Goose Island Imperial IPA

After first trying this one I wasnt too impressed, but after another few bottles it slowly grew on me. Pours a very hazy light amber with a thin head and nice lace. Aroma has a balance of cascade and simcoe with the tettnang being drowned out. Flavor is initially citrus and grapefruit but then the drier, more earthy tettnang comes through a bit in the end. Nice sticky bitterness as well. Very easy to drink.

Hazy pale orange pour. Small head that didn’t last very long. The pine aroma from the simcoe really comes through at first, with a citrusy background. There is an explosion of flavors as you sip this, from the malt character to the hops and back and forth as it moves through your mouth. Very interesting. Some warming from the alcohol, and a lingering tingle of bitterness.

This was truly a pleasure to drink, a brilliant beer. Pine needles and citrus, a very pleasant albeit very hoppy nose. This is a big inviting beer, rich complex malt flavors and stunning hop character, with just a bit of chewiness making this really full on the mouthfeel. Almost like their was a hint of rind in the final product. Tasty!

2005 bottle. Pours copper colored with light carbonation. Medium sized white head. Heavy orange and red grapefruit aroma. Very citrusy. Creamy sweet malts. Full and inviting, and very aromatic as it warms. This brew greats your tongue with burst of strong hop citrus fruit flavor (red grapefruit and oranges). There are lightly sweet malts that have some caramel presence but actually do more in a supportive role of the overall fruitiness of this brew. Some mineral notes as well as a hint of marshmallow. The whole thing is all around citrus with a bitter citrus peal finish. Full creamy body. Nice.

Pours a brilliantly clear, full copper color that is topped by a frothy, three-finger thick, light tan colored head. The aroma is intensely laden with citrus-like notes of American hops. Sweet citrus including orange, and grapefruit as well as ample notes of lychee, apricot, peach, and intense fruit notes similar to tropical fruits like pineapple and bits of papaya and mango. The aroma is quite a heavenly melange of heady sweet fruit notes, including a ripe fruit sweetness to it. The Simcoe really seems to dominate the aroma on this one, and I really like what it is doing.

The beer has a medium to full body to it as well as a sweetness, which only helps to accentuate the hoppy fruit notes. The flavor has lots of hops coming out all over the place. Predominant is the sweet fruit character which is reminiscent of lychee fruit, peaches, and apricots. Secondarily I get notes of sweet ruby red grapefruit, tangerines and sweet oranges. The malt character is not noticeable in and of itself, but it plays a big role in accentuating the fruit-like hop character.

I must admit, I am a sucker for the upfront, intense, hop derived fruit notes in this beer. They pair perfectly with the malt sweetness and make this quite the decadent after dinner treat. The alcohol is quite well integrated in this beer as well; it is barely perceptible in either the nose or the flavor. What can I say, this had definitely lived up to the long wait for me to procure a couple samples of this brew; I definitely recommend it.

<font size=-4>Purchased via mail order: <a href=http://www.liquidsolutions.ws/main/>Liquid Solutions<font size=-1>

12oz bottle via trade from Dough77 - Thanks Tim! - Pours amber with a nice white sudsy head that stays very well and laces the sides of the glass on the way down. Aroma is mostly citrus, grapefruit and pine. A touch of caramel malts find their way through in the nose as well. Flavor is very well balanced and not completely hop dominated. A smooth blend of the caramel malts, some pineapple, and the grapefruit and pine hops. Palate is medium bodied, very balanced and quite smooth to drink. A real treat to the palate. Great brew!

Very good. Poured golden with a thick white head. Aromas of casade hops, graitfruit, pine, citrus hops, caramel, pinapple and vanilla. Taste was very sweet with graitfruit, pinapple, citrus, vanilla and caramel. A bready flavor was apparent in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel was just awesome with a great touch of alcohol. Hot shit this was good. I am glad I have another one awaiting.

Wow, I like this one. Translucent darkish amber pour...small white head. Big floral citrus hoppy nose. Sweet malts and lotsa hops in the flavor. We really like the way this tastes. Bitter to the end, as any IIPA should aspire to. Medium bodied, love the grapefruity hop presence. Wow, gotta get more.