Goose Island Cask ESB

Brewed by Goose Island Beer Company (Brewpubs)
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Chicago, Illinois USA

Serve in English pint

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Had on tap at Clybourn. Nice change of pace while at the pub, soft carbonation and a touch of diacetyl.

UPDATED: NOV 20, 2011
Name: ESB
Date: November 09, 1997
Source: Brewpub
Appearance: ruby red, thick creamy head leaving solid lace
Aroma: rich sweet malt and bitter hop aroma
Flavor: slightly sweet malt flavor followed by lots of lingering bitterness
Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Score: *** /4

The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

From the tap this poured a deep chestnut body with a thick, spongy ecru head. No lacing. The aroma was rich and malty with some crushed nuts, apples, and a light floral bouquet. The floral bitterness kicked up a notch in the flavor and the finish, making this an enjoyable drink.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Island - Clybourn, Chicago, IL<font size=-1>

Cask taster at GI Clybourn. Rich dark brown beer with a brown head that thins out quickly. Crystal malt smell, but "drier" than normal. The cask pull gives it a texture that slides around easily on my tongue. After a swallow, the air in my mouth is redolent with the Kentish hops. A session style is hard to get excited about, but this is indeed a well-tuned ale.

tap, clybourn - maybe i was just drunk, but i loved this. pretty malty, wonderful served at engine temp. texture suited it well also. regular clear red.

On Tap @ the brewpub- Pours a clear amber color, small off white head. Aroma is sweet caramel, cherry malt thing. Flavor is smooth, a non-bitter sweetness to it, cherries, mint, pie crust, with a just slighlty bitter citrus finish. Very nice.

Admit that I’ve been really spoiled by some the cask IPAs here. This was a very good, down to earth ESB with enough to hold it together being on cask. That alone says a llot to me as there have been so many places I’ve been to in the U.S. that seem to see cask as being a gimmick rather than an apropriate means of serving. Goose Island knows what they’re doing.

This very soft bitter never fails to satisfy. Floral hops nose and sweet malt backbone. Perfect starter to a meal at the brewpub.

Deep copper with no head but good lace. Low carbonation as expected. Starts out with sweet slightly roast malt then finishes with floral hops. A very nice cask ale.

This one really surprised me. Little hops in the aroma and the beer tasted like bass without the malt flavor. Very dry and flavorless. Not bad for a session beer, but probably the worst Goose Island beer I've had.