Goose Island Matilda

Brewed by Goose Island Beer Company
Style: Belgian Ale
Chicago, Illinois USA

Sample at Barley’s Smokehouse. This beer is a clear orange color with a medium and foamy off-white head that diminishes quickly. Stringy lacing on the glass. Aroma of citrus and biscuity malt, along with some sweet allspice. Medium-bodied with a borderline medicinal fruity character. Flavors of yeast, citrus and spices are all in the background. The finish is malty and fruity with a mild spiced hops aftertaste. Aside from the medicinal qualities, this beer is not bad.

On tap at Graydon’s Crossing in the Gaslight Village. Presented cloudy pumpkin in color, with no head. Aroma of cninamon, spice and orange. Flavorful taste, with fruit, yeast and spice. A good NA brew in the Trappist tradition.

2006 12oz. bottle, bottled on 030206, with thanks to Gregis! Opens as a bit of a gusher, slow and steady, but plenty of foam rising out of the bottle. Pours a clear golden orange with a towering fluffy head, good retention and lacing. Aroma is overripe citrusy fruits, light spice and yeast. Flavor is more ripe fruits, fresh citrus, spice and yeast, somewhat lively on the palate. A nice interpretation on the style. Thanks again for the chance to try Greg!

Hazy amber with medium off white head. Sweet yeasty aroma with ripe fruits and toasted malt. Sweet yeasty flavour with ripe fruits and caramel notes.

Pour is a cloudy gold with a thin white head. Slightly sour and sticky, some banana and a dry finish. Pretty good stuff.

Draft at Goose Island (OHare). Served in a wine glass. Amber color with a slight off-white head. Sweet, fruity aromas. Medium body with frothy carbonation. Flavors of lightly roasted caramel with fruity hop and yeast spice. Finish is bitter, with a hint of sweet. Fairly tasty drink. Could be a light barley wine or a Belgian strong ale. Justified the flight.

12oz Bottle. Sweet banana ester, phenol and bread yeast amalgam. Spicy. Dry and minerally with a hint of sulfur. Pours a darker shade of gold, with a couple fingers of silky, white lacing head. Flavor is rich and peppery. Lightly sweet, with a really crisp, fruity floral yeast character. Wow. This a very nice and refined Belgian character, with none of the usual harshness on the palate or too much heat. A juicy hop bite blends nicely with the character. This is delicious. Fresh. Canteloupe closes down the finish. Very nice. Very dry and very drinkable.

On tap at the Goose Island Pub in the Chicago O’hare airport. Pours a deep golden-orange color, as someone else commented similar to a strong IPA. Little head mostly dissipated leaving a faint ring around the edges. Smells fruity, a little Belgian funk/yeast, similar to a Leffe blond to me. Flavor crisp with light hops at the start(belgian?), continues with a little spicyness(really comes out after a few sips) to a very uplifting fruity flavor that lingers for a few minutes. This would be the best beer in the airport if I didn’t like their IPA so much ;)