Goose Island Reserve - Part 2, Demolition

Price – 11.99 (4 Pack)

ABV – 8%

Alcohol by Weight – 6.0%

Hop Bitterness (IBU) – 55, Medium

Color (SRM) – 5, Pale Honey

On each Goose Island Reserve label, Brewmaster Greg Hall provides a description of the beer and the story behind it. Each story is unique and shows the special care and attention that each beer in this series receives. I thought that it would be nice and informative to provide the label description for each beer as I review these fine products. Here is Demolition’s label –

“Back in the early 90’s, our landlord went bankrupt and they tore down the mall surrounding the original Goose Island Brewpub. Sure, we were still open, but who would know it with all the demolition going on. We had giant wrecking balls careening around, the walls were shaking, it was tough. We lost a good part of our business for a year, if not for the most loyal of our customers, Goose Island would have closed. To HONOR those BRAVE SOULS, we brewed a strong golden ale called DEMOLITION. It was so good and so popular, we’ve brewed it every year since (I even served it at my wedding!). It’s brewed with SAAZ and STYRIAN GOLDING HOPS for a grassy, citrus aroma and lots of the finest pale malt for a “honey” malt middle and intense flavor. Demolition tastes great on its own or with a plate of fresh oysters.”

~ Greg Hall, Brewmaster

This was the second of the Goose Island Reserve beers I tried. After tasting Matilda, I decided to pick up a couple more Goose Island Reserves from the store with a friend and see if they compared. Demolition destroyed any doubt that Matilda was a one hit wonder. Greg Hall’s description is dead on; plus he knows a whole lot more than me. But, I review beer on this blog, so here’s what I got…

The nose is dominantly malty though some citrus and grassy aromas came through as well. The beer’s color is a cloudy golden orange which provides a noticeable head that dies quickly, leaving no lace. The citrus flavors were again evident in the taste, and the hops were evident, but not overly stressed in the taste. The beer has a slight bitter taste and finishes with alcohol and citrus flavors. The citrus elements of the beer are the peaks of the taste, providing doses of acidity. If anything, the beer would improve from increased bitterness and less emphasis on the citrus flavors. However, this was the goal and, as is, fits nicely into the Reserve collection.

Demolition is one of the middle weights in the Goose Island Reserve series (yes, 8 percent is a middle weight when compared to the others). I really enjoyed the beer, but I think that I would like to have this one on tap at the Clybourn brewpub. The beer’s adaptation from the tap to the bottle seemed too apparent. This was especially notable in the beer’s head. Unfortunately, I don’t think I will get this chance to visit the brewpub as moving can be extremely time-consuming. Nevertheless, the beer is outstanding, and if I had access to it at all times would certainly give it plenty of attention.

Goose Island Reserve - Part 1

I live about an hour and half south Chicago, but I will be moving 2 weeks. So, I am trying to experience all of the things I will be missing about Illinois. People and places aside, the quality beers provided by the Goose Island Brewery in Chicago are outstanding. Offering 14 different beers, Goose Island produces a wide variety of different beers, but above all their Reserve beers are top-notch! These beers include:

1. Pere Jacques

ABV – 9.0%

Alcohol by Weight – 7.0%

Hop Bitterness (IBU) – 26, Medium

Color (SRM) – 32, Warm Molasses

 

2. Demolition

ABV – 8.0%

Alcohol by Weight – 6.0%

Hop Bitterness (IBU) – 55, Medium

Color (SRM) – 5, Pale Honey

 

3. Matilda

ABV – 7.0%

Alcohol by Weight – 5.0%

Hop Bitterness (IBU) – 32

Color (SRM) – 13

 

4. Imperial IPA

ABV – 9.0%

Alcohol by Weight – 7.0%

Hop Bitterness (IBU) – 90, High

Color (SRM) – 12

 

5. Bourbon County Stout

ABV – 11.0%

Alcohol by Weight – 9.0%

Hop Bitterness (IBU) – 60, High

Color (SRM) – Midnight

Other beers include ales, a wheat beer, seasonals, and a killer oatmeal stout, but the very best are these reserve beers. Each beer carries a distinctive label displaying a story about the beer from Brewmaster, Greg Hall. These beers (except for the Pere Jacques for some reason) seem to be readily available at local stores, so I plan on getting my hands on each one. I have tried every beer but the Imperial IPA and Pere Jacques and plan on reviewing all of them.

As far as the Goose Island Brewery goes, the brewery started as a brewpub at 1800 North Clybourn Avenue in Chicago and has expanded to a brewery and bottling plant with another Beer Pub located in Wrigleyville (where I should have gone when I was there). The company maintains its close ties with the local community, but has started to gain acclaim on an international level as well. The Matilda recently won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival, and the Bourbon County Stout won a gold medal at the World Beer Cup. As I have complained about these types of contests before, this does not guarantee quality (have you seen Miller Lite’s World Beer Cup commercials?). But, in this case, the beers deserve all the recognition they have received. In the next part of this beer review series, Demolition will be discussed; check back soon…

Flying Dog’s Wild Dog Weizenbock Ale

ABV – 8%

Price – 15.80 (Pint)

In an increasingly competitive market, the ability for breweries to distinguish themselves is an almost insurmountable challenge. The Flying Dog Brewery has always taken a direct approach to this dilemma. The use of names like “Doggy Style” and the outlandish art on each bottle of beer prevents Flying Dog from fading into the shelves of competition. Mirroring this marketing style, the Flying Dog brewery claims its goal is “the pursuit of making bold, yet highly drinkable craft beers” (http://www.flyingdogales.com). Generally, the brewery meets this goal and produces some high quality beers with a unique taste that makes you want more. However, their special release weizenbock ale was less than satisfying.

As with all Flying Dog beers, the label immediately represents the brew; the self-anointed name “wild dog” from an already extreme brewery is perfectly descriptive. The color of the beer is a cloudy amber. The nose has a dominant apple (almost cider-like) aroma with a fresh bread yeast aroma. While producing a nice head upon pouring, little retention was demonstrated. Upon tasting, the beer felt flat and had few distinct stages of taste. The alcohol was hidden well among flavors of banana, apple, roasted malt, and subtle spices. Unfortunately, the flavors don’t work together well. Most notably, the banana seemed out of place.

At times, the effort to be distinct can be counter-productive. I found this beer too “wild”. Perhaps, this is what Flying Dog was striving for, but the flavors just don’t work well together. There is very little chance that I would ever drink this beer again. Maybe, I should have taken the warning from the rabid dog on the label and prepared myself for the unconventional taste, but even if I had, I still don’t think I would have been pleased. To be fair however, I must admit that my review differs from others I checked online. Those who reviewed the beer on beer advocate for example, generally liked the beer. Maybe they need rabies shots…

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