Goose Island Night Stalker

Brewed by Goose Island Beer Company (AB-InBev)
Style: Imperial Stout
Chicago, Illinois USA

Serve in Snifter

2010 vintage, 03/06/10 date. Beer is black and forms a thin brown head. Some lacing on the glass. Not much in the way of head dynamics but it looks fine. The aroma is quite hoppy. Also some sweetness and some alcohol. Smells good. Beer is a little hot. The bitterness in the back is odd. It finishes a little dry overall. Second taste was not as dry or as hot. There is some nice roast in the back and some sweetness up front. The bitterness helps to hold the flavors in your mouth afterward. There is not much of an aftertaste, just flavors that linger. The carbonation in the palate is good as well. I really like this beer. I would recommend it.

650 mL bottle. Dark, with a small, firm, brown head. Smells friggin’ awesome and big. Coffee, chocolate chip cookies (home made, of course), roast. Flavour is big also, with the coffee dialed back a bit, and more chocolate. Big body. Great beer.

Pours deep black with thin toffee-colored head that quickly dissipates. Aroma is of chocolate, coffee, caramel and raisins. If it wasn’t for the roasted aroma, I would say it is a nice Belgian trappist ale. Flavor is bold and complex. Chocolate and roasted malt with some soft floral tones. Feels quite heavy on the palate. Very nice!

A. A nice oily black with a 1 finger mocha head. A nice fine ring is retained after a minute. Interestingly, the head did not form at all when pouring. It did only after setting the glass down. S. Chocolate, light coffee and slight hops smell. T. A strong bold chocolate and malt flavor that holds through to the end. A slight bitterness wraps up the tail end of the taste. M. Very smooth soft feel. Drinks very easily and doesn’t linger very long O. This is a very nice beer. It doesn’t have the depths and flavors I seek in the top notch beers, but it is very easy to drink. I could see myself getting one of these every time I hit the local bar (If I could get it there).

(Bottle) Pours super black with a brown head. The aroma is dry cocoa/espresso roasted with undertones of tar and asphalt. Rather hoppy with notes of pine, citrus and mango. Undertones of mint, dust, dark earthy fruits, black currant tea, burned wet crisp bread and sweet brown sugar. Some acetone-like alcohol. The flavor is medium sweet, medium to heavily bitter and light to medium acidic from the hops. Tones of coffee, brown sugar, asphalt and piney/citric hops. The mouthfeel is round and silky, yet too sticky for my liking. Light astringent. Light and soft carbonation. The finish is bitter and numbing with notes of alcohol, roast and hops. Near full bodied.

(Bottle 08/11-2011) Dark brown low head, black color, coffee aroma, oily thick, bitter roasted coffee slightly alcohol taste, smooth taste. Bottled 03/06/10.

Aroma- licorice, hops, chocolate, caramel Appearance- charcoal black with a decent white head and some alcohol presence Taste- bitter, dry chocolate, hop middle, smooth finish with hints of cocoa, molasses, and hop astringency Palate- high carb, slick mouthfeel Overall- I usually dislike higher IBU impy’s, but this one is decedently smooth and sophisticated. Nice brew.

Poured a dark opaque oily black with a medium tall dark brown creamy head. The head dropped to just a film fairly quickly and it left a film of lacing on the glass that slides down to the new level of the beer after each sip. The aroma was very good with dark chocolate and hints of anise, prune and roasted malt. The beer has a creamy texture. The initial taste gives you the feel of a thick rich chocolate milkshake followed by a good strong dark chocolate flavor along with its bitterness. A good alcohol warmth develops in the middle, but with no alcohol taste. In the middle is also a good malt sweetness to balance and mellow out the beer. The finish is very smooth with a hint of the bitterness, lots of chocolate flavor and good alcohol warmth that lingers a long time. Excellent beer!!!!!!!