Goose Island Matilda

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

For what it claims to be, it sure does not stand up, but was very pleasent nonetheless. Very, very mild on the tongue.

2008-04-30, bottle vintage 2007, 7-4-7-3-14=35
Hazy amber color with red shades. The aroma is a bit soapy. Soft mouthfeel, medium body, but the flavor is not impressive. Overall, not as good as the draught one.

2007-09-29, draught at the brewpub, Clybourn location, 7-4-8-4-16=39
Hazy amber color; creamy head. Nice aroma, malty, spicy and yeasty, Belgian style. Good mouthfeel, round; malty flavor, with a sweet spicy character (described as mellow tartness by the brewery); good bitterness. Mature brew, excellent Belgian example.

Brown / dark orange pour with off-white head. Aroma has fruit and earthiness with light spices that and a bit of fruit - maybe apricot and coriander. Taste has dried apricots, earthy yeast and rich malts. Finish has lots of spicy hops and coriander. This is one of the most authentic tasting Belgium style beers I’ve had from Goose Island. A complex, yet refreshing beer. Very well done.

Growler 2004: Red amber. Full, off-white, creamy foam. Fine, freshly cracked pepper, honey suckle flowers and orangey yeast make up an improved aroma. Bitter orange hops are still noticeable and are as balanced as I remember, but are better rounded with fruits and floral notes. An improved version for sure.
Draught 2003: Dark amber, small bubbly head. Sweet malty aroma, some grapes and pears. Nice orangey hop flavour that balances the malt nicely, well done.

Chicago trip. Monday 14:17. Bottle at Clybourn. Kind of looking forward to this since seeing it in the past couple of BA mags. Hazy dark orange. Belgian triple and candy sugar aroma. Foamy Belgian beer like baking soda with sweet malt. Peppery Orval clone but sweeter. Don’t serve too cold as they did here. Sweet and not as funky as Orval.

2006 bottle rated. Nice Belgian effort, trying to compare with the 05 I had but cant find my notes. An orange-blossom honey color with an initialy large white head. A crisp, fresh, spicy, Belgium, hop aroma with a hint of green apples. Slightly acidic, somewhat fruity taste with a dryness that starts about 5 seconds after swallowing and stays there. Yeast present throughout in aroma and taste. A nice Belgian rendition.

Opaque Orange Coloring with White Head. Dried Citrus Aroma. Dry Yeasty Taste to it...Thick Mouthfeel.. Dry Malt and Yeast Working with Citrus and Spice Makes This a Seemingly Simple Tasting, but Perhaps Complex and in any Case, Wonderfully Enjoyable Brew.

Bottled at Monk’s Café, Stockholm. Pours out in a hazy pale amber color with a low creamy white foam. Fruity aroma of apricots, banana, yeast, cloves orange-flowers with distinct notes of hay-like hops. Medium-bodied with notes of banana, orange-peels, yeast, yellow plums and white bread. Long medium-bitter finish of orangey and hay-like hops with touches of yellow fruits and banana in the background. An elegant quaffer.