Goose Island Debbies Special Bitter

Brewed by Goose Island Beer Company (Brewpubs)
Style: American Strong Ale
Chicago, Illinois USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

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On cask at Night of the Living Ales IV. I never had the original Debbie Little Helper, and I wish I did b/c this was tasty. Pours an orange brown with a lightly bubbled head. My first sniff, this smells like a barley wine. Cherries, red fruits, aged malts, and really sweet. Flavors are a little watery. Lightly sweet caramels, cherries, fruit, pine, and lightly charred notes. Decent beer, I don’t know why they’d have the name special bitter. Just because its blended, doesn’t mean it retains any notes of the style.

This poured a reddish brown body with big bubbles in lieu of a head. It had an aroma of caramel, cherries, apples, and a light resinous bitterness. The bitterness was more pronounced in the flavor, balancing out the drink. Like holdenn, I don’t understand the name. It’s more like the "IPA" that makes up half the blend. Still, fairly solid.

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on cask at Night of the Living Ales IV, pours deep red with off white head. nose is very sweet caramel notes. flavor sweet caramelly, cotton candy, balanced by some piney hop notes. pretty boozy though and it really reminded me of Debbies Little Helper without as many problems.