Minx - Goose Island Beer Co.

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.35/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An extremely anticipated and limited release keg of one of the most experimental beers I have ever experinced. Imagine a Hopslam-type beer but with Belgian yeast. This Imperial Belgian IPA delivers on quality and deliciousness as well as stylistic invention.

Deep copper/amber in color, the beer shows a much more clear appearance that I would have expected from either a Belgian or a dry-hopped beer. Froathy white foam tops the beer, holds firm through the entire session, and leaves supurb rings of lacing as the beer receeds. An outstanding look.

Juicy aromas of ruby red grapefruits, tangerines, pineapple, and appricots lead the hoppy start into a mildly estery mix of berry-like fruits with a lot of zest and vibrancy. Malsy sweet with signature confectioner's sugar scents of classic Belgian Ales and with a caramel under tow of Dreadnaught.

Flavors are succulent and sticky with resiny/fruity hops and residual sweetness. Chocked full of citrus and tropical fruits, the hops meld well with the acidic and estery peaches, pears, and appricots of Belgian vane. Spicy with alcohol and a peppery mix that does much more than just balance. Bitterness is accessive- just as an IPA should be, but with clean and crisp bitterness, this beer finishes sharp, crisp, and with a final kiss of hops and caramel.

Full and creamy early, the beer makes a quick transition into a fleeting malty and alcoholic dry finish. Top it all with drying hops and the beer seems to disapear on the palate just as cotton candy does.

This is a supurb beer that blends what's best about American IPA's and Belgian Ales, but then fortifies it to Imperial strength. As ambitious as this beer is in theory, the execution is as classy and certain as any from Goose Island. They have a true gem on their hands.

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2010 02:34:07 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a goblet a lighter hazed amber with a nice lacey 1/2 finger white head.Herbal hops and light phenolic aromas,a little sweet alcohol as well.Herbal and medicinal flavors were a bit overbearing for me,spiced phenols finished out the flavor profile.Ifyou like yeasty Belgian IPA's with the Belgian hop profile this is all for you.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2012 13:44:18 | More by oberon

TMoney2591

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a tumbler at Durty Nellie's.

Never heard o' this one before, so i figured I'd give it a try. It pours a clear amber topped by a finger of creamy foam. The nose comprises honey, caramel, flowers, and grapefruit. The taste is very similar, though now a small addition of white grapes finds its way in as well. The body is a somewhat light medium, with a very light carbonation and a smooth feel. Overall, a nice BIPA, nothing too extraordinary but definitely not bad, either.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2010 14:53:41 | More by TMoney2591

Billolick

New York

3.9/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler filled at Yorktown Beverage, Yorktown, NY.

Ruby hued amber, lightly hazed under a lite khaki head, staying at about the 1/4 inch level, leaving a thicker collar and decent looking fine sheeting and strands of stick.

MIld nose of citric fruit , hops and yeasty goodness.

On the malty side for the style. Phenolic and fruity with some pepper and mild earthy hops. 8% well hidden. Not really getting much of the IPA feel here, seems more like a Belgian amber, with more malty notes. Hops do come in and dry out the finish and I'm getting a late mild holiday note.

Serving type: growler

12-16-2012 01:35:45 | More by Billolick

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Draft at The Pour House in Westmont, NJ.

Pours a dark golden orange color with tangerine edges and a one finger off-white head that slowly fades into a lasting ring.  Streaks of soapy lace left behind.

Aroma dominated by estery Belgian yeast and pale malts.  Surprisingly not very hop forward with slight floral and pine needle character.   Lots of bread, light fruit and biscuity malt in the nose.

Medium bodied and again, surprisingly lightly hopped considering the description.  Subtle floral hops presence along with some faint citrus peel followed by pale malt,  bread and light fruit. Nicely balanced and easy to drink but nothing out of the ordinary.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2013 07:15:43 | More by corby112

plaid75

New York

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft at The Good Life, Massapequa Park, NY.

Poured a light to medium copper hue with a half finger foamy white head.

The smell featured a moderate pepper hop, with some candy sugar and a slight ester.

The taste consisted of an uber sweet cereal malt, with a secondary peppery hop and terciary yeast ester.

The mouthfeel was full for the style with a lingering hop bitterness.

Overall a tasty BIPA. Not hop driven like most. Maybe a touch too sweet.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2010 01:08:25 | More by plaid75

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in GI stemware.

Served with 1/2 finger of beige head. Color is a clear copper gold. Nice thick lacing.

Aroma: Huge floral/herbal hop profile Bight grapefruit and citrus. Some Belgian spice, coriander, and yeast. It is pretty much dipa forward and I like it.

Taste More of the Belgian part shows here, but it is still very hoppy. Floral hops kick with herbal notes and citrus flavors. Then I get cloves, coriander, lemon zest, orange peel, and yeast. The Belgian takes over the normal bready malt profile and I like how it works with this beer.

Mouthfeel: bitter, dry, and clean. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends dry and spiced with earthy hops.

Overall, a pretty awesome BDIPA. Very hop forward but backed with some nice Belgian flavors. It is pretty drinkable as well. Very nice offering from GI.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2010 22:51:41 | More by mothman

dirtylou

Washington

4.13/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on-tap, bad apple - paired with the belly burger (local beef, pork belly, horseradish sauce on a pretzel bun) and curry fries. Yeah, the bad apple rules.

Belgian style imperial IPA.

appearance: served in a newer version of the standard goose island chalice (black goose), bright amber body - creamy white foam

smell: bright citrus hops, floral yeast, grapefruit, lots of sweet fruit

taste: I love the belgian IPA style - the goose version features a very nice hop profile with ruby red grapefruit and lightly bitter pine prevelant, toasted malts, caramel, moderate alcohol. The Fulton and Wood series delivers with another interesting tap-only seasonal

mouthfeel: rich medium body, fresh and lively

drinkability: good

Serving type: on-tap

09-05-2010 23:38:46 | More by dirtylou

smakawhat

Maryland

3.33/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured on tap into a tulip glass.

A real nice somewhat copper amber, with tan rising bubbles along the edges. A little bit of cloudiness, and a good light tan head that froths up. Settles slowly, lots of ring like lacing too. Pretty good looking.

Nose is a bit muted. Light cinnamon, and a brown spice and hop angle. Hop play on this is quite muted as it smells more like an ordinary Belgian amber.

Palate jumps with lively carbonation though. Light and a little wet on the feel but a bit muted malts and particularly hops. Muted finish of caramel and toffee with a vinous palate of muted dry red table wine. Palate is fleeting, with only lingering flavors of gas and mild sucrose predominating, with the cararmel just creeping out

Overall not bad but not what I look for in this style.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2013 17:36:54 | More by smakawhat

AgentZero

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Hazy orange colored beer with a bit of an off-white head. Decent amount of lace left on the sides.

S - Lots of floral and herbal hops with a little bit of citrus. Belgian yeast is fairly subtle, but present, with some spice.

T - A pretty hop-forward Belgian IPA, which makes it better than most Belgian IPAs as the yeast and spice takes a bit of a back seat. Some corriander, spice, and a bit of citrus zest.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation and a slightly dry finish.

O - Not a bad beer, still not my preferred style, but as this one is hop forward it makes it more palatable. Solid beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2011 04:55:55 | More by AgentZero

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

sort of a lackluster brew for me. on tap at j. ryans in syracuse. the appearance is quite unimpressive, with basically no head on top of a red tinted flat bronze colored liquid. it smells a little fruity, which would be nice with the belgian yeast and hops that i expected in a beer billed as a belgian ipa, but nope, seems to be some rather generic ale yeast and the hops dont come out in the nose hardly at all. theres a little more hops in the flavor, especially in the finish, but the flavor of this beer seems washed out and off to me. the fruit seems more like juice in the context of the nearly flat medium bodied liquid. i expected a lot more yeast character and carbonation, and either one would have made this a pretty good beer, but i have to admit this came across as a failure to me. easily the worst goose island offering i can remember drinking. i wont totally write it off, as maybe it was a bad keg or something, and others seems to have enjoyed it, but mine was a C+ at best.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2012 18:29:41 | More by StonedTrippin

Gmann

New York

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a beautiful honey amber color with a short dense tan head that settles into a light ring. The aroma is of a juicy tropical fruit hop to go along with some coriander, a touch of orange peel and some clove. Spot on for an American made BIPA. The taste is fairly fruity. Again, tropical fruit and orange citrus hop flavors that is coupled with a sweet amber malt. There is some mild spice from the yeast; coriander, clove and some pepper. A touch of hop bitterness in the back end. The body is light with crisp carbonation, very well balanced. Not too sweet, drinks fairly clean. A very drinkable BIPA, quite smooth in flavor, great balance. I would like to see more yeasty goodness. The hop flavor is almost perfect for the style, just needs more Belgian flavor beyond the coriander.

Serving type: growler

09-20-2010 04:49:49 | More by Gmann

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a cloudy golden orange, big plume of dense white foam. Scent strong on citrus with moderate floral qualities, notes of yeasty spice, crackery malt. Taste strong on citrus and spice, bitter notes and spice lingers and overpowers a bit, background more crackery than bready. Dry and lingering bitterness and spice on the palate. Big bold beer, but a little to aggressive on some fronts.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2013 21:07:18 | More by rfgetz

cosmicevan

New York

4.23/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

picked up a 32oz growler of this yesterday. poured into tulip.

A - Poured a honey orange with a very thin head

S - Sugary hops. Citric, earthy, a bit spicey/peppery. Banana for sure.

T - Very tastey. The hops are really well balanced and tamed by the yeast. Sweet tasting which makes the bitterness of the hops taste candied.

M/D - Smooth, well carbonated, and easy to drink. Leaves a really refreshing aftertaste. I love the Ommegang BPA and I think this one is just as good if not better.

*** ** * ** ***
edit 2012-10-20: new batch...reviewed from growler
poured a maroon orange mahogany with a thin head. nose was belgian candy and bananas. flavor is also sweet and candy like but none of the hops from the first batch. overall a tasty brew, but not earth shattering. probably would give this batch 4's across the board.

Serving type: growler

09-26-2010 18:07:56 | More by cosmicevan

merc7186

New York

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this beer on tap at Blue Monk in Buffalo NY, poured into a tulip glass.

A: Reddish/Amber Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Sweet Malts, Belgian Sugar, Passion Fruit

T: Sweet Malts, Passion Fruit, Mildly Bready, Mildly Yeasty

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Sweet, Mild Yeast

Overall, a pretty nice blend, dont exactly get DIPA with it but a nice belgian IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2012 20:26:35 | More by merc7186

aasher

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Was lucky enough to try this at the Black Sparrow in Lafayette, IN. It was a cloudy amber in color and had a slight creme colored head. It smelled extremely hoppy. If I didn't know any better I'd say it smelled like a DIPA. I didn't detect any yeast or anything similar to a standard Belgian. It had excellent flavor. It was sweet and ultra hoppy and pretty floral. It was medium bodied and had good carbonation and was crisp. This was an excellent Belgian IPA, and an Imperial at that. This was a great beer. I say GI should bottle it.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2010 21:12:09 | More by aasher

Ryan011235

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap in a 10oz glass at Bodega on 11/23/10

Medium dark amber with a touch of haze. Thin layer of foam skimmed pretty quick. Wispy retention with impressive lace - thick webbed rings.

Bright, lively aroma: juicy & floral. Pine & hints of citrus - grapefruit, lemon - amid cotton candy sweetness. Some caramel & toasted malt.

No doubt about the Belgian yeast; it's in full force. Mellow spice notes & a well integrated, modest tartness. Good blend with American hops. Solid amount of pine bitterness with citric flourishes. Malts are mostly downplayed. Sweetness a la cotton candy & bubble gum. Very engaging flavor. Hints of grapes & apples as it warms.

Some appreciable resin makes for a hefty, medium feel. Active carbonation maximizes the bitter & spicy aspects. Nealy slick finish with a diminished take on all the flavors lingering.

Minx is quite the impressive Belgian IPA; very drinkable. Clean flavor & aroma. Nicely done.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2010 02:25:12 | More by Ryan011235

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap, served in a snifter

The body sits a hazy amber color with a one finger off-white cap. The head never fully dissipates, leaving chunks of lace clinging to the glass all the way down.

The notes imparted by the Belgian yeast are prominent. Spicy, fruity esters leap out of the glass. The hop profile is floral and perfumey up front, with some mild earth elements and a touch of pine resin, complimenting the yeast nicely.

On the palate, perfumey, floral hops greet you first, before the prickly esters of the Belgian yeast take over, imparting spicy, earthy notes. Sweet, bready malts compliment the spice and earth from the yeast before a rush of pine resin and floral hops take over in the finish. A floral, rose-like, flavor lingers with a slight bitterness.

Medium body and a little prickly, but more so from the yeast flavors than from carbonation. Otherwise, this is a smooth, easy drinker.

Impressive Belgian IPA. Sturdier malt body than most I have had, but this is well crafted on all fronts. A pleasant mix of hops and a perfect flavor profile from the yeast. This is a great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2012 14:14:34 | More by ColForbinBC

kbutler1

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Draft. On tap at Town Hall Tap. Labelled GI Minx. Poured into a nice tall Goose Island chalice a nice clear copper amber color wih a tightly headed off white head. Hoppy citrus notes in the nose with some underlying Belgian ester notes. The taste is really nice, sweet up front with a malty citrus hop character wih notes of fruit like apples. Nice lace. Medium mouthfeel. Ends with a lingering bitterness.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2010 13:06:53 | More by kbutler1

CHickman

New York

3.9/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Tap & Barrel in Smithtown, NY: pours clear copper red color with a creamy 1 finger foamy tan head that faded slowly, leaving excellent lacing sticking to the sides.

Smells of funky yeast, sweet fruit like cherry, sweet malt, light bread, red wine and grainy notes like alcohol or moonshine; the booze comes through the sweetness and the funky yeast smells sour, very Belgian smelling and lacks any real hoppy notes.

Tastes like it smells, with funky yeast, sweet malt, fruit like cherry and sour apple, citrus fruit, brown sugar, candy like Razzles, wet wheat bread, red wine, grains, sweet boozy notes like a rum or Barleywine, and definite alcohol; the booze comes through in waves, with the funk and sweetness wrestling for attention. The sour funky notes are not offensive or a distraction and this actually grew on me the more I drank it as the hops and yeast worked well together.

Mouthfeel is slick and smooth, with almost no carbonation, a medium body and sour/tart finish that is sweet and on the dry side. A very interesting and complex beer that went down well considering the always present alcohol notes and stronger yeast funk. Don’t expect an American IPA when you have this as this is a far cry from the standard hoppy IPA. Good beer overall.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2012 21:07:16 | More by CHickman

gatornation

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

on tap @ republic 12oz pour

A- pours a hazy golden/amber color with a fluffy white head with a decent amount of lacing looks good

S- tropical and citrus hops malts and bread slight hay notes

T- floral hops with citrus and lemon a baked bread and caramel middle add a liittle funk and earth at the end

O- medium body with medium carbonation needed more funk a little watery

T- good BIPA but needed more hop and funk

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2012 21:10:35 | More by gatornation

DCon

Missouri

4.55/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on-tap @ the iTap House in Chesterfield, MO for $6. Tapped into a 12+ oz Goose Island Tulip/Wine Glass (w/ the Silver Goose on it) @ the Goose Island iTap Event.

Aroma- Has an intense floral hop aroma from the beginning, and a touch of a perfume. Fruitiness lingers in the background.

Appearance- Received with a 1 finger head that stays thin... Has a copper/amber color body that is ver clear. Huge lacing covering the entire glass.

Flavor- Strong hops (floral and piney) from the beginning of the drink. The bitterness finishes off very high and keeps the mouth interested for the next drink. Well-balanced though. Malts are also evident and are sweet. Awesome!

Mouthfeel- Medium-Full Bodied, Medium Carbonation, Smooth, and leaves good sweetness and hop bitterness on the palate (of course).

Overall Impression- Another phenomenal limited brew from Goose Island! I was shocked when this hit my lips because of how much power and hop this beer had. Not like many I'm used to from this brewery. Recommend! A+

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2011 22:12:19 | More by DCon

jampics2

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Brew Kettle. Always worth the trip!

Served in a 12oz snifter. This is a nice looking beer that is just a bit more amber/red than what I envision a perfect BPA to be. However, it's acceptable and has a nice white head. Somewhat clear as well, this is an oddball in this mash-up of a style. It's appealing, though, so I'm giving it a 4.

Smell is much more in line with the style. Belgian yeast with some cotton candy and chalk scents works well with citrus hoppiness (orange, peach, tangerine). Also has a touch of noticeable caramel malt lurking underneath.

This beer has a great overall taste, very bold and American. The hops come through as the dominating flavor. In particular, I get impressions of citrus - orange, peach, grapefruit - and some pine. The yeast is slightly chalky and gives a nice compliment to the hops. Finally, the malt is sweet and the finish is medium in terms of bitterness. Nice tasting beer!

The mouthfeel is nice as well - this beer has medium body and active, pleasant carbonation. The finish is sweet/not sticky and bitter, much like an IPA or DIPA. This was a great beer from Goose Island and I'm happy to have gotten a shot to try another of these nice tap-only treats.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2010 14:08:15 | More by jampics2

TheBrewo

Michigan

3.94/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

This beer was served from the tap at Tap and Mallet in Rochester, NY at their Goose Island vs. Founders Split Tap Takeover. It arrived in a thinned, stemless chalice glowing a golden, caramel brown. It held a one finger head of tiny tan bubbles, showing great retention. Chunky lacing was eventually left caked down the sides of the glass. There was haze throughout, with no sediment noted. Carbonation appeared high. The nose gave fruity pale malts, wheat, clovey phenols, and big citric and soapy hops to bitter. Balancing was big fruitiness of strawberry and apricot, sticky honey sweetness, spritzy orange freshness, and a cherry syrupiness with warmth. Our first impression was that the flavoring gave drying chalkiness of grain which actually helped to nicely balance the big juicy fruitiness inherent to the other components. The flavoring opened with sweet and sour fruitiness of apricot, lemony citrus pucker, chalky yeast, pale malts, light wheatiness, liquid honeys, light buttery diacetyls, and faintly musky oakiness. The middle came to a peak with more sugary sweetness of apricot, peppery flash from the booze, honey syrups, metallics, and biting Belgian yeast. The finish came with a soured wash of lemon flesh and bittered peel, more juicy citric hops, pale malts, and a final mix of peppery, clovey spice. The aftertaste breathed of those same citric hops, peppery booze, chalky yeast, musk, and fusel medicinal phenols. The body was medium, and the carbonation was medium. Each sip gave nice slurp and pop, with great cream, froth, and smack to the lip. A thickness of foam coated the mouth, with an eventual faint boozy dryness down the tongue, and a hoppy slickness. The abv was appropriate, and the beer drank easily.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this beer was the nice fruitiness throughout, and the wildly complex aroma. From the pour it was clear that this beer would hit all the stylistic guidelines of a Belgian IPA. The foamy head retained beautifully, while the hazy coloring glowed. The nose gave bright fruitiness and sweetness to balance the heavy malt base, in all of its Belgian spiciness. The latter came through in full force through the mouth, with enhanced wheat, clove, and booziness, all of which actually were more prominent when lined up against the beer’s hoppy side. The flavoring did lighten up a bit towards the back, but this is still a tasty, highly drinkable brew.

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2013 00:54:44 | More by TheBrewo

Treebs

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Wild Monk's one year anniversary/GI tap takeover. Served in a GI chalice.

A: Pours a dark amber color with a bubbly white head. Tons of soapy lace are left down the glass.

S: Bready yeast and malt profile. Underlying piney notes with some citrus and stone fruit.

T: A little lemon grass. Some citrus flesh and stone fruit. Juicy orange. A little minute alcohol flavors as well. The finish is dry, bready and yeasty.

M: Medium bodied with a medium carbonation. Dry, yeasty finish.

O: Pretty solid Belgian IPA. I enjoyed the stone fruit flavors imparted by the yeast and the dry finish.

Serving type: on-tap

12-16-2012 16:37:30 | More by Treebs