Big John - Goose Island Beer Co.

LockeSD

New York

4/5  rDev -2%

11-22-2011 02:56:59 | More by LockeSD

Scotchboy

Idaho

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bomber, 12/7/12 bottling, sent to me by Dope (thanks!), poured into my Hair of the Dog snifter.

A: Opaque, jet black body with a darker tan cap of head with small bubbles, good consistency and retention, decent lacing.

S: A bit hot/boozy right away; big, deep roasted malt bill, almost to the point of smelling burnt. Strong leafy hop component, almost resinous - deja vu to Night Stalker for a second - some deep, dark caramel and earthy carob as well as dark fruit.

T: A bit hot, with a dark, almost char-like roast; plenty of caramel, boozy raisin, and an herbal/almost resinous hop component. Suggestions of unsweetened bakers chocolate, vinous notes of dark fruit and a touch of spice. Dark chocolate comes out more as this beer warms.

MF: Pretty robust full body. Slick and sticky at times, with a dryish finish. Alcohol is noticeable on the flavors more than the mouthfeel but there is some heat.

O: A decent and fairly original brew, just not what I was expecting from an imperial stout brewed with cacoa nibs. Pretty hoppy and earthy, almost distractingly so. That combined with the alcohol makes me think this one could use some age.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 13:37:23 | More by Scotchboy

Mitch_Cumstein

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +16.4%

06-17-2013 00:52:55 | More by Mitch_Cumstein

tjsdomer2

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Looks like molasses. Incredible brown lacing.

Smell: Pine, coffee, and sugar. Excellent combination. Definitely didn't expect pine.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Balsamic vinegar, red wine, burnt caramel, and roasted coffee. The best double stout I've tasted. Sweet flavor is a bit cloying, but fits with the flavors.

Overall: A+

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2013 23:20:15 | More by tjsdomer2

bostonryan

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2%

06-16-2013 03:27:13 | More by bostonryan

mattparsons

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

06-15-2013 06:01:04 | More by mattparsons

bifrost17

Washington

4/5  rDev -2%

06-13-2013 07:13:02 | More by bifrost17

drewone

California

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

06-11-2013 06:13:26 | More by drewone

Snikwad1020

Maryland

4/5  rDev -2%

06-11-2013 02:15:55 | More by Snikwad1020

Ayelikebeer

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

06-11-2013 01:39:04 | More by Ayelikebeer

MaineBrewing

Maine

4.88/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A- poured a thick viscous oil black with a nice thick dark brown 1.5 finger head. Not a single glimmer of light gets through. Head dissipated quickly to a nice cap, ample legs upon swirling.

S- intensely rich aromas upon upon opening, dark chocolate, raisin, candi sugar, and alcohol. He aroma is very sweet, complex, and intense.

T- taste is as intense and complex as the aroma, but goes a slightly different direction. The roasted malt comes through with intense smokey/roasted notes, the cloying sweetness I expected is actually well balanced, I still get the beautiful combination of fruit, chocolate, candi sugar, and alcohol but it is matched by the roasted malt notes and an intense bittering hop finish. The vanilla might be in there, somewhere within the amalgam of complex flavors.

M- as expected very thick mouthfeel, light carbonation which is what I want /would expect. Although its high abv there isn't much alcohol warming, and the finish is on the sweet side.

O- overall this is just ridiculous. I will come back to big John, probably one of the most intense and complex stouts I've had.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 00:56:37 | More by MaineBrewing

BKBassist

New York

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

06-10-2013 23:05:40 | More by BKBassist

BuckTuckian

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

06-10-2013 13:54:11 | More by BuckTuckian

jarrgal

North Dakota

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%

06-10-2013 03:19:11 | More by jarrgal

NSK79

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2%

06-10-2013 02:07:00 | More by NSK79

Massbmx

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

06-10-2013 00:46:46 | More by Massbmx

4amepiphany

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2%

06-08-2013 23:32:11 | More by 4amepiphany

Mikecap

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

06-08-2013 15:35:31 | More by Mikecap

sliks96

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%

06-08-2013 04:03:47 | More by sliks96

kojevergas

California

3.68/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

650ml brown glass bottle with appealing label art acquired at a Binny's in Chicago and served into a standard water glass at a Chinese restaurant. Served from an ice bath. Expectations are high given the brewery. 11.50% ABV confirmed. Bottled 12/07/12. Reviewed from notes taken on St. Patrick's Day.

A: Pours a half finger rich tan colour head. Nice cream, fair thickness, and average (~2 minute) retention. Body colour is a solid dark black. Nontransparent; opaque. Typical of the style. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Cacao/chocolate, dark malts, chocolate malt, light light vanilla. Very buried roast. A moderate strength aroma. No yeast character or alcohol is detectable.

T: Cacao/chocolate. Dark malts. Buried roast. Rich and refined. Slightly hot, but not boozy; alcohol is noticeable but not detrimental. Mostly well balanced. Quite tasty. Complex and well executed. Pretty subtle for what it is. No yeast character comes through. Tasty.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Good thickness and carbonation. Feels custom-tailored to the flavour profile. Still, it's not quite ideal. Well executed overall. Not syrupy.

Dr: Very drinkable for the high ABV. Not quite a sipper, but your taste buds do hold you back from drinking it as fast as you will want to. It's meant to be consumed slowly and respected. A solid imperial stout from Goose Island. Quite well done. Hides its ABV pretty well for how high it is.

B

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 21:00:10 | More by kojevergas

BMart

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2%

06-07-2013 18:53:22 | More by BMart

weonfire

Illinois

4.29/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Enjoyed on this on tap at the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle, IL in a 12oz snifter.

A - Black, opaque, pinky of mocha head which dissipates slowly, small amount of lacing.

S - Chocolate, Bourbon, carmel, booze (not bourbon)

T - Sweet chocolate, bourbon, Vanilla, toffee, carmel. Finish has a sweet chocolate, hoppy (3/10) and touch of roastiness

M - Nice and frothy, full body, creamy, very nice carbonation, bourbon-chocolate that tingles the throat

O - Excellent. Mouth is outstanding. Love the chocolate bourbon. Booze has no heat. Balance among all flavors is very well done. While this might be the lowest in the Bourbon County series -that is no means a knock- it is very very good.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2013 19:00:02 | More by weonfire

mwz5021

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%

06-06-2013 17:58:43 | More by mwz5021

savagepm

Colorado

4/5  rDev -2%

06-06-2013 00:02:15 | More by savagepm

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle. Pitch black with a mocha head. Not much retention or lacing. Aroma smells of sweetness and roast with a heavy alcohol component. Taste is similar, with a heavy sticky sweetness (with an emphasis on those chocolate flavors) that is tempered a bit by the burnt feel of the roast and whatever hop bitterness is left over. Alcohol flavors amp that sweetness up even more. Mouthfeel is full and chewy with a bit of a prickle to it. While the the alcohol is heavy flavorwise, the heat is at least mostly kept in check. This was good for a big Stout, with thick chewy flavors and a warming alcohol presence. This is a big beer indeed.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2013 19:37:28 | More by Kegatron