Goose Island Matilda

~ Purchased this 12 oz bottle from New Beer Distributors in Manhattan, NY. Bottled in 2009, this Goose Island Belgian-Style Ale pours dark gold in color with a decent head that dissipates quickly. The smell is of sweet fruits, yeasts, and some spices. Taste is the same. Clean, refreshing, well-balanced, highly drinkable – this beer’s got it all. Wonderful! ~

On tap at GABF 2009. Pours a hazy reddish-amber color with a nice large white head. Aroma is yeast, wheat, caramel, spices, and candied fruits. Good but smells just a bit soapy. Some tartness evident. Flavor is nice and slightly tart, yet also sweet, with wheat, yeast, caramel, spices, fruity esters, and a hint of funk. Body is medium and palate is smooth with soft carbonation from the bottle conditioning. Overall pretty good but not a standout.

2006 Pours a cloudy amber with hints of orange/brown. Aroma of nutmeg and yeast. Very clean, fresh smelling. Initial taste has the flavor of yeast. Has an almost spicy finish.

2009 bottle. Pours a still, clear reddish amber with no head. Rich aroma of candied cherries, caramel malt, raisins and brown sugar. Alcohol is noticeable but by no means hot. Moderately sweet flavor, some notes of green grape underneath toffee, dried apricots, plums and graham cracker. Slightly cardboardy finish. Softly carbonated with a slightly sticky mouthfeel.

very yellow. yeasty. light with a little bit of spicy kick to it. the beet sugar doesn’t make it cloying. still crisp.

Sparkling clear, light amber with 2.5 inch off-white head with medium size bubbles and moderate lacing. The initial nose suggests a restrained Belgian ale with hints of clove and orange peel. The yeast sediment clings to the bottom of the bottle. I will swirl the next pour to capture some of the yeast if possible. The body is medium light with a very pleasant lingering. Vigorous swirling produced a very modest haze but increased the head and added some yeast notes. How much yeast are in these bottles? The Belgian ale characteristics are still restrained. The labels suggest that the ale will develop in the bottle for up to five years. Perhaps I am sipping this too soon? It was bottled in March of this year.

Tap at Clybourn brewpub, Chicago. Deep golden pour with decent white head. Citrus aroma. Bready, citrus, sweet tasting Belgian style ale. Very good indeed.

2005 bottle. Gusher, but made it all into the glasses. Large, rocky, foamy, off-white head. Hazy, golden orange body with particulate. Aroma is of barnyard and sweaty sourness with some citrus. More sour in the flavor with some faint Belgian yeast notes...hops are completely melded into the rest of the flavors at this point. Some light sweetness from the caramel malt. Light body, mild carbonation, slightly sweet with a pleasantly puckery, bitter, dry finish. Sourness lingers a bit. Overall a super enjoyable, smooth, crisp, elegant and flavorful beer. Really enjoyed this one. A bit more complexity would completely put it over the top.