Mild Winter - Goose Island Beer Co.

kels

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Found this in the singles section on accident during a recent beer run to the Party Source in Bellevue. Really glad I happened upon it. Poured from the bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: This beer looks delicious to me. I know everybody's got their standards, and some like 'em cloudy. This is not at all. It's clear with carbonation running throughout. Gorgeous caramelly, coppery brown color with a 1 finger thick, foamy tan head. If I didn't know any better, I might think it were root beer or cola, of which I am also quite the connoisseur:)

Smell: The smell is comparatively light compared to other rye ales, but I guess maybe this is classified more as a "mild ale brewed with rye" according to the label. I smell some light malts and something that honestly hits me as salty.

Taste/Mouthfeel: For such a clear beer, the mouthfeel is tremendously creamy and smooth thanks to the head. It pours small, but it really holds throughout the drink, leaving thick rings of lacing without stickiness on the palate. The taste is really quite good - better than I was expecting from the overall score. It is very well balanced between the malts and hops, with a warming bitterness and crisp finish. There is a slight peppery tone and a saltiness as in the smell - though that could just be the smell I am tasting. The rye gives a nice earthy taste that works well with the caramel of the hops. The alcohol is only slightly present in the aftertaste and it is more reminiscent of crisp fruit, like apples or hard pears, than of alcohol.

Drinkability: Give me another!

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2008 00:38:48 | More by kels

Morbo

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly hazy light brown with copper at the edges and a small, white, foamy head.

The nose is spicy rye, some nuttiness, and a hint of herbal hops on top of a caramel malt foundation.

Doughy, nutty, and mildly sweet. Rye spiciness comes through nicely without being overpowering. There is a touch of smoke and just a bit of tea-like hops in the finish.

Medium bodied with a nice creamy mouthfeel and a dry finish that urges you on to take another sip.

Incredibly smooth and sessionable. I can't think of a goose island six pack I would rather drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2008 05:57:54 | More by Morbo

BMoney575

Michigan

3.85/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled on 12-3-08
Bottled on 11-3-08

Pours a hazy light brown, with a white head that doesn't last very long.

Smell is lots of rye, almost peaty but not too earthy. Sweet and meaty, light but not adjuncty.

Taste is light and bready, the rye is right up front, with a very aromatic quality. The finish is sweet and slick, with almost no hop character.

Mouthfeel is great, not too carbonated to cover up the flavors.

Drinkability is very good, this is a great choice for a flavorful session beer.

Overall, a surprisingly good beer for being so simple. A little on the sweet side, but extremely easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2008 00:55:10 | More by BMoney575

inhoc00

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Mild winter here in Chicago just in time for some shitty winter...weather.

A- Pours a dark amber to brown with a fair head and minimal retention.

S- Light maple with a bit rye and a very similar yeasty strain to that of Bell's Xmas?

T- Very light hops add to the original smell characteristics. Its good. Nothing too original but good.

M- Slightly creamy with little carbonation.

D- This is a definite session. Kind of wierd that they made this a winter seasonal. Its a GOOD beer. I will have several watching the Bears, but nothing really complex here.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2008 01:44:34 | More by inhoc00

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark brown, slightly hazy, and supporting a nice sized khaki head.

S - Nutty, yeasty, and a little spicy. Smells like a good brown ale with an emphasis on nuts and spice (from the rye?).

T - Again, brown ale malty flavors with an emphasis on walnut notes and a nice accent provided by the rye.

M - Medium bodied, malty, an mellowly carbonated.

D - A really nice winter beer. The flavors complement the dishes of the season, and the woody-nutty flavors put fireside evenings in mind. Pretty good stuff!

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2008 20:30:22 | More by pmcadamis

marcobrau

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Plenty of carbonation from this beer forms a white head that falls somewhat quickly leaving little bits of lace down the sides of the glass. There certainly is rye in this beer, as it shows up in the nose. The rye flavor is dominant, too. There are some background notes of caramel and spice; perhaps a touch of anise, but maybe that's just more of the rye. Feels much lighter bodied than it's alcohol content suggests. The rye shows up in the finish, too, which is laced with a potent enough somewhat minty bitterness that builds and is stretched out longer with each sip. Very drinkable and refreshing on a winter's day.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2008 02:51:24 | More by marcobrau

paco1029384756

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice ruby color with a small white head.

Scent of bready malts, maple syrup, rye, subtle hops and some spices.

Taste of tea, bready malts, burnt sugar and a hint of smoke in the finish. I enjoyed this one, it's not really heavy or overpowering, a nice one to sit and relax with.

Mouthfeel is light with a slight bite.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2008 20:57:54 | More by paco1029384756

plaid75

New York

3.78/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft at The Blind Tiger.

Poured a deep amber hue with a one finger foamy white head. There was decent retention and lacing.

The smell consisted of a light rye spice with a touch of caramel.

The taste featured a dough malt with a heavy sweet malt. Some spicy hops cleaned up the flavor.

The mouthfeel was toward the fuller side of the style and a touch too sweet.

Overall a tasty ale.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2008 17:38:25 | More by plaid75

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly clouded amber brown. Creme head. Nose is exactly what I would think a mild to be. Full enough rye/grain character. Flavor brings a hearty rye flavor profile. It doesn't obliterate my mouth, but it's pleasant enough. Feel is smooth on liquid and the carbonation is middle of the road with a slight nip at the tongue. Mmmmm. This is a nice rye. I could go for several of these on a cold, snowy, miserable night. Or any other time for that matter.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2008 19:12:03 | More by RblWthACoz

SammyDavisJrJrJr

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From a sample bottle dropped off today. Bottled on date was 10/31/08. Into the Two Brothers pint glass...

A - Light brown body with three fingers of head that left very attractive lacing. Good retention.

S - Rye is nice and spicy, very present in the aroma. Molasses and caramel sweetness are complimented by esters and a perfume hoppyness.

T - The entry contains nice caramel sweetness, with almond nuttiness and a nice toasted quality to the malt. The rye spiciness hit me immediately, and grew as I approached the swallow. Just a bit of balancing hops in the finish, leaving a nice, spicy and bready finish.

M - Plenty full, with very mild carbonation.

D - This is impressive. I hope it tastes this good with a little bit of time in the bottle. In a season full of spiced beers, it was very refreshing to try a beer going in a different direction. Everything a wonderfully balanced, with a nice, rich traditional malt complexity. Look forward to seeing this everywhere as the new winter seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2008 05:21:08 | More by SammyDavisJrJrJr

botham

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

on tap poured into a tumbler at the Clubourn brewpub in Chicago. pours a dark chocolate brown color with deep amber highlights and a single finger of light tan, creamy head that has great retention.

aroma is a good balance between caramel malt and light and aromatic hops, with a mild spiced character. a bit of the spice could be from the rye as well. light notes of chocolate and bready yeast form the base, with the malt and hop backbone showcasing most of the profile.

taste is mainly of caramel malt up front wih a touch of chocolate, along with a finish of smooth and coniferous hops. a malty base compliments a creamy profile well, along with great proportioning.

mouthfeel is medium bodied with a very smooth and creamy texture. a supurbly smooth finish compliments the malts, along with a creamy backbone. this brew is liquid gold in mouthfeel!

drinkability is great. this is a smooth and creamy brew with excellent drinkability. the rye imparts a subtle spiced quality, along with great balance from start to finish. a great brew from Goose Island Clybourn. cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2008 21:52:27 | More by botham

GbVDave

Illinois

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a 20oz imperial pint at Goose Island-Clybourn 7/7/08 Thanks to HeatherAnn for the assist!

A: Served a deep, reddish brown mahogany color capped with a creamy and pillowy off white head.

S: Nice toasty aroma along with some caramel, citrus, spicy rye, and floral hops.

T: Tangy-toasty rye, bitter piney hops, black pepper, and a pinch of bitter dark chocolate. A slight citrus hop profile, as well.

M: Prickly and pretty oily. Dry, toasty, and peppery.

D: A very nice rye beer. It's certainly no Red's Rye or Cane & Ebel but it does what it needs to do in a pretty unfussy manner.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

07-13-2008 00:15:03 | More by GbVDave