Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale

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

Serve in Shaker, Weizen

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Not a lot of aroma but what there is seems to be mostly cloves. This beer is advertised as unfiltered but is much more clear than other unfiltered offerings. Mouthfeel is somewhat syrupy but it is quite dry in taste. There is a hint of banana but also some soap that gives an unpleasant bite. Perhaps just a hint of sweet citrus is evident, but not very much. Some lemon can also be found. I love wheat beers but was disappointed by this one. It comes from a great brewer, too which adds to the disappointment.

UPDATED: JAN 18, 2012 An old "standard" in the Chicago area, this unobtrusive American wheat is a solid performer, but without too many bells and whistles. Easy drinking with a balanced profile, 312 pours a cloudy maize and sports a medium sized, quickly dissipating white head. Lacing is minute. The nose shows a bit of resiny hop character and the body is drying, with a lite citrusy finish. A good wheat beer for non-wheat beer drinkers.

Chicago trip. Monday 14:17+. On tap at Clybourn. Hint of haze. Pale yellow. Hint of chemical in the nose. Creamy plain taste. Muddled wet grain. Not joyful.

(12 oz bottle: Obtained in trade with OhioDad, thanks Scott!) Best when consumed by 20-Feb-06. One of my least favorite beer styles, and this American Wheat from Goose Island lives up to my expectation of mediocre beer. Minimally sweet, only lightly hoppy or bitter, and with a non-descript wheat maltiness, this beer mostly just tastes like cardboard, which I find a little surprising. A very slight fruitiness hides far in the background. The nose is papery and dry. Light bodied, but not watery, and carbonation is fine. Medium straw, somewhat hazy, and capped initially by a good inch of white, rocky head before it settles to a filmy layer. A few small patches of lace remain behind on the glass. Not only is this a boring, lightly flavored beer, but you know you’re in trouble when cardboard is seemingly the most prominent of the flavors.

I usually like a lot of Goose Island’s products, such as their Hex Nut and their IPA. Not this though. terrible. Tastes like water. I literally think there are el cheapo domestics that are better than this.

UPDATED: JUN 6, 2006 weak in flavor. not a pleasant after taste. I think this is the only Goose Island I have never not been happy with.

On tap. Pale yellow color. Watery mouthfeel. Weak grainy taste. Fizzy carbonation. Weak smell. A little better than your average macro is the best I can say here.

Pours a cloudy light gold in color. About a half inch of head on the pour, but it’s quickly gone. Smell is spicy, but off slightly. Taste is hoppy, but rather BMC’ish. Highly carbonated in the mouthfeel. Refreshing, but not good enough to warrant another purchase.

Odd label on this 12 oz brown bottle. Pour is hazy like a wheat but not real cloudy. Lighter yellow vanilla color comparable to many american wheats. Slightly tart and somewhat spicy. Less carbonation than I like in a wheat, usually you think of wheats as being more of a smooth champagne tingle. It’s probably because it’s urban and not rural. Look out, I am torrified buy the wheat. OK for a wheat and as expected compared to other american wheats. Cannot hold a candle to Marzoni’s 22 or Harpoon UFO Hefeweizen. On par with Hopsun and Witsun. Better than JW dundee’s american wheat version.

On tap, poured into a iced glass, with 2 large lemons by a goofy blonde barmaid. Drank the 1st down, then asked for one in a non-chilled glass, no fruit. 2 finger head, fades fast. Aroma: not much. Taste: Disappoining. VERY light, some corn, some light citrus. Not much going on there. Easy to drink, I may try it again as the weather gets warm. Actually would rather have a Budweiser, than this.