Cinders - Goose Island Beer Co.

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a snifter at the Clybourn brewpub.

Aged in EC18 barrels. Right on. It pours a hazy brown topped by over a finger of tan-cream foam. The nose comprises bourbon, oak, vanilla, and more oak (this time slightly toasted). Not much of the base IPA in here, but plenty o' the barrel. Still pretty appealing. The taste brings in more of the same, with more toasted oak and a stronger sense of booze. Kinda was looking for some hops or something, but it comes off more as a light bourbon. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a slick feel. Overall, a nice bourbon-infused beer, but not something I would recommend to a fan of barrel-aged IPAs (at least not if they're looking for a trace of the IPA...).

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2012 23:46:52 | More by TMoney2591

joshuaseresse

Minnesota

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

Cinders is an older Imperial IPA aged in Elijah Craig 18 year barrels. I'm not exactly sure how long however, but it was longer than a year (according to a brewer present at the bar.) Served in a 10oz snifter:

A - A really cloudy, golden color with more of a deeper colored body and lighter top and edges. Light foam with cloudy foam patches in the middle. Heavier foam ring forms once the head dissolves leaving decent lacing.

S - Really malt forward with a heavy yeast smell. Caramel and some burnt brown sugar and really no presents or smell of a typical IPA. Bourbon, oak and some vanilla. Really quite interesting...

T - If the piece of paper in front of me didn't say that it was an IPA I would have never guessed. This is more like a toned down version of a barleywine. Really follows the nose with that caramel and burnt brown sugar coming through but the taste has a bit more bourbon to it. Some earth and oak. Again, really interesting...

M - Not so bitter but has a little bit of a bitter component. Smooth texture and good carbonation.

O - Yeah, this one is quite interesting indeed. I've only had one other barrel aged IPA and that was the Hand of Doom at Founders. To be honest, the more and more I drank it, the more and more I really didn't care for it. It was just an odd beer. Good to try, but I only had one glass, so that kind of says a lot.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Goose Island Clybourn, 1800 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago

01-04-2012 19:31:39 | More by joshuaseresse