Goose Island Christmas Ale

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

Serve in Dimpled mug, Shaker

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2012 Vintage. Poured a reddish brown with no head. Aroma of alcohol infused berry fruit. Full body, flavour of the aroma, very vinous and sweet.

Bottle. Taste is dark fruit, brown sugar, charred wood and booze. Bizarre and complex.

Not bad, but flawed. This was bottled in Oct 2011 and the bottle says "ages up to 5 years" whether or not the age of this had a negative impact on the flavor is not something I can speak to as I’ve not had a ’fresh’ one yet. Anyway, I love how muddy the color is, it’s caramel colored but a little murkier - certainly looks delicious. The good is that this does christmas ale right - lots of warm brandy sensations, with subtle spice touches. The bad is that it’s quite yeasty and almost too rich with not enough to show for it.

From the 12. fl. oz. bottle marked bottled on 08/31/12-0936. It pours a cloudy amber-brown with a lingering, foamy tan head. The aroma has an old ale feel to it with a malt forward ester along with toffee, butterscotch, and dried fruit. Hops are played down. The body is a bit better than medium. The taste is surprisingly bitter considering the aroma is more sweet, which is why I think old ale. However it wasn’t dark enough for an old ale. Still, it holds up well 10 months after it was bottled.

bottle into glass, murky brown dark pout, off white heasd, malty aroma, taste is malty mild bitterness, pretty dam good for a brow

Vintage 2011. Had my eye on it for a while, finally tried it. Unfiltered, Murky Orange Brown, Small Head, Lots Of Lacing. Sweet Smell. Sweet Toasted Caramel, Molasses and Raisins. Pleasant sweet and creamy aftertaste. Absolutely loved this one. Thank God for Christmas in July, gives me an extra opportunity to savor it and enjoy twice a year. Niiiice. Recommended.

Goose Island Christmas Ale 2009, aged 3 years 7 months in my beer cellar, 5.7% ABV, and poured into a Goose Island MBA Tulip glass. Appearance: Poured amber brown with a deep thick head and a lacing that refuses to recede from its initial pour line. Smell: A nice Holiday scent of dried fruit and nutmeg that is not overpowering. Taste: The buttered toast and caramel malts lead to a lingering cinnamon-like bitter finish. As the beer warms, the flavor of black licorice emerges. Mouth feel: Medium body and good carbonation, with a balanced sweet and bitter finish. Overall: This American-style Brown Christmas Ale has aged very well. If any one flavor was originally dominant, that is not longer true. The Holiday spices have married well with the caramelized malt to make it very easy to enjoy more than one glass full. This beer may very well have reached its peak age, but I will continue to test as I still have three bottles in my cellar. Serving type: 22 oz. bottle

Bottle2012. Nose is brown sugar and vanilla, slight toffee. Taste is burn toast, lots of molassus, dark fruits, figs, leading to a warm toffee finish. Slight notes of coco and licorice. Medium mouthfeel. Lots of depth to the flavour and enjoyable, maybe a touch to bitter in the finish for my liking, given the sweeter tones of the beer.

Bottle from Wegman’s Williamsport. 2012 vintage. Pours brown with a half inch of brown foam. A bit of nuttiness on the nose mixed in with a dash of Christmas spice. The hops tend to overpower on the tongue. Eh!

Bottle at JF’s, from BOE, 20/04/13. Presume 2012 vintage - bottle states 7.3% ABV. Opaque chestnut brown with a thin beige film that retains well. Nose carries dark fruit notes, caramel malt, sugars, hops bringing up the rear. Taste comprises brown sugars, light spice, dark fruits, caramel, hint of booze. Medium bodied with bite, fine carbonation, dry in the finish. Really good stuff!