Goose Island 1800 Demolition Ale (Strong Golden)

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

Poured a very attractive cloudy, golden hue. I’m not big on aroma and found this one to be pretty neutral. I was expecting a more bitter ale but this brew was only moderately bitter - which is fine by me. I liked the mid to heavy body. Perfect carbonation.There is a tantalizing sweetness and a pleasing aftertaste. The biggest negative was the cost. I bought a single "test" bottle for $2.69! I definitely will buy some more of this - but will drink it very slowly.

12 ounce bottle poured in to my Duvel glass. Pours the color of apricot nectar. There is a creamy, tight bubbled head of foam. The head leaves us rather quickly and leaves little lace. Tons of candy sugar and tropical fruit in the aroma. Who let the Chiquita lady in my house. Unfortunately this beer is entirely too sweet. We are talking rock candy sweet. Almost too much. Geez Louise. The palate is soft, and fuller bodied. I like this beer, but stylisticly speaking, I think GI missed the mark.

12 oz bottle: Lasting medium off white head on a light amber, hazy body. Floral and grassy hop aromas w/ some solventy alcohol at first. Mild bready malts w/ hints of white peppery yeast. A bit of lemony citrus fruitiness. Balanced to bitter with herbal hop flavors that lasts into the finish. Some moderate grainy malt flavors as it warms w/ some hop tannins that leads to a harshness in the flavor. Very little fruity flavor and bitterness gets stronger as it warms. Earthy hop flavor in the aftertaste with a lingering bitterness. Grainy malt flavors and spicy yeast character as well. Medium carbonation, warming alcohol, medium body, and an astringency from the hops. Very harsh IMHO, too much hops for my taste, at least not well used. I don’t think this is a very good beer IMHO let alone a good Belgian!!!

12 oz bottled on 04/29/05. Deep orange beer with a very hazy yeasty appearance. Thick and creamy white head. Wonderful fruity aroma. Orange/tangerine, honey, cherry and floral notes in the nose. White grapes and raisins with light toffeeish malts. Aroma is amazing. Creamy body with loads of sweetness. Plums and raisins initially followed by fresh breadiness as well. Spicy hoppy aroma and substantially more bitterness than is typical of the style. The honeyish character is really dominant. As it warms, some warm spicy hop flavour comes out. Light leafy and woody flavour. A touch of lemony citrus behind everything. Great complexity, well-balanced. Awesome beer.

It just seems most U.S beers just come up short when trying to mimic the belgian beers. This one did as well. Had a bottle, pours nice with a little bit of head and a cloudy golden color. The aroma is strong but hard for me to pin point anything specific. The taste however is lacking. Its not a bad beer but a cheap imitation of a belgian

Bottle Pours a slightly hazy deep golden with a moest head but persistant sticky lacing. Aromas of swet light grains, honey maybe, light brwon sugar and a hint of, I think cat food. The crumbles kind. "Little Friskies" if I am not mistaken. Not unpleasant, just a bit strange. First taste is not as sweet as I expected. A bit woody, cardboard maybe. The ABV comes through just a bit, but wouldn’t have guessed nearly %8. Very faint and subtle on the Belgian spiciness and yeaty flavors I am familiar with. Very soft almost creamy feel and quite soft carbonation. I am not a fan of the style in general but htis is very tasty.

Bottled 7-22-04 Poured a bright almost transperent copper orange with a brilliant bubbly white head one of the better appearances I have seen. A somewhat fruity citrus aroma almost a hint of grass. Flavor was extremely balanced with a peach to citrus like flavor up front with a malty afteretaste. Some hints of hops and light honey flavor in there as well. The aging must do this beer well I feel it is well worth at least a 4 rating

Tap from the Clyburn Goose Island Brewery. Ah...samplers! This was my first of eight from this joint. Clear and golden. White head. Grainy nose. Sweet light malt flavor. Crisp with a sweet/dry hop finish. Spicy. Flavors bounce from caramel to pine. Full yet crisp, and smooth. Finish is long and sticky. Wel done!