Goose Island Batch 2000 Barleywine

Formerly brewed at Goose Island Beer Company
Style: Barley Wine
Chicago, Illinois USA

Opulent, semi-translucent and cherry brass in color, glowing in the glass with a saliva splotch on top and a tight tan shaded lace wrung. Deep figs and cherries basted in brandy begin the nose, surrounded by golden raisins with some nutmeg and buttered rum cusps. Dates with a caramel plum marinade aromatically hint at an underlying and undulating toffee vibrancy. Hot flavor reservoir hits caramel dripping onto honey grahams to a point of toffee stasis, and breaking of said candy shell. Supple carbonation mates with marinating dates plucked from a pool of Disaronno-laden caramel cubes. Hot but not, through forever loverly on the palate. Full-bodied and an untouchable palate presence. Buttery incantations rise with a supple, sweet amaretto stream of drippings, longingly oozing throughout the foray. Hot, ripe candied dates and brandied figs complete the finish. Huge thanks to MrFacto for sharing!

Thanks Matt. The beer pours to a glowing copper body with a white head. The aroma is a huge clean smelling barleywine with nice vibrant hops and subyle barrel aging. The flavor is sweet barley, nice light aging, hops, nice Maris Otter and bitter hops. The palate is perfect.

Pre-Great Taste sampling at 1FastSti’s house


The foil to the Batch 4000, this one was ’only’ 15 months old. Thanks to Joel for cracking this one open - it was not even on my radar until I saw it on the table. For such a small sample, it was truly an amazing experience.

Aroma / Appearance - Fresh from the hive honey, caramel, dried black cherries and some other fruity flavors which I could not pin down gave this beer an appealing nose. The body was a light hazelnut color with only a trace amount of lacing that stuck stubbornly to the side of the glass.

Flavor / Appearance - The initial impression was of hot alcohol but after a few seconds I picked up some enjoyable textures of cherry, apple butter and caramel chews. Overall there was a definite maltiness to it that provided a nice balance to offset the alcohol.

Carmel colored pour small tan head. Aroma is very nice figs, apricot, lots of sweet carmels and a nice spicy hop. Palate is oily bitter and tangy. Flavor is highly balanced big citrus hop w/ lots of carmel and a nice amount of dark fruits. Very good... Thanks to Joel for sharing.

Thanks to Kevin for giving me this. RB generosity shines through again. Pours a medium clear color, nice sized off white head. Smells very fresh for a 15 month old brew. Aroma is beautiful English and American hop aroma. Well balanced nose. Very very pleasant. Flavor is phenomenal. An incredible mix of strong hops and a great malt backbone, this is really solid, well made. The alcohol is well balanced. Very nicely done. I could drink a case of this.

bottle. poured a hazed orange and red with a bubbly head that settled into a sticky scum. the aroma is yeasty, fried apricot pie, a touch of booze, but very light and complimentary. a little grease fire like is the only thing negative that popped into my head when i sniffed this. very fruity flavor, apple, cherry, apricot, some caramel and a bit of chocolate especially in the finish. a grass note is here too. dries up a bit in the finish and the alcohol comes forward with a bit more doughy tang. a bit dusty (oxidized?), but not too much. i like it.

Bottled. Poured a rich, fiery reddish-orange with a dusting and light ring of toffee head. The aroma was of rich and full sweet malts... drawn caramel, smoked toffee, and apricot... bright pine, grapefruit, and alcohol surrounded the malts. The flavor was just delectable... sweet, rich grapefruit, toasted caramel, rum-soaked chestnut, huge pine bitterness, and a solid dose of alcohol. Heavy and almost syrupy on the palate... rich malty middle meets big surrounding bitterness... finish was very long, warm, and bitter.. carrying the flavors through well. Excellent stuff!

Bottle. Goose Island Brewery. Incredible hop aroma with some citrus notes. Pours deep and hazy with a frothy white head. Very young taste with the hops almost smacking the malt down. I think with time this would be GREAT! Maybe they are holding out on a cask and will have a tasting sometime... I just HOPE I’m in town!