Beatrix Montes
Goose Island Beer Co. is a brewery based in Illinois, United States. It has a diverse range of beers, including IPAs, wheat beers, stouts, and ales. One of its popular offerings is the Goose IPA, a traditional English-style beer with a fruity aroma, dry malt middle, and long hop finish. On the other hand, the 312 Urban Wheat Ale is a hazy, unfiltered wheat beer with a crisp, bright, and citrusy flavor. So, while Goose Island produces both IPAs and wheat beers, they are distinct styles within the brewery's portfolio.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Beer Type | India Pale Ale (IPA) |
| Style | English Style |
| Appearance | Rich golden hue, well-retained head |
| Aroma | Citrus, floral, tropical, fruity, grapefruit, pine, honeysuckle flowers, toasted bread, malt |
| Taste | Hoppy bitterness, malty sweetness, grapefruit, orange, lychee, light body, low carbonation |
| Mouthfeel | Smooth, satisfying |
| Alcohol By Volume (ABV) | 5.9% |
| Awards | Six-time medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival |
What You'll Learn
Goose Island Beer Co. is based in Illinois, USA
Goose Island Beer Co. is a brewery based in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is the oldest currently operating brewing company in Illinois, beginning life as a brewpub in the Lincoln Park neighbourhood in 1988. The company was founded by John Hall, who was inspired by English brewing traditions and pub culture.
Goose Island Beer Co. has since expanded, opening a larger production brewery in 1995, and a second brewpub in Wrigleyville in 1999, which closed in 2015. The company was acquired by Anheuser-Busch in 2011, allowing their beers to be distributed across the United States and the United Kingdom.
Goose Island Beer Co. produces a variety of beers, including IPAs, wheat beers, and stouts. Their beers have won awards at acclaimed events such as the World Beer Championships, World Beer Cup, and the Great American Beer Festival.
The company has a strong focus on craft brewing, with John Hall aiming to bring the craft brewing culture he experienced in Europe to the United States. Their beers are known for their unique flavours and high quality.
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Goose IPA is the company's flagship beer
Goose Island Beer Co.'s flagship beer is its Goose IPA. It is a six-time medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival. The IPA is inspired by the highly hopped ales shipped from England to India, which preserved their distinct taste during the long journey.
Goose IPA is a top-tier IPA, scoring impressively across various categories. It has a visually appealing appearance with a rich golden hue and a well-retained head. The aroma is a pleasant blend of citrus and floral notes. Taste-wise, it delivers a harmonious mix of hoppy bitterness and malty sweetness. The mouthfeel is smooth and satisfying.
Goose IPA is a popular choice for beer enthusiasts, with many praising its exceptional quality and drinkability. It is a perfect beer for hop lovers, offering a bold and smooth flavour with bright citrus aromas and a long hop finish.
Goose Island Beer Co. also offers other varieties, such as the 312 Urban Wheat Ale, which is hazy and unfiltered with a crisp, bright flavour. However, Goose IPA remains their flagship beer and a favourite among those who enjoy a well-crafted IPA.
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Goose IPA is a hoppy, bold, and smooth English-style IPA
Goose IPA is the perfect beer for hopheads and discovery drinkers alike. It is a six-time medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival. The traditional English Style has been adapted to create a fuller-flavoured IPA with bright citrus aromas and a bold hop finish.
Goose IPA has a fruity aroma, set off by a dry malt middle, and a long hop finish. It has a clear, dark gold colour with creamy white head. The aroma is of citrus fruit hops, with a base of toasted bread malts. The taste is of citrus hops, especially grapefruit, along with a solid malt base, which has the flavour of toasted bread.
Goose IPA is a top-tier IPA, praised for its exceptional quality and drinkability. It is a classic English IPA, smooth and sessionable, with a light golden colour and a respectable amount of head. The taste is very light and smooth, with less pronounced hoppiness and bitterness than other IPAs, making it a good introduction to the style.
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Goose Island's 312 Urban Wheat Ale is hazy and unfiltered
Goose Island Beer Co. is based in Illinois, United States. Its 312 Urban Wheat Ale is an American Pale Wheat Beer, inspired by the city of Chicago. The beer is hazy and unfiltered, with a crisp, bright flavour and a smooth, creamy body. It has a spicy aroma of Cascade hops, followed by a fruity ale flavour. The beer has been described as having a "light golden colour" and a "cloudy, pale gold colour".
Reviews of the beer mention its wheaty and floral taste, with a little bite of hops and a sweet finish. It is considered a good summer beer, and is described as "refreshing", "light", and "easy-drinking". The beer has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 18 IBU.
Goose Island also produces an India Pale Ale (IPA), which is rated separately from its 312 Urban Wheat Ale. The IPA is described as having a "rich golden hue" and a fruity aroma. It has a hoppy bitterness and malty sweetness, with a smooth mouthfeel.
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Goose Island's other beers include Bourbon County Stout and Christmas IPA
Goose Island Beer Co. is a brewery based in Chicago, Illinois. It is known for its English-style India Pale Ale (IPA), which is characterised by its fruity aroma, dry malt middle, and long hop finish. The beer has a rich golden hue and a well-retained head, contributing to its overall visual appeal.
Goose Island also crafts other beers, including the Bourbon County Stout and the Christmas IPA. The Bourbon County Stout is an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels for an average of 12 months. This ageing process imparts flavours of fudge, vanilla, and caramelised sugar, resulting in a rich and decadent drinking experience.
The Christmas IPA, on the other hand, is a malt-forward IPA with a twist. It uses six different hops throughout the brewing process, including Northern Brewer, Chinook, Meridian, and Cashmere. This variety of hops lends moderate citrus and pine notes to the beer, balanced by the caramel malt. With an ABV of 7.5%, the Christmas IPA offers a big fruity aroma and a lovely red hue, reminiscent of the holiday season.
Both the Bourbon County Stout and the Christmas IPA showcase Goose Island's creativity and expertise in crafting unique and flavourful beers that appeal to a wide range of drinkers. While the Bourbon County Stout offers a more indulgent and robust experience, the Christmas IPA provides a festive and well-balanced option for those who enjoy the combination of malt and hops.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Goose Island IPA is not a wheat beer. It is an India Pale Ale (IPA) with a fruity aroma, a dry malt middle, and a long hop finish.
Wheat beer is typically a pale, hazy beer made with a large proportion of wheat. It often has a crisp, refreshing taste.
Yes, Goose Island makes a wheat beer called 312 Urban Wheat Ale or 312 Wheat Ale. It is a hazy, unfiltered wheat ale with a spicy aroma and a crisp, fruity taste.
IPAs are known for their strong, bitter flavor, often with citrus or floral notes, while wheat beers tend to be milder and more refreshing, with a crisp, clean finish.
