Big John - Goose Island Beer Co.

glid02

Georgia

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by Dan – much obliged!

Pours black with a half-finger brown head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing and decent legs.

Smells of heavy molasses backed by roasted malts with hints of dark chocolate and vanilla lurking in the background.

Tastes similar to how it smells though a bit more one-dimensional. Roasted malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by solid amounts of dark chocolate. Midway through the sip the flavor profile sweetens significantly with the addition of loads of molasses. The molasses carries through to a mildly sweet ending, tempered only by slight earthy hops.

Mouthfeel is very good. It’s got a smooth thickness with grainy carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I didn’t have a problem finishing my glass and could have another.

Overall this wasn’t quite as sweet as I had feared but if the molasses influence were cut down a bit this would be a much better beer. Still, worth a shot as it is, and I’ll be interested to see other treatments of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 20:33:41 | More by glid02

plaid75

New York

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft at The Lark, East Northport, NY.

Poured a solid back huewth a half finger frothy tan head. There was decent retention and lacing.

The smell featured sweet chocolate and alcohol.

The taste was likewise dominated by an initial sweet chocolate, caramel and a touch of lactose. The flavor dried out toward the finish.

The mouthfeel was full and you feltveery bit of the hefty ABV.

Overall a brawny stout that forces you to slow down and savor.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2013 04:23:08 | More by plaid75

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bomber into a snifter. Thanks to Dunt for picking this up for me. This brew appears black in color with less than a finger of dark brown head that hardly forms up to a finger despite an aggressive pour directly down the middle of the glass. The cap quickly fades back to a thin lacing across the top. A swirl agitates some carbonation from solution that forms some bubbles across the top that are a even darker brown than originally and it places some spots of lace on the glass. When held to the light, there is a faint amount of brown clarity noted around the edges.

The smell of this brew includes some notes of licorice and dark fruity alcohol almost like raisins or plums soaked in a neutral spirit like vodka. More smells reveal a bit of tangy alcohol element that starts to pick up some roasted grain character and a light touch of dark baker's chocolate.

The taste is bold with aggressive alcohol warmth. Bitter roasted grain slightly hints towards coffee with a solid focus on licorice and bitter chocolate. There is a tangy alcohol presence that has a touch of fruity character somewhat like rasisin or plums.

This is a full bodied brew with a light amount of carbonation. Very bold and aggressive with the alcohol heat but it makes for a solid sipper on a cold night. I found the licorice incorporation to be more bold than the listed cocao nib inclusion. The chocolate really only makes itself known lightly in the background of the aftertaste. Regardless, this was an interesting experience and worth a try if you have the chance. My vote goes to bourbon county as being my favorite offering they put out.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 01:05:39 | More by stakem

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out to mikesgroove for sharing this one during Hobo Tasting #9! Served from bottle into a Duck-Rabbit snifter. Poured pitch black with a half finger light brown head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, dark chocolate, dark fruit, and vanilla. The flavor was of sweet malt, dark chocolate, dark fruit, subtle alcohol, and vanilla. It had a heavy feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Ovearll this was a great brew. Very nice chocolate flavor and aroma going on here. The flavor was very well balanced and nothing really stood out, but rather worked in unison to enhance the other. Really glad I got the opportunity to tick this one!

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2011 13:47:35 | More by thagr81us

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.48/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared by Paul, who is pretty goddamn big himself.

The beer is very dark brown with a thin beige cap that fades rather hastily. The aroma brings a pronounced coffee presence, dark fruits, and mild roast. The flavor is ok. I would prefer more roast and malt flavors, with less dark fruits and sweetness. The finish offers an alcoholic burn, with a subtle lingering bitterness. Overall, I thought this was nowhere near the quality of any of the Bourbon County Stout lineup. Perhaps this will improve some with age, but I find it to be a pretty average imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2011 14:55:23 | More by Huhzubendah

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours jet black with a dark brown head. In the aroma, a mellow roast and some cocoa. In the taste, bitter chocolate and a nice roasted presence, strating sweet and ending dry with a small alcohol note in the end as well. A small bitter bite and medium to bigger bodied mouthfee, with a semi dry chocolate and hint of alcohol in the aftertaste. Nicely hidden alcohol and nice chocolaty roast.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 15:53:55 | More by OWSLEY069

gford217

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle.

Pours pitch black in the glass with a small tan head that doesn't stick round long, leaving almost nothing after a couple minutes.

Aroma is definitely chocolate up front with roasted malts and a molasses sweetness in the background. Coffee notes as well.

The taste has a combination of chocolate malts and heavily roasted espresso beans. There are some sweet undertones, caramelized brown sugar maybe.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and very creamy and smooth with good carbonation.

This is a solid impy stout but not in the league of the BCS series. Really good stout, lots of chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2011 03:48:39 | More by gford217

jrallen34

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

had this on tap at Small Bar... Light black body, nice tan ring stays forever... Rich deep chocolate with a little bitter cocoa nibs, sweet but boring... Taste is hot and almost spicy chocolate, more flavor than the nose.. Pass, glad I didn’t run out to the stores searching for this

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 22:51:01 | More by jrallen34

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

thanks to akorsak for sharing this -enjoyed from goblet.

The color is tar-like black off of a railroad tie. The cap is medium tan and rings the glass with an ultra-tight bead, the lace sticks lightly. The smell of malted milkballs covered in chocolate, there is a brownie-like concentrated chocolate whiff in the nose straight off the pour. There is a bit of alchohol ester in the backgrround but the malt and cocoa nib dominates the aroma with a very mild hop spice rounding out the nose. The feel is rich and dessert like with an intense malt feel but still has a subtle bit of alcohol and the viscous malt body carries some residual sugar into the finish.

This stout has some big cocoa and herbal hop flavors with slight spice nuance. The taste of hops and dark malt with mild burnt note and mildly bitter cocoa nib gives some complexity with a mild coffee-like roastiness with gentle peppery heat of alcohol with some mild sweetness from the caramel malt. Overall this is a very high quality stout, I really like the bitter cocoa essence of the nibs, yet the heat of the high alcohol holds its drinkability back a tinge. I found it to be stellar with just an intense amount of roastiness.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 20:49:21 | More by Slatetank

dirtylou

Washington

3.7/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle, split

from mental notes

appearance: served in an oversized snifter, big ebony body, creamy chocolate head with moderate retention

smell: huge roasty aroma, very dark chocolate, licorice, smoke

taste: extremely rich - liquified dark chocolate, burnt malts, dark roasted coffee, licorice, espresso. Too much of a good thing - lacks balance and complexity

mouthfeel: big and rich

overall: good, but definitely the worst of the GI imperial stout line

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 17:09:38 | More by dirtylou

kylehay2004

Florida

4.45/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

single finger dark tan head on a jet black body with no light passing through. Lots of vanilla with dark fruit and chocolate. A very nice dark fruit, vanilla and chocolate mix in the flavor as well. Right amount of sweetness. Slight roasted malt note. thick in body, very smooth and viscous/creamy. light to moderate carbonation. Another excellent beer from goose island. This one is very smooth and flavorful. Strong but not too boozy.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 03:13:48 | More by kylehay2004

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.47/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I opened up this bottle during a poker game at my house, a good high ABV choice for those who would try to take my money. As it happens this one backfired, I liked it too much to share too much of it.

It pours dark and thick, with a dense cap of foam that recedes to the thinnest of films. A nice aroma of cocoa and roasty malt, caramel and a little lactose. Very rich smelling, it seemed strong due more to the intense malts than due to any ethanol.

But the alcohol is there, it comes through a little in the aftertaste. Primarily this is sweet and chocolaty, not cloying but really a big and heavy flavor. Very well integrated cocoa flavor, I liked it a lot most other cocoa-heavy stouts.

Really thick and viscous, excellent mouthfeel. I'll probably drink a few more bottles of this in the coming weeks.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 04:13:24 | More by TurdFurgison

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle split and poured into a snifter.
11.5% ABV, Bottled on 03/25/11, "serve in a snifter", "develops in the bottle for up to 5 years."

A - Deep, dark brown beer with good clarity through the pour. Pitch black in the snifter, the tall pour topped the quite, thick beer with a short-lived tan head.

S - Slight solvent alcohol backs up the dusty cocoa and roasted malt. The roasted malt has more chocolate and molasses notes than acrid roastiness. Fairly low aroma though. As it warms the alcohol aroma becomes much more solvent-like.

T - Thick, rich chocolate and dusty cocoa with a large roasted malt profile. Not burnt or bitter though, just roasty. Minimal alcohol involvement in the flavor, surprisingly.

M - The shining characteristic of this brew is the well-balanced mouthfeel that's thick and viscous but nice and smooth. Great balance between sweetness and mild acrid bitterness.

O - The thickness of this brew is fantastic! I wish more stouts had the balls Big John does, in terms of the mouthfeel. The rest of the beer falls into the "good but certainly not impressive" category. This beer has been done before, better. It's worth hanging onto a bottle for aging and, more specifically, for the upcoming cold winter. It'll be a nice and warming stout.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 12:14:16 | More by BeerFMAndy

nickfl

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours with a finger of light brown head on top of a black body with no light showing through. The head settles slowly and leaves only light traces of lace.

S - Dark, intense chocolate with a hint of coffee. Some sweet caramel and vanilla flavors in the background.

T - Really sweet, dark malt up front with notes of molasses, chocolate, and nutty caramel. Some more intense, bitter-sweet chocolate in the middle that transitions into a darker flavor as the beer finishes with lingering, slightly smoky coffee notes.

M - A fairly thick, oily body, moderately low carbonation, and a very sweet finish.

D - The beer has a nice, complex aroma with loads of chocolate. The flavor profile is a quite a bit sweeter and more one-dimensional than I expected it to be. It is still a good beer, but it seems like it would benefit, both in flavor and drinkability from a slightly less sweet finish.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 03:18:24 | More by nickfl

smakawhat

Maryland

3.43/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a large snifter glass. Dating on bottle is March 25th 2011.

Out of the bottle pours a little thin, but manages a faint tight cocoa brown bubbles but can't form a head. Collar stays briefly then in about 20 seconds disappears never to return. Color seems almost incredibly dark red. There is no lacing on this brew at all either. Kind of looks a little dead, but at least drinkable

Sweet fruit concord grape, heat and must seems to be on the nose. Lots of heat, barleywine like. I get no sense of chocolate or cacao off of this at all.

Taste is hot and a little stinging, that's what strikes me first after tasting. Feels a nice coffee heat and burn. Palate though is just a strange tickle and doesn't feel comforting. This is also a little thin too. Hints of anisette on the finish with a good absinthe/Pernod like quality, mostly from the heat feel.

This isn't too bad, but it certainly isn't really that enjoyable for me, kind of middle of the road. No regrets about trying it or purchasing.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2011 23:00:47 | More by smakawhat

FosterJM

California

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

537th review on BA
Bottle to Snifter
Bottled 3/25/11

Thanks to Jeepcop for this one
Thanks to GuruDel for splitting it.

App- This poured a garnet red with a lot of dark browns. One finger quick receding head. On subsequent pours or a swirl no carbonation. No lacing either.

Smell- Started to be a bit like Night Stalker but then as it warmed the malts, chocolate and ABV came ouo, and the hops went away and faded.

Taste- It's pretty good. I expected more from this but thats okay. It was very chocholate laden as it warmed but not mind blowing.

Mouth- Medium bodied and low carbed. Was more rich and lush on the finish that I was expecting.

Drink- Missing a few things but was still pretty tasty. The nibs were gone. Didnt taste any of the bitter at all.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2011 04:29:45 | More by FosterJM

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle, bottled on 3/25/11. Served in a DFH Signature Glass, the beer pours dark brown/black with a half inch brown head that didn't stay around for very long. There's a decent amount of lacing left on the glass. Aroma is mostly sweet, the brew smells like roasted malt, chocolate, dark fruit, and a bit of coffee. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's the addition of some licorice and molasses. Also, the sweet and bitter flavors in this beer are balanced pretty well at first, then the sweet flavors take over more as the beer gets warmer. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's creamy and a bit coating with moderate carbonation. It's also smooth and easy to drink. It's a good overall beer, it'll be interesting to see how this one ages.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 21:51:58 | More by bluejacket74

AgentZero

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Black beer, dark brown head that didn't really rise up to anything. No stick on the sides.

S - Tons of chocolate on this one, with a little bit of roast, molasses, and char.

T - Taste is really in line with the nose. Lots of cocoa and chocolate, roast, char and molasses. Some booze cuts through the sweetness.

M - Little carbonation bite on the end. Full bodied.

O - Not a bad beer, but nothing overly complex, and not fantastic by any means. Had this on tap as well, felt about the same as I do now.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 05:11:25 | More by AgentZero

Brent

Kentucky

3.58/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

The cocoa nibs on which this is aged lend an interesting coco note to the beer, which, in conjunction wiht a moderately creamy mouthfeel, tip this a bit toward the chocolate stout realm. Big malt body with an assertive candy sugar sweetness that, unfortunately, tended to dominate the beer and eventually became oppressive as simply too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 15:53:29 | More by Brent

champ103

Texas

2.7/5  rDev -33.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I have had this several times. The first, twiggamortis420 shared a bottle. I found another when I went home to see the family. Review from notes.

A: Pours a murky, nearly opaque brown/black color. A small bubbly tan head forms, but recedes in a second. No lace is left. First impressions: this looks like a thiner version of GI's better stouts.
S: Roasted malt, acrid coffee, light on the coco nibs. A veggie aroma as well that is a bit off putting.
T: Huge roasted malt and acrid coffee. Not nearly as much chocolate as I was expecting. Maybe some powdery, bitter sweet residual sugar. A big cooked veggie flavor, and almost sulfur like. Is that DMS? Odd, and not very enjoyable. Huge alcohol in the throat.
M/D: A medium to full body. Low carbonation, a little to low for my liking. Fairly thin and powdery. Burning alcohol and off flavors makes this hard for me to drink.

I have had two bottles, and both with the same off flavors. I do not enjoy this. Without a doubt the weekest stout Goose Island has made. Not something I would recommend.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 06:21:49 | More by champ103

alexgash

Connecticut

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22 oz. bottle. Bottled on 12/07/12.

Dark, oily, inky brown-black. Two fingers of dense, creamy, tight, peanut brown head. Great lacing. Nose of baking chocolate and cocoa powder. Light roasted notes fight through. Nougat and sweet caramel as well. Hints of vanilla, dark fruit, and cinnamon (honest).

Roasted barley and coffee bitterness up front. Quickly gets overpowered by rich, malty sweetness; milk chocolate, dark fruits, figs, brown sugar, and caramel. Almost candy bar sweet (3 Musketeers?). Sweetness diminishes toward the finish, where some woody, herbal bitterness helps break the cloyingness. Lingering chocolate syrup and molasses in the finish. Full-bodied with a syrupy feel. Definitely for those lovers of sweeter imperial stouts. Splitting a bottle is my preferred route for this dessert beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 01:43:38 | More by alexgash

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.69/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a red wine glass. Pours dark brown and pretty much opaque with a quarter-inch, light tan head that dissipates into a skim. Nose expresses some malt and a slightly oxidized quality. Taste consistent with nose; however, there is also some cocoa nibs evident in the flavor profile. Mouthfeel is medium-light with a mild, even carbonation. Texture is a bit watery and there's also a little acidity. Overall, I wasn't too impressed with this beer. The abv was certainly well-hidden; however, a bit lackluster.

Serving type: on-tap

05-16-2013 23:45:16 | More by Jwale73

Gmann

New York

3.73/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a pitch black color with a very small tight tan head that settles into a light ring.

The aroma is disappointing for an imperial stout. There is some light chocolate, light roast notes and some alcohol vapors, thats about it.

The taste is heavy on the roasted malt with hints of chocolate. There is a brownie batter flavor, fudgey. Not quite like ST Choklat, though. The flavor seems to stay true to the roasted nature of an imperial stout but adds a velvety chocolate note. There is a punch of a sour berry flavor.

The beer is full bodied with soft carbonation, finishes with a slight roasted bitterness. A nice smooth texture. There is an odd heat coming from this beer. There is a raw feel and the ABV is coming off a bit harsh.

I expected much more than what I got from this beer. It feels raw and the booze flavor needs to settle down some.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 11:32:23 | More by Gmann

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big John. Big ol John, Johnny boy. Into a snifter split with Oglmcdgl.

Big John is a big ol black stout just like all the others. No lighter spots on the edge, this one is pitch black. A nice inch of foamy dark tan/brown foam that leaves no stick, but a ring around the glass.

Smell is really big and roasty and not hoppy like the night stalker, thank god. Along with the roast, there is the anise and dark fruit which is a turn off, it's not on dragon stout level though. Some chocolate and cocco nib scent.

Big John comes through in taste as well, it's a big ol stout that is sweet but not choklat sweet. Not a bunch of vanilla but cocco instead. Anise in the middle and the dark fruit as well. Chocolate with cocco taste and some warming alcohol in the end.

Feel is a big roasty above medium build with depth and a rich aftertaste on the mouth. The heat only comes and goes in the end. Carb is there but does not kill the sensitive tounge, no sting. Warming and a great build on this.

Overall this exceeded expectations. Im not the biggest stout guy but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Glad I have a bottle of this to lay down to smooth out the edges.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2011 03:11:20 | More by onix1agr

Durge

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A bomber on hand for the 2011 Brass Hat Brew Fest in Watertown, CT yielded an ominously dark brown colored brew, semi-opaque with a modest ring of tan bubbles on top and minimal signs of lacing. The aroma brings sweet bourbon malt with almost flowery-perfume-like chocolate hints. The mouth finds a cloying malt sweetness with dark chocolate syrup that suggests some fermenting cherries and figs. There is also a bit of an herbal hop brightness over the top and finish. It's a definite heavy bodied brew in my book, with a medium-light velvety smoothness. Not a great candidate for sessioning but tasty and a worthwhile venture for the sweet tooth that enjoys a touch of booziness with his chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 20:25:39 | More by Durge