Night Stalker - Goose Island Beer Co.

badboyrsl84

California

3.5/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

3/23/10 read the bottle

Pours jet black with a one inch sand colored head.

Smell - I swear this smells similar to the Big John or maybe its just that of all Goose Island beers. I get a raisinette smell, figs, and hints of chocolate. No hop presence as discussed in other reviews.

Taste - I get a cocoa nib taste to this but dont recall any of that being used. It follows the nose really well. That raisinette taste is present with some fig. Chocolate follows all the way to the end. Roasted malt and alcohol in the aftertaste. Once again no hop presence as described

Overall - Its strikingly similar to the big john and if I had to taste this blind I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the two. A good beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 23:25:00 | More by badboyrsl84

gabedivision

New York

3.48/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured From a bomber to a Samuel Adams Imperial Series Snifter glass.

a-Pours a dark motor oil like color with a lazy head that falls to the edges of the glass very quick

s- Fresh stinky hops, rich ripe dark fruits, smothered in sweet dark chocolate, roasted nuts and caramel, with a vanilla/boozy after smell.

t- Booze first, then rasins, cherries, vanilla, sweet chocolate and bitter hops, finishes on sweet with a little more booze on the finish.

M- Full bodied, creamy. Dry Boozy.

O- This was ok, it was 9 bucks a bomber, there are far better RIS imo that kinda dough. It's very sweet and hoppy and very boozy.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2011 02:46:56 | More by gabedivision

ehammond1

California

3.48/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle (2010)

Thanks for opening this with me, BdubleEdubleRUN!

(Aged for 2 years)

Black throughout, but not quite as dark as BCBS and Big John. Dark brown or ruby edges, depending. Thin brown head leaves irregular spotted stick down the glass.

A very hoppy aroma, even after 2 years, especially when compared to other imperial stouts from Goose Island. There's a distinct piney and earthy hop character still more than lingering, even more than 2 years after bottlings. Along with that is some moderate roast and char notes. I don't get much coffee or chocolate character.

The flavor is similar to the aroma, with good amounts of pine and earthy hop flavors left even after the significant aging. There's a bit of char, roast, and a little ash. Minimal coffee and chocolate.

Medium bodied with moderate, nearly high, carbonation for the style.

Decent, but not a standout. Far closer to a black IPA than an imperial stout, even after the 2 years of aging.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 17:47:38 | More by ehammond1

beertunes

Washington

3.45/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottled on 3/6/10. Poured into 16oz goblet. Poured a very dark, chunky black with just 1/4 inch of light brown head that dissipated a bit too quickly and left minimal lacing.

The first scent across the nose was a bold hop scent, not what's expected (and for me, desired) for this style. Behind the hops are the more welcome roasted, toasted and chocolate scents. Those hops also dominate the tongue, with the other flavors clearly playing second fiddle. The grain, malt and chocolate roast are there, along with a hint of coffee, hiding behind the hops.

The body was pleasantly full and well rounded. Drinkability was good, but again, those pesky hops get in the way of more enjoyment.

Overall, this is a good beer that I like more than my review will show. Perhaps, somewhere down the road after the hops fade, the true flavors of this beer will show through. I hope so.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2010 21:01:54 | More by beertunes

MCain04

Illinois

3.44/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

on tap into a 14 oz snifter

a: very dark. 1 finger tan head. good retention and lacing.

s: not a ton on the nose, but lots of hops. can smell some vanilla, some heat, some malty roasty character.

t: hoppy up front, then sweet. then alcohol. then and odd funky taste with soy sauce.

m: creamy, medium carbonation and a little sticky.

o: a beer than I've heard is best after a year. I plan to let my bomber age. I did not care for this beer fresh. heard rumors it's infected... I doubt it really is but it just is a very unique taste that isn't for everybody.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2013 01:30:57 | More by MCain04

levifunk

Wisconsin

3.43/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Opened a bomber to share with friends.

A - Dark. There was a little head, but it died off quickly.

S - Very piny/hoppy...with a hint of sweetness.

T - Smooth. Hoppy/Piny not as strong as I expected, but still prominent. Very unique flavor that grows on you with each sip.

M - Creamy feel.

O - Again, very unique. Not something I could drink on a regular basis, but would be great on occasion.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2010 02:09:09 | More by levifunk

Munkaboo

Virginia

3.43/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottled 3/03/10... over a year old. Decided to break this open due to Goose Island being sold by AB.

A: Like any RIS, not quite as black as most. Brown head.

N: Heavy on the chocolate, definitely strong, reminds me of a storm king.

T: BAM! Something... hops, is it? Nah, probably not after a year. Tastes sweet, could be from the age though. Roasty chocolate... tiny bit of coffee... mostly just sweetness. Almost overly sweet, glad I'm sharing it.

M: A sipper, definitely. Oaky aftertaste. Year aged version is quite smooth... don't know if I can finish it though.

Overall: A tad disappointed, but I would really like to try it fresh with the hops. I couldn't finish 10 oz of it. Way too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2011 02:15:33 | More by Munkaboo

Sensaray

Massachusetts

3.43/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark sand colored head which fizzles quickly right after the pour. About half a finger. At first it looked like I was pouring oil til the head formed. Its pretty black but definitely dark dark brown.

Chocolate and brown sugar strong in the nose. Definite sense of the alcohol in this. Maybe some coffee and caramel. too.

Taste is very spicy. More coffee notes than I got from the smell. Some dark resinous fruit and smoky bourbon. The chocolate is still there. The hop character develops the more I drink. Definitely sticky. The taste doesnt really linger at all but the hoppy spice does slightly. Tastes dont really connect...

Mouthfeel is medium heavy with smooth light carbonation to the point where sometime I'd say watery.

Overall decent. Would expect more from this. It starts to develop and then the flavors stop developing.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2011 05:08:25 | More by Sensaray

scottfrie

California

3.43/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into Portsmouth snifter. Bottled 3/6/2010.

A: Pours black with a thin dark brown head that quickly faded into thin collar leaving a few spots of soapy lace.
S: Rich notes of chocolate, caramel and anise. The alcohol is still very present in this beer, and I get notes of solventy alcohol.
T: Dominant notes of chocolate, toffee, caramel, wood and anise. Slightly sweet. The finish is roasted and the aftertaste is nutty. The alcohol throws off all these flavors those. This beer is a bit harsh.
M: Medium-thick body, soft and full carbonation, but a fairly rough mouthfeel due to the harsh alcohol. How is this so solventy for being two years old?
O: Not the most complicated but the flavors were decent. Surprisingly astringent and alcoholic. I think I’ll stick to the BCBS series.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 02:19:03 | More by scottfrie

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a snifter. Thanks to ChadQuest for this. I absolutely hated this when I had it on tap at Clybourn about a year ago, but a recent tasting from a bottle quickly changed my opinion.

4.0 A: Aptly named, this is a dark som' bitch. Deep black color. Two fingers of light brown head that falls surprisingly quickly. The last 1/8 inch sticks around a bit longer. Some lacing.

4.0 S: Lots of sweet chocolate mixes with herbal and citrus hops. Orange, lemon, and pineapple are featured. Good roastiness in there, but sweet maltiness is stronger. Some caramel, toffee, and molasses to boot.

2.5 T: Roastiness mixes with hop bitterness and the combo isn't that appealing. Hop citrus doesn't figure in well either. Too much orange. Roastiness is there, sweet chocolate is less pronounced but still there. Unfortunately, the alcohol is a bit too strong.

4.5 M: Heavy body. Thick and syruppy, just like I like it. Good moderate carbonation. Roastiness, bitterness, and alcohol last in the aftertaste.

3.0 D: Don't know what happened. I loved it at the tasting, but as I drink it now, it tastes like it was a year ago. I guess it was the combo of beers I had before this one that made it taste so good. Oh well, I have 3 more of these, we'll see what the cellar will do to these.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2010 23:20:03 | More by DavoleBomb

SHerninko

Pennsylvania

3.39/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

2013 - Craft Ale House, PA
ST-Draft for Goose tap takeover.
A-dark, stout, not much lacing, typical
S-Smell was sweet stout mixed with a strong chemical smell. It smelled like ground black pepper was poured on top.
T-followed the smell, good basic stout, but then some weird syrupy strong cough medicine taste and more black pepper.
M-apart from the taste it was smooth and creamy.
O-I had a sample luckily, not sure if I could have finished a whole bottle or full pint. I've been told the recipe has changed as they moved back to brew this again after some time off?!? InBev may have messed this brew up a bit. I have a 2011 bottle and I will compare that to this fresh tap version.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2013 13:32:22 | More by SHerninko

ne0m00re

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured the 22 oz bottle (dated March 6, 2010) into an oversized red wine glass to capture the aroma.
A: Black with some brown hues. This one poured with a thick chocolate head that slowly died to a film.
S: Green, earthy hops with citrus, cinnamon, subtle chocolate espresso, caramel oaky alcohol, and roasted walnuts with banana and rum raisin.
T: Chocolate malt balls. There is a strange, very milky chocolate taste, which is almost buttery. The banana and rum raisin bite in the back of the mouth. It's almost too spread out, with a manufactured cocoa on one end and the hoppy bite on the other. This evens out as the temperature nears 70 F, which is why I didn't completely dock all of the points. The coffee lingers.
M: Very creamy and syrupy with a foamy carbonation that is barely able to break with a crisp finish, which is mostly due to the alcohol.
D: One glass is enough.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2010 22:20:54 | More by ne0m00re

jegross2

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewing the Nightstalker from Goose Island Brewing Company. This is a slight modification on the base beer for their Bourbon County Stout.
Score: 82

02/06/11 vintage bottle served in a Surly Darkness snifter and enjoyed on 02/03/12.

Appearance: Pours a pitch black color. Totally opaque; absolutely no light cuts through this beer. Pours one-plus fingers of foamy mocha colored head that "melts" into a creamy layer of head that ultimately settles into a ring around the glass. Excellent lacing -- a wall of sticky head clings to all sides of the glass. 4.5/5

Smell: Dark fruit, milk chocolate, bitter hops, bitter "baleywine-like" barley-and-caramel malts, and alcohol esters. 3.5/5

Taste: Creamy dates and chocolate mixed with a light hops flavor and noticable booziness. Kind of sweet. Definite barley-and-caramel backbone. "Barleywine-like" flavors increasingly come out of the woodwork towards the finish as the beer approaches room temperature. Lingering bitter caramel and cocoa flavor. 3/5

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, low carbonation. Thick and viscous mouthfeel with a drying, almost cotton-mouthing effect on the palate. Bitter and sweet finish. 4/5

Overall: A solid imperial stout recipe with potential, as evidenced by the Bourbon County Stout, but the Nightstalker as brewed is too rough around the edges and "hopped barleywine-like." This is not a retired beer I will miss.

Recommendation: Worth trying, not worth going out of your way to seeking out.

Pairings: A Reuben sandwich?

Cost: $8.99 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 04:16:49 | More by jegross2

shivtim

Georgia

3.35/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured out of a bomber. Fantastic looking bottle.
Deep brown. Not quite opaque, but the light has trouble making it through. Fantastic looking head. Mocha brown, dense, lasting.

Nose is good. A bit mild. Sugar, malts.

Taste is sweet malts. Ethanol on end.
Maybe some cocoa. Needs to mellow.
Maybe even a slight hop tinge comes through.

Mouthfeel is not bad.

Overall it's pretty good, but doesn't really come off as an RIS.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2010 22:23:27 | More by shivtim

ImpairedPirate

Maryland

3.35/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Review from notes taken on 9 December. Bottled on 19 Feb 2010.

A - Typical appearance for this breed, and as you would expect from a beer named Night Stalker. Midnight Black, brown head, which dissipates after a few minutes.

S - Roasty chocolate booze.

T - Interesting layers. I taste toasty chocolate and booze.

M - Medium body, acidic, dry.

D - Phew! Strong presence of alcohol makes finishing this one a little hard.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2010 02:52:54 | More by ImpairedPirate

Kayn169

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bomber dated 02/06/11

A- Dark black, very slight amber brown around the edges. Looks medium thickness for a stout. Not super liquidy, but not the thickest stout either. Almost no head, leading to a lack of lacing.

S- Upfront I get hops, chocolate, and booze.

T- Hmm, a lot like the nose. Hops and booze, with a following of very bitter chocolate. and again booozy.

M- A nice creamy coating, with a hop and carbonation, which until now had been completely allusive. Probably the nicest thing about this beer.

O- I will be honest, never been a big GI fan, with the obvious exception of Bourbon County, and it's varieties. I gave this a try, wanting to give it another go. But I wasnt exactly converted. The alcohal was not hidden at all. In fact it was very up front. Maybe it would be better with some time, but would loose a lot of the hop, which is one part of the beer I liked. Over all average, not horrible. Despite how easy it is for me to get, there are a dozen stouts I would turn to before giving this one a second thought.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 23:37:59 | More by Kayn169

ktrillionaire

Florida

3.33/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle shared by Bobby8405

A - Inky and oily black hue with a short lived tan-mocha head, no lace.

S - Very grapefruit-hoppy with rich barley aroma; the requisite aromatics are nowhere to be found. Chocolate, coffee, etc is scant to non-existent.

T - Just above average. The taste is initially very hoppy, but the heaviness of the stout quickly renders the dynamic ineffective, leaving a strangely flavored brew that doesn't quite know what it is. It gets a tad better as it warms, but not much. I would say it has similarities in taste and conception to Rasputin, Yeti, and Weyerbacher XIII, though it is not nearly as good as any of the aforementioned, particularly XIII.

M - A tad thin, quite oily, and way flat in a very short time.

D - In a world where brews like Stone IRS and Brooklyn Black Chocolate are readily available, why mess with this lesser and yet more expensive RIS?

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2010 14:41:36 | More by ktrillionaire

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a wine glass.

Appearance
Pitch black with no light penetration. Nice brown head with good retention. Good amount of carbonation drifting up from the side of the glass.

Nose
Grapefruit, pine, lemon zest, toffee, Tootsie Roll, burnt sugars and some booze.

Taste
Grapefruit, pine, lemon zest and Fruity Pebbles are at the forefront. Tons of toffee. Tootsie roll, dark candy syrup and a touch of butterscotch. Finishes with fudgey dark chocolate, dark roast coffee and burnt sugars.

Mouthfeel
Medium-full bodied, warming, syrupy and oily.

Overall
This really doesn't have my favorite flavor combinations. A mediocre DIPA mixed with a super sweet RIS. Bad by no means but I wouldn't purchase it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 05:31:48 | More by justintcoons

TCMike

Minnesota

3.3/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It pours, a dark reddish-brown. Produced a 2 finger tan head.
The aroma was of wood, dark fruits, and a hint of alcohol.
The taste was intense. Somewhat sweet, with dark fruit, slight coffee taste, and a little alcohol. No real hop presence.
It was thick, and chewy style.
This is, admittedly not one of my favorite styles, so take this review with a grain of salt.
I probably wouldn't get it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2011 21:46:28 | More by TCMike

vfgccp

New York

3.28/5  rDev -20%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

March 2010 bottle, drank 2/22/11.

A - Fine microbubble, cappuccino colored head. Low retention, no lace. Super dark cola body.

S - Late, toffee, almond brittle, some brown sugar, molasses.

T - Booze, brown sugar, dark chocolate, kick of espresso bitterness. Pine and cedar notes in the back of your throat.

M - Hot booze. Viscous and full bodied. There's a cocoa powder dryness to the finish paired with a light sweetness.

D - Slow. Big flavors, big sweetness, big booze.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 02:24:28 | More by vfgccp

jar2574

Missouri

3.25/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pure black color, and a tan head that leaves a great lacing. Smells like tons of fresh hops and some sugar. Tastes like hops. Very green hops, not much roasted flavor like a customary stout. I think the thing they're trying to do is create an imperial stout with loads of hops, and they've succeeded. Not much carbonation, oily mouthfeel. Pretty drinkable for such a high ABV. An interesting beer, but not one of my favorites.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 23:47:01 | More by jar2574

KeefD

Minnesota

3.23/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I've had this one on tap several times, finally reviewing it from a bottle. Remember it being better on tap. Pours a dark brown color which is black in the tulip glass, small tan head, no lacing. Aroma is super hoppy! Reminds me of Darkness, but without the cat-piss Simcoe hops. Roasty chocolate, alcohol, and herbal, piney hops in the nose. Taste is pretty on par with the aroma. I really like the roasty chocolate tastiness, but the hops are overbearing. I like my imperial stouts to be semi-sweet and malty, which this is, but I can't get over the hoppiness that overtakes what I look for in a stout. Full bodied, sticky, lightly bitter. A good beer, but I like BCS and it's varieties much better.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 23:28:00 | More by KeefD

dragonWhale

New York

3.23/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

6/2/10

When the grass gets as long as the nights out here in the Pac-NW, we like to sip on NW-style lawnmower beers. Pop and pour, then let her sit warming while the work gets done. But when the cap was lifted from the heavy burden, a quick floral whiff punched my nose. Upon further review, darker, richer tones dominate, but that will forever linger. Bit solventy with a slight amount of roast, and just a touch of the omnipresent isoamyl.
She sips nicely at first, but warming brings out some of the sloppier features. The hops are present, and I'd like to see what a few years does to bring it all in. It's not quite put together, it needs more time, a bit more together than the Dark Lord 10 but without the potential. She seems near her peak, perhaps it is not true, but for now, a nice imperial stout with a desirous thirst. Just what you need when coming in from a hard night's work in the yard.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2010 05:37:43 | More by dragonWhale

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.2/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Night Stalker has an oily, black body and a solid brown head. Good retention and lacing.

The aroma has coffee chocolate and roast, along with a noticeable hop presence and some dark fruits. There is also huge, burning alcohol in there.

A combination of coffee, roasted malt, rich chocolate and molasses overlay a big fruity character that has hints of raisin and black cherry. The hops are pretty powerful, adding flavors of pine and grapefruit, along with a ton of bitterness. The finish is absolutely brutal. There is the powerful flavor of alcohol, and an accompanying burn. Really, the alcohol is the strongest flavor, which I'm not a fan of.

Big, full, thick. Good feel except for the fact that the alcohol has such a bite to it.

I can't say I love this beer. It is a beast that is just too hot right now. Maybe with some time in the cellar it will be tamed into something drinkable, but right now it is pretty rough.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2010 15:43:36 | More by Hojaminbag

ahking

Michigan

3.2/5  rDev -22%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I like imperial stouts quite a bit. Unfortunately Goose Island Night Stalker is not my favorite. In general, it's a little too fruity and not roasty/toasty/smokey enough for me.

Aroma, however, is out of this world - like sticking your nose in a bag of raisins, dried cherries, and black licorice. Such great complex aromas.

This beer is probably the thickest, most viscous beer I've poured in a while. Really sticks to the side of the glass.

Lots of dark fruits, bittersweet chocolate flavor with a touch of smoke.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2010 00:39:13 | More by ahking