemed to have plenty of carbonation when I opened it. I may try this again later, and update the review and scores if needed. Seems to be just average for now.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 03:18:29 | More by hardy008

mralphabet

Virginia

4.41/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle poured into le poured tulip glass.

A: Poured a cloudy copper color with a little less than a fingers worth of head that settles to a small ring with a touch of lacing.thin head that disappears quickly.

S: Big cinnamon, with touches of cloves and sweet malts. I'm also getting a little unripe banana and yeast.

T: Wow strong sweet notes right up front lots of cinnamon with hints of sweet caramel malt and a little unripe banana just like the smell. Then I'm getting a quick hit of tart fruit maybe green apple?? ... It is quite a wild mix flavors. I'm getting a little pepper and clove in the aftertaste.

M: Medium bodied with a little stickiness.

O: Wow very complex flavors mixed in here with a wonder balance of sweet and tart.... A fantastic beer. At 7% ABV this is a one or two and done.. Just sit back and enjoy the ride, let this one warm up and little and it just gets better and better... Very much worth looking for.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 03:20:44 | More by mralphabet

dertyd

California

5/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

from a bottle drank out of a wineglass

A-looks like a orange soda with a nice 2 finger head realy nice looking beer

S- clove citrus tangy floral smell

T-kinda fruity get a lot of clove spicyness not bitter at all realy smooth for a 7%abv

M-realy crisp dry feal lots of carbonation

Overall- this was a damn good beer picked it up out of town because I never seen this brew before and I was very impressed such an easy beer to put back kinda scary because I feel like I can drink theese all day and at 7%abv I would b smashed lol
I can't wait to try more from goose island

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 06:49:26 | More by dertyd

BelgLuvr

South Dakota

4.78/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured a cloudy amber. Bottle gushed a bit on opening - it's alive! Tall Belgian style head left some nice lace. Marvelous complex aroma of spices and fruits. Mouth feel was creamy, tangy. Spice notes came through strongly in the flavor. I have a weakness for Belgian style blonde ales, and an automatic suspicion when American brewers claim to make them. For me, Goose Island knocks this one out of the park, and at only 7% ABV, I can have another!

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 06:07:33 | More by BelgLuvr

searsclone

Arizona

3/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

poured from a bottle into a chimay goblet.

I really hope that I had an off bottle of this. I had really high hopes, but was really let down. I will try again and edit my review later, but for now, here goes.

clear straw color with minimal head and no lacing.

smell and taste were all clove. I tried to get more, but that was about it. a touch of alcohol flavor in the end, but mostly just spicy, overpowering, clove.

mouthfeel was chewy and wet, good carbonation.

overall, I will try again soon and edit, but for now, not impressed.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 01:53:23 | More by searsclone

patpbr

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Golden pour with a white head and lots of carbonation bubbling up.

S- herbal and floral

T- The taste Fruit, honey, lemon. A bit of spice and a bit sour. Earthy.

M- medium body and crispy. bitter notes.

O- A really nice balance has been created. This is one that makes you want to try more of the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 22:51:25 | More by patpbr