Goose Island Special Ed

Brewed by Goose Island Beer Company
Style: Smoked
Chicago, Illinois USA

Draught at EBF on 2/10/07
Goose Island was my favorite brewery at the fest. Allagash certainly brought their A game, but Goose Island Matilda singlehandedly stole the show, or wait was it Bourbon County? Or maybe this beer? Just awesome stuff. Another brewery that is very good with attenuating their beers properly and dosent compromise anything in mouthfeel.
This auburn/ruby-mahogany beer was well-conditioned and showed brightly, despite the darkness. Tan head is foamy and rocky, receding quickly, but leaving light lacing in its wake
Strong, stiff chocolate and light phenols impress the nose drily, with the smoke starting out slowly and building up steam. Estery cherries and liquorous alcohol vapors keep things very dry, but a rum-raisin-like sweetness and some soggy but welcome sweet malts help bring back the balance. The smoke unfolds hugely with warming and provides dry, hickory smoke, light bacon and sticky treacle. Really all over the place, but you have to respect the absolute stunning complexity and individual intrigue of the notes. Bourbon adds more spiciness but dosent seem overdone.
A bit more focused in the flavor, with bready, dry smokiness giving notes of bacon and applewood, while cherries, vanilla and dry chocolate all create one hell of a unique smoked beer. Strong alcohol warmth, a bit unruly at times, but if you can get passed that, it’s incredibly interesting how developed the smoke is (not just blunt, salty, beefy-thick smoke). Probably a product of everything else going on in here that helps take some of the focus off of the smoke. Sticky molasses hold everything together on the end, somewhat precariously (breadiness begins to build and some acidity as well). Crazy, just crazy stuff, but I guess it hit me the right way. The dryness helps.

EBF 2007: Murky dark brown in color with a tan head. Aroma roasted malts, coffee, some smoke and bourbon. Flavor, roasty, coffee, molasses, some slight smoke flavors, and some oaky bourbon. Pretty good.

on tap, very dark brown with almost no head. nose is very smokey but perhaps more muted than it’s non-special brother. flavor still has great smoke notes and finishes with subtle bourbon but big burn. very tasty but too hot to really get into.

Sampled at the FOBAB 2006. It should be noted that this version was aged in Brandy barrels. Pours dark brown with a very thin tan head. Heavy, beefy smoke intermingles with sweet berries and warming alcohol with incredible balance. A very unique brew that is nicely done.

Hazed chocolate brown in color with no other signs of life anywhere else as it waits patiently in the glass. Aroma can’t be beaten: pastrami, smoked ham, maple butter, dried beef sticks, smocked chocolate hickory, almonds fallen close to the camp grounds and pumpernickel loaves having their meat matter only recently removed. Flavor brings a new dimension to the smoked category. Dry cocoa beans get caressed by greasy broiled chocolate and a chocolaty banana bacon surplus. Carbonation subtly allows the dry brownie batter to coat the applewood smoking board on which the gritty sweet grinds reside. In the glass and in the zone, as Columbian mocha java beans wake up in Bamberg. Welcome to paradise, amigos. The brandy brings sweet and bright highlights to the smoky cone mentality. The body is full and the palate is bright, and smoked malts have never had a such a beautiful showcase in their history as they do with this beer. Pure delight resides in each sip.

On tap at FoBAB 4. Poured deep murky brown with a loose ring of beige head. Nose picked up a considerable amount of sweet bourbon, some smoked peat, and lesser notes of nutbread and bacon. Flavor was even more smoky than the aroma... bacon, ham, peat... bourbon played a smaller role, which was certainly welcomed... also some chocolate, salt, herbs, and nuttiness deep down. A little slick on the palate with the bourbon catching at the top of the throat.. a tad grainy. Solid brew overall.

Rating 250. FoBAB. Style should be "Smoked" as Kevin notes. Its over the top on the smoke. Strong notes of beef jerkey and ham on the nose leading into wood, smoke, bacon, and peanuts. Had a hard time finishing a sample because of the smoked notes, but this was an enjoyable change of pace from the festival norm.

On tap: Aroma of smokey bacon, salt, and a hint of chocolate. Dark orangish-brown with a small off-white ring for a head. Flavor is a touch salty with a strong smokey bacon presence and light chocolate. Finishes with some light bourbon. Would never guess this to be as strong as it is. Odd but kind of good. However, I could not drink a lot of this without it quickly wearing on me. How is this not a smoked beer?