Goose Island Summertime

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

Slightly hazy golden coloured body with a super thin white head and a small amount of bubbles rising from the bottom. Aroma of slightly funky malt, cardboard, fresh german hops and a twang of lemon. Light-bodied; Tart astringent tastes up front with a slight hop flavour and a good fresh taste. Aftertaste finishes nicely for a seasonal in summer - no bitterness, just a light hoppy note and a slight citrus feel. Overall, a good summer kolsch - light and refreshing with no off-flavours. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased at Dominick’s in Schaumburg, Illinois on 06-August-2005.

On tap at the brewpub. Pours golden with a small, foamy white head. Aroma is of honey, malt, spice, and wheat. Taste is very sharp, crisp malt with wheat, spice, citrus, and hops. Very mild beer, that is refreshing. Very drinkable. I could definitely get tanked on this one.

On tap at the brewpub. Pours a clearish yellow, with good white foam. Very classic german pils nose, bright, grassy, and puckery. Great cracker character. Bright, fresh drinkable, lightly ale yeast touched, lightly lemong sweet deliciousness. Nice tangy, bright pils malt finish. Awesome. Balanced, airy, drinkable and flavorful.

Pours to a light golden color with thin white head that dissipates quickly and leaves little lacing. Aroma of honey, wheat and lemon, with a tingly, biting mouthfeel. Flavor is more of the honey, wheat and lemon found in the nose, with a hoopy bitter-dry finish. Had this in the dead of winter, but can see how it would be a summertime favorite.

Bottle. Pours a yellow color with a thin white head. Smells of citrus and spice. Taste is malt and sweet. Very crisp and clean. Easy to drink.

Found a bottle recently. Pours a very clear golden with a wispy white head. The aroma has a spicy hops scent with some sweet pils malt as well. First flavor is the spicy hops flavor which subsides into the sweet pils tones ending with a sweet, crisp lemon citrus ending. Overall one of the better Kolschs I have had.

Tried this on a windy fall day in Chicago - it actually snowed during the afternoon - so for a self-entitled ’’summertime’’ beer, the circumstances of the tasting are not really fair. Did not leave a great impression - but ncie fruitiness and some malts - I imagine it would work really well on a warm day.

Tap at the Clybourn location. Very pale. Crisp body, decent hops, biscuity malts, and a touch of sweetness. They called this a kolsch, which for once actually seems like an accurate descriptor of an American beer.