Big John - Goose Island Beer Co.

KevSal

California

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

this guys got a mix of reviews, Im on the higher side, I found it very enjoyable.

22oz poured into a goose island glass

A- looks good, thin dark drown head that fades quickly. pours a dark see thru brown, pitch black in the glass with dark brown edges, visible clear liquid on the very edge(this the alch?)
a minute in the glass the head is completely gone.

S-Smells great! got some dark fruits and some slight cherry, dark chocolate. I really like this guys nose, the hint if cherry, (or sweetness) is especially good.

T-yum this guy is tasty. I got lots of bitter chocolate that remains in the after taste, that slight cherry from the nose is present and ads to the taste. the first glass was the best, the second and third contained much more alch presents(butter chocolate still remains). with all the hype going around this one was better than expected.

M- very silky medium body mouthfeel. much lighter than the usual Goode island stout but I welcomed the change. thick enough to bring out the flavors across the mouth.

O- I really liked it. very good stout and very tasty. can't think of anything it taste like and that's the best part. Glad to seek it out again and give it a bit to mellow out, loved the dark chocolate tho!

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 06:29:32 | More by KevSal

sentomaster

Connecticut

4.28/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- classic big stout look. pitch black the small mocha head quickly falls into a thin film cover.

S- licorice, bitter chocolate, chicory root and tree bark earthiness

T/M- smooth and silky. Taste is predominately licorice and anise with the same earthiness experienced in the nose with a biting port like warming from the alcohol. At first this is a touch cloying as the licorice, plum and rasin flavors pound the palette. As the beer warms it really starts to shine. The cocoa flavors come to the fore and turn smooth, robust and bittersweet and help to round out the alcohol and dark fruit/licorice- or rather, the latter flavors now round out the former. Also becomes even more uber silky, velvety, exquisitely smooth.

O- with a year on it, this beer has really come of age. This is a monster stout that is just about in its prime right now. As the beer warms up it kicks into another gear and picks up tons of complexity

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 14:23:27 | More by sentomaster

evanlarkin

District of Columbia

4.58/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance:
Dark dark brown, close to black, with just a tinge of brown along the edges. A little more brown is visible when it's up to the light, but it's still pretty dark. Not much head, less than a finger total when poured into a snifter. Nothing much to be said for lacing.

Smell:
Chocolate and milk (chocolate milk?) predominate, with espresso and booze in the background, finally giving way to an oakiness that I have never experienced before. If you just smell lightly, there's a kind of licorice character to it which is very pleasant.

Taste:
It's like a more explosive experience of the smell. Chocolate and a milkiness come first, and suddenly you're hit by the booziness of it all. Then you get some coffee beans, followed by an oak flavor that almost seems more like a texture than a taste. There is a subtle bitterness in the background that tastes as much like coffee as hops.

Mouthfeel:
Low carbonation, and full. It coats your mouth, but doesn't stick as long as many other imperial stouts, which serves to entice the drinker to have another sip.

Overall: This is a really solid stout, definitely placing itself in my personal top 5 list. It's not entirely a unique flavor, but definitely superior to most that I have encountered in the current market. If I find it at another store, or if it becomes an annual brew, I will definitely purchase more.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 05:03:22 | More by evanlarkin

MaxSpang

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a snifter. Brewed in March 2011.

APPEARANCE

Blacker than black, just a hair of light came through as it was being poured. The head was mocha/chocolate milk colored, small, and dissipated fairly quickly. There was a good amount of lacing as I drank it.

SMELL

Strong raisin character in the nose. The alcohol was definitely present. There was a good amount of chocolate, as well as some bready/biscuit aromas. Some nice roasted malt aroma came through along with some very pleasant dark fruit aromas.

TASTE

Yum! Much like the nose, there was a big raisin character. Some alcohol was present, but it was not boozy in the least bit. Some of the bitter pure bitter cacao came through at first, but got more subtle as I drank more which created a very, very tasty chocolate flavor. It was almost milky as far as the flavor and mouthfeel. It was very sweet but had a nice bitter finish after you swallow. Very lovely beer, very enjoyable.

MOUTHFEEL

Very thick. Not quite syrupy, but very sticky. Very little carbonation. It was extremely warming and extremely smooth, it was like drinking velvet - it went down very easily. As smooth as it was, the sheer body of it made the bottle last quite a long time. This is definitely a sipping beer and would be a wonderful winter time night cap.

OVERALL

This is a wonderful beer. A very sweet-chocolatey beer, almost dessert like. While it's not the end-all-be-all Imperial Stout, this is a wonderful beer that I would definitely drink again.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 16:40:44 | More by MaxSpang

AnPiobaire

New York

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

I poured this brew from a 22 oz bottle into a tulip glass at about 56 degrees. The bottle was dated 3/25/11. I know I should let this age some but I have been wanting to try this for awhile.

Big John poured a viscous deep dark brown/black with thin dark khaki colored head.

The smell is earthy and of roasted malts with notes of cocoa and some subtle floral notes.

The taste is very nice and balanced with the beginning taste of roasted malts and cocoa to a deeper choclatey note that I can only equate to my childhood when I would take a spoonful of Bosco chocolate syrup while making a chocolate milk. It has very subtle similarities to that taste. It then fades to a hoppy bitter dry and clean finish.

The mouthfeel is thick and chewy with a nice warming affect from the alcohol.

Overall this is a very nice example of a stout and surely one that I will look to stock up on, when I see them around. I can't wait to taste this again after a year or so of aging on it. Enjoy!!!

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 17:59:10 | More by AnPiobaire

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

4.56/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

2012 bottle

Appearance: Dark opaque with a big, tan 2 finger head. Lacing is pretty intense.

Smell: Roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, dark fruit.

Taste: Wow. From what I gather, this is the base beer for BCBS and it is delicious in its own right. This is such a perfect blend of everything I described in the nose and then some. It all works together perfectly and finishes clean, with a lingering, delicious, malty cocoa ending. Booze is hid masterfully.

Mouthfeel: This leans more towards the viscous side of things, it's right there with BCBS, which makes sense.

Overall: Can't find much wrong with this. I drank a few other highly acclaimed stouts this evening, yet they don't beat this. Shame Inbev runs the show now, but Goose's specialty beers haven't suffered yet.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 05:32:18 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

Patrickbrusil

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

God damn Goose Island knows how to make stouts. This is no exception.

A mouth feel that is thick as a mudslide and a dark color with faint deep ruby red on the edges this one is intimidating but incredible on the palate.

Chocolate, milk chockate, dark chocolate, and more chocolate overwhelm one. Faint hints of dark chocolate covered raspberries and dark Belgian candy flavors come out as she warms.

This is good. This is real good.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 23:06:27 | More by Patrickbrusil

baconsausage

Vermont

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

Pours a brown tinted black with a thin tan ring of sprightly bubbles. Wet nose reveals booze and a bit of malt. Big roasted taste hides the booze a little, but not compleatly. Sweet black coffee and cocoa with toffee and vanilla notes. Slick mouth feel is off set by prickly carbonation. Good stuff, would definitely get again.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 03:24:49 | More by baconsausage

cosmo4u

New York

4.08/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

purchased from rattle and hum 7/13/11

This thing poured a very dark black, crude oil color that had absolutely no highlights shining through at all. A dark, tan head was formed, from the pour, that was smooth, creamy and lush. I received nice girth and retention from a fairly aggressive pour and the lacing tried to hang on to the sides of the glass for a while, but eventually all of the foam and lace dissipated to leave behind some decent alcohol when swirled. The aroma brought out a very deep, dark chocolate malt packed with alcohol notes. They were strong, but not strong enough to overpower other fragrances of burnt, roasted coffee bean, dried leather and dark, booze soaked fruits similar to plums and raisins.

Overall, its complex and bold in the nose. The taste was quite good, Rich and forceful. At first, the alcohol grazed the palate profoundly only to meld and give way to the charred coffee and vivid, dark chocolate. It's very malty with a licorice undertone. Dark, booze immersed fruit started sweet then gave way to an earthy, round tone. Some bitterness is there, but the malt quickly overtook it and rendered it insignificant. The overall flavor was elaborate, well balanced and intricate. The mouthfeel was an honest to goodness "full" mouthfeel. One of the few that I have ever had. It was chewy, slick, thick, oily, viscous, smooth and dry. Tons of flavors were left behind on the palate.

I didn't find the aroma to be as bold or magnificent as the taste, yet it was still good. It's, for sure, a sipper. This is another beer that is best enjoyed when time can be taken to let it develop, warm to room temperature and ponder all that it has to offer. It had very nice character and extremity. The ABV is high, which doesn't make the drinkability very easy, so it could sneak up on you in a hurry if you're not careful!!!

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2011 01:19:01 | More by cosmo4u

CMB2012

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle, dated 3/25/11, served in a snifter at cellar temperature.

A- Thick, oily, black with slight hints of dark brown when held to light. Not much foam, but what is there is espresso colored. Not much lacing.

S- Sweet vanilla and chocolate, roasted malts, some dark fruit, and alcohol.

T- The chocolate is the obvious standout ingredient in this beer, and it definitely comes across in the flavor. The taste is as if there were actual chocolate bars dissolved in the beer, mixed with prunes and a couple raisins, some rustic bread, and a little bit of espresso. It's not overly complex, but it is very well done.

M- Thick, viscous, chewy, full body indeed. Good carbonation for IS.

O- It's a good brew, I just wish it were more available. I have yet to try a BCBS of any kind, and I have not cracked open the bottle of night stalker I have in my fridge, but if the quality goes up from here, then I can't wait to try them all!

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2011 15:58:15 | More by CMB2012

stabzmcgee

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Aroma is that of licorice, coffee and an underlying chocolate. Appearance is beautiful. Dark black body with a mocha/brown head. Taste is of a dark, rich chocolate coffee candy. Not too sweet though, containing a full body with little to no bitterness. Overall, an amazing stout.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 20:40:15 | More by stabzmcgee

zep9865

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into New Belgium snifter. Pours like motor oil with a hint of brown in this beer's dark hue. Complemented with a nice one finger cocoa foam head

Smells of dark chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and toffee. Whether or not you thought you could taste the alcohol, the smells gives it away anyway

Tastes like the 70 percent cocoa chocolate that you eat with red wine...plus 11.5 percent alcohol in slightly carbonated form.

The wonderful chocolately beginning of the beer segues quickly into a malty, dry finish. The notability of alcohol in this beer reduces it to a sipper for some.

This beer is superb. Goose Island makes legitimate bombers and this is no exception. Russian imperial stouts have really grown on me, and Big John is a solid effort from Goose

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 03:32:26 | More by zep9865

dheacck11

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pour is pitch black with rich mahogany finger of head, fading quickly to soft bit of lace.

Nose is ripe and full, dark chocolate, dark fruits, some sourness.

Flavor is big and complex. Lots of cocoa and some hint of coffee. Off set by sweetness of plum, a hint of vanilla. Finishes with big malty bourbon splash. Lots of earthiness and leather throughout.

Mouth feel is thick and full, just like it should be.

A fantastic beer. Not quite the level of complexity of BCBS, but approaching it. A little more user friendly I guess, although only slightly.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 23:47:59 | More by dheacck11

cmannes

Minnesota

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

Bomber poured into a Surly Stein

Appearance: Dark dark brown with some red tint. Thin cocoa colored head.

Aroma: Cocoa, toffee, hint of the alcohol. More subtle than I expected.

Taste: There is a slight cola quality to it. Otherwise, some simple cocoa, toffee, burnt flavors. The heat of the alcohol comes in the finish with a bit of bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Syrupy, lingering. It tends to coat your mouth and hang out for a while. Not overly carbonated, but enough to be noticed. Not bad.

Overall: I can't say it's bad. I'd drink it again, but I was hoping for stronger flavors & smells. It's rather tame, considering the name "Big John."

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 22:36:27 | More by cmannes

dimenhetfield

Florida

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml bottle shared with some friends. This was very much like Bourbon County, but with the twist of the added cacao nibs. Thick and dark, boozy and chocolately. A slow sipper for sure. It was a great beer but sort of wore me down a bit. I might search this one out again and let it sit for a while

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 01:46:51 | More by dimenhetfield

colt45n

Missouri

3.78/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a pure black color no light light at all! slight brown fluffy head which is hard to get.

S: The chocolate nibs are definitely present getting mostly dark chocolate in the nose.

T: The chocolate is what I am getting mostly very creamy mouthful, there is a little bitter hops in the back.

Overall a good stout offering loving the chocolate upfront.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 01:19:42 | More by colt45n

jcnd9803

Illinois

4.97/5  rDev +22.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

(A) - Pitch black and very thick. It even looks syrupy with a slight mocha brown head that fades fast to a small ring.

(S)- Heavy dark chocolate, some caramel and roasted malt. As it warms, I'm picking up more of the booze.

(T)- Very sweet right away and then moves into bitter dark chocolate. I was worried this was going to be too sweet, but I think they add the right amount of hops to balance and temper the sweetness.

(M)- Very thick. Par for the course with GI stouts. In my opinion, perfect.

(D)- I'm a big fan of the BCB family of stouts. Given this, I'm going to make a bold statement and say this is my favorite GI beer. It strikes the perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness to achieve a perfect stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 02:57:19 | More by jcnd9803

Alpar

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle to a snifter.

A: Crazy dark and viscous. Looks great complimented by the good carbonation.

S: Woo Hoo, nice Chocolate and a bit of heat. Overall though this is smelling really good for a young beer that is this BIG!

T: Fantastic, I barely taste any alcohol and just taste velvet chocolate followed by badass malts. Really a wonderful taste, yet so simple.

M: Thick and to be expected by the Goose.

O: Yet another top notch stout that I think far surpasses their Night Stalker offering. No hops in this badboy.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2012 05:38:40 | More by Alpar

whitehouse50

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on 3/25/2011. Poured from a 22oz bottle into a tulip. The head disappeared and no lacing was leftover.

A- Jet black, i held it up to the light and nothing was coming through except for around the edges of the head.

S- nice chocolately and big roasty aromas

T- nice pleasant chocolate flavors, not overwhelming. There is a nice hop flavor to help balance this out and the alcohol is well hidden. I would never guess this to be 11.5%

M- big full body (no pun intended), it's almost chewy.

Overall this was a really enjoyable beer. It's got a full body with great chocolate flavor. I would love to drink this again on a cold winter night. I disagree with one statement from the brewers notes "massive chocolate flavor and aroma". I don't agree it was massive. Southern Tier Choklat is a massive chocolate stout, Big John is not, it's more like a Choklat's little brother. This is a great brew I would definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 15:50:23 | More by whitehouse50

plumcrazyfx

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours super black and oily with almost zero head. Smells of dark roast and chocolate. The taste is great - I think if I never had BCBS or if it wasn't from Goose Island (with such great expectations) this thing would generally get top reviews. The first drink just coats the mouth with intense bitter chocolate, vanilla and roast flavors, just like the nose. The chocolate fades as the mouth gets used to it after a few swigs. At this point the boozy sweet roast takes the lead. Here is where it most tastes like BCBS and if it weren't for the finish leaving me hanging looking for a bourbon kick to end the flavor, I'd swear I was drinking that. However, I'm left wanting that kick since it's what rounds out BCBS so much and takes it to the next level. If I hadn't ever had BCBS I'd be raving over this beer - as it is - it's great, not mind-blowing, but I want the bourbon.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 20:00:54 | More by plumcrazyfx

MowryJC

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a snifter.

A - Deep black keeps any light from getting through, with barely a hint of ruby highlights. Capped by a nice mocha-colored one-finger frothy head that settles into a substantial film. Leaves moderate lacing down the glass.

S - Sweet chocolate with a backing of coffee and smooth hits of alcohol, but the alcohol is not at all overpowering. Almost no hop aroma at all.

T- Rich milk chocolate that isn't cloying, but really smooths out the beer. Mocha flavors keep the coffee flavors rich but in check and not at all astringent or overly bitter. Dangerously deceives you into thinking this isn't as strong as it is...

M- Might be my favorite part of the beer. Viscous, it coats the tongue and mouth nicely, and yet does not keep you from wanting sip after sip. At the end of swallowing, there's this great rich coating feeling like hot cocoa gives you in the back of your throat. The heat of the alcohol is well in check.

I'm quite happy with this latest GI offering. I look forward to buying myself a couple bottles of this fantastic brew that's right up there with BC Stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 21:28:57 | More by MowryJC

dc55110

Minnesota

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

Pours slightly thicker than cough syrup. Tiny bubbles rise, find their way to the edge of the glass and are gone sooner then they came. A faint ring of head clings to the outer edge of the glass and leaves a fair amount of lacing. Dark black in appearance, but still penetrable by strong light.
The smell is typical of heavy stouts; molasses, raisin, roasted coffee beans, malt. The alcohol is very present. I try to find hints of cacao, it's there but only slightest hint of the bitter delight is there.
The cacao is only slightly more present in the flavor. I still get mostly molasses, raisin, etc. This is very sweet, almost by not quite cloying. The alcohol, as in the aroma, is present and not well hidden.
It coats every surface of my mouth. It feels like it pours, like cough syrup, this is not a bad thing. Stouts should remind you, well after you last sip, what you recently enjoyed. Very little, near nil, on the the carbonation.
I recently had GI's Dishonest Stout @Clybourn, I think the addition of cacao would have been better suited to a stout of that nature. The bitterness would have played well with the sourness and the barrel aging. I guess I expect a lot from GI when it comes to stouts. Big John is a fine stout, I just don't think it is up to snuff, when it comes to GI!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 03:56:59 | More by dc55110

scotvega18

New York

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a southern tier Tulip

A- Pitch black with very little head. any light penetration makes it dark brown.

S- i smell a lot of alcohol, but it still takes a back seat to the chocolate and bitter coffee smells and dark fruit that dominate the brew

T- Very smooth and velvet-y, chocolate malt and roastiness up front, with vague alcohol and then some hop and coffee bitterness, then finally some sweetness and some dark fruit flavors.

notes - this would do well with age and would probably develop into a world class brew. Now it is a bit too hot but very nice and complex while still being quite smooth.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 02:43:10 | More by scotvega18

7ate9

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours black of course. no head. as it should.
Smell is of course chocolate..but more than that even is a distinct cherry fruitiness which is quite nice, with a background of roast and even further back is a bit of meaty soy bits which i don't particularly like. If it weren't for the strange savory meat quality i would be in love. Even so, I like that it's not just straight cocoa choco blast...it has the bright subtle fruitiness of the nibs as well.
It's big of course but instead of choco hitting me first it's the roast which seems pretty aggressive. Then the cherry fruit midpalate followed by cocoa powder on the finish. I am again getting the meat quality here and I wish it would go away. The abv hits hard on the swallow.
Big and viscous thick sticky. Adequate carb. Good.
I liked it a lot, but for some reason I still feel wanting. I was afraid of cellaring this one for fear of the choco flav dieing away, however, I shared with my girlfriend and she said "Until I had this beer, I've never drank a beer that I thought that needs to age before being drinkable"

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 00:26:19 | More by 7ate9

GoldenVIKE

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- pitch black with a strong 3-finger head that dissipates within a minute or two. If you pour it down the side of the glass you won't get any head at all.

S- not to0 strong of a smell for a strout that advertises that it was aged on cocao nibs, but it's nice. You get a little of the chocolate and maybe some cream and vanilla.

T- basically tastes like it smells. you get a little bitter kick from the cocao nibs. it's a smooth drink; the alcohol doesn't overpower at all.

M- very well carbonated for an imperial stout; good frothy texture in the mouth.

O- a nice stout. not very complex but it's not trying to be.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 12:00:43 | More by GoldenVIKE