Goose Island Batch 2000 Wheatmiser

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

Tap at clybourn. I remember this having some type of cherry flavor and some type of earthy flavors. fairly strong hoppiness and a little alcohol burn. somewhat flat.

Date: 06/20/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

dark amber, wispy beige head, strong sweet caramel and fruity wine aroma, big thick sticky body, rich caramel malt flavor, lots of sweet fruity character, light alcohol in the finish, sticky sweetness,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 10/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Growler. Pours translucent copper with glimmering carbonation, the lowest reaches of which seem nearly in stasis. At the peak, a large khaki head recedes very slowly and leaves thick gob lacing behind. The nose is very piney and has notes of liquified, resiny and sappy wwod pulp. Beyond that, scents of sweetened caramel, bready malts and grains toasted to the core, mild toffee arriving late. A touch of wheated malt pokes out just long enough to confirm its presence. Burned is the feeling, though it is melded into the overall character nicely. Alcohol is moderate to medium-high. The flavor introduces additions of stone fruit and Kaffir lime essence. Sweetness is high, bitterness medium-high, acidity relatively low. Hops intensify as burned malt cuts into the tongue. It’s brash but interesting, drinkable but not overly admirable. Thankfully, fruity sweetness is a pleasant sidebar to the bitter escapade. The finish is very warming, sweetness fades to drying slowly, traces of hop oils linger. One thing is oddly missing throughout: where the heck is the wheat? - No hint of wheated malt at any time during any stage of consumption, except a faint splash from deep inhalation. The mouthfeel is full, lightly sticky, with biting fizzy carbonation that detracts from the drinkability.

Taller taupe head atop a dark bronze to copper colored liquid. Big malty aroma with plenty of resinlike hops in the background. Fruit and spice also in the nose as this warms. Thick and rich. Over-ripe fruit in a malt bath. Fairly sharp at times, but the thickness seems to assuage the bite. Light warming alcohol and spice late. Very nice wheatwine. Wish this was bottled it would age well.

On tap at the Clybourn location. Poured a really nice ruby-brown with tannish head. Aroma of fruit, brown sugar/candi sugar, and wheat; generally sweet. Flavor was much of the same; alcohol noticable, but not detracting. Some caramel and pine as well. Very good.

On tap at the Clybourn location, the highlight of the visit. Dark brown-red with a medium-sized tan head. Sweet orange aroma, bordering on juice notes here, quite surprising and mouth watering. Sweet flavor, candi sugar, molasses, orange juice, sweet wheat. Alcohol more noticeable upon further sips, mainly in the immediate flavor profile and immediate aftertaste. Slightly hoppy, piney aftertaste as well. Delicious.

Mahogany-colored, with a smallish off-white head. Complex, enticing aroma sweet, with black cherry notes, some tobacco, just a hint of bitterness. Flavor is very sweet, but not at all cloying--has notes of tobacco, plums, cherries, and a lovely dry almond note at the end.

(Jun 07) Tap at Clybourn, snifter: Beautiful crimson copper hued with a small tan foam for a head that has good lace at first and then a oily leg nature. The beer had a powerful nose of resiny hops, toffee sweetness, orange zest, peppery esters and alcoholic vapours.

WOW, BIG BIG BEER with a jab of spicy bitters followed by an uppercut of overripened pears and apples. Overflowing confidence with massive malty goodness but then the brash alcohol kept the palate clean. The body is lush and warming to say the least, sip responsibly for it is a powerful beast.

If you want blood, you got it...Keep on rocking in the free world...A true MASTERPIECE! Now I wanna know how someone got GI to sell them a growler...grrrh!