Goose island

[BackAlley]

This has nothing in particular to do with all grain so my apologies

I'm sitting in O'Hare at the Goose Island Pub and I realize that success of a "craft" brewer probably has little to do with the quality of the beer

 

[Glynn]

What are you trying to say about OUR beloved Goose Island? Chose your next answer very carefully because I have a very good friend that's a tsa at O'Hare and he loves to give cavity checks.










J/K

 

[tjr3000]

I would also argue that what is produced and sold as Goose Island Beer (yes, even at OHare) bears little resemblance to what you can get at the Goose Island Brewpub up north.

 

[BackAlley]

The Matilda was OK but served in a pretentious wine glass. The Green Line and 312 were undrinkable. I've had 312 before and it was fine but not at Terminal 1.

 

[Tex60]

The goose island they send down here to NC doesn't come anywhere near the quality of the breweries in Asheville. It's like drinking colored water.

 

[ill4delph]

My friend had gotten a keg of the Sofie Paradisi for his wedding...it was amazing.

 

[axmdr40]

I did a beer tasting with the master brewer at Goose Island in Virginia via Skype. It was really interesting. There beer was pretty good, nothing out of this world, but it was lots of fun. Very educational that slowly because getting drunk with the master brewer over skype. Good times.

 

[Frige]

I really like the IPA. I had some at the Sacramento airport and it was great. Must have been a fresh keg cause the bottled stuff doesnt compare.

 

[Clonefan94]

Honkers Ale use to be my go to beer. I have to admit, since they were bought by ABInbev, it hasn't been the same for me. I'm sure it's 95% mental on my part, but I really only drink anything from Goose Island when I'm at the actual brewpub. I will say though, I did notice a change before I had heard they had been sold. Honkers was one of my favorite beers and it just had lost some of the character it had. Hard to describe, but almost like it became a little watery. I just figured it was my tastes changing over time, that could still be it.

 

[b-boy]

Honkers Ale use to be my go to beer. I have to admit, since they were bought by ABInbev, it hasn't been the same for me. I'm sure it's 95% mental on my part, but I really only drink anything from Goose Island when I'm at the actual brewpub. I will say though, I did notice a change before I had heard they had been sold. Honkers was one of my favorite beers and it just had lost some of the character it had. Hard to describe, but almost like it became a little watery. I just figured it was my tastes changing over time, that could still be it.

Honker's Ale is now made at a Bud plant in Baldwinsville, NY. I agree. It's watery now and bears little resemblance to the original. I bought a 1/6 keg a few months ago. I never finished it.

 

[BreezyBrew]

Honker's Ale is now made at a Bud plant in Baldwinsville, NY. I agree. It's watery now and bears little resemblance to the original. I bought a 1/6 keg a few months ago. I never finished it.

Yup anything they brew now sucks. Just look at Bass. Fizzy and watery. Breaks my heart that beer used to be amazing.

 

[waldzinator]

We get a bunch of GI out here in Western PA. Not a big fan of any of their more "commercial" offerings. However, well-aged Matilda is a treat. It's in my current cellaring program. I have a few 2011's and 2012's that I plan on cracking open next year sometime.

 

[solbes]

Honkers Ale used to be a favorite of mine too. I have a feeling they swapped out to some lower quality/cheaper ingredients and then had to scale the recipe way up at the same time. Result is pretty uninteresting.

I liked their IPA, but now I'd say its very middle of the road.

 

[ThreeSheetz]

I listened to the Jamil Show's podcast on the Firestone Double Barrel Ale and they spoke with brewmaster Matthew Brynildson who says he came to Firestone Walker from Goose Island. If Goose Island lost their brewmaster that could explain why their beer went sideways

 

[Hello]

The goose island they send down here to NC doesn't come anywhere near the quality of the breweries in Asheville. It's like drinking colored water.

I've had 312 various places including Chicago. I recalled it being awesome in Chicago, it was good on draft at a local bar, but in bottles it was far less impressive. Went back to Chicago, bought it in a 6-pack and it was great again. Not sure if it is me or the beer.

I bought the Harvest Ale. While drinkable, not a fav. Bought in NC so maybe you're onto something.

 

[duboman]

I listened to the Jamil Show's podcast on the Firestone Double Barrel Ale and they spoke with brewmaster Matthew Brynildson who says he came to Firestone Walker from Goose Island. If Goose Island lost their brewmaster that could explain why their beer went sideways

Goose has actually lost more than several brewers that have gone off on their own since the buy out.

I've found their beer now to be hit or miss depending on where you are and where it's being brewed and shipped. It's very unfortunate as it has been a flagship of the Chicago beer scene but so many new breweries have popped up here it's not quite what it used to be

 

[itsratso]

i find no diff in honkers from a few years ago. and bourbon stout and sofies are both amazing IMO. disappointed in green line though, but i understand why they made it - i'm sure their shooting for the MGD crowd with that one.

edit: interesting. just browsed over to goose's web page. they have a small release lambic coming out that has been aging in wine barrels for a few years now. so, yeah conspiracy theorists, i guess AB really has forced them into some big changes over there

 

[Tex60]

If honkers is being brewed at Bud plants you know they swapped out some corn sugar for grains because it's cheaper and increases profit margin this is one of the reasons they still push the light beers so heavily from the big breweries.

 

[Longrange2]

I love the Bourbon County stout, it is excellent. They also released a new one at the GABF, Kisetsu that was excellent. While their largest volume beers are produced elsewhere they still brew excellent craft beers in Chicago. Their barrel aging warehouse is amazing.

 

[brobeman]

I love this brewery. All their high volume brews are solid, bit I confess to not normally drinking the Honkers and 312 styles.

On the other hand, the Bourbon a County bottlings, their sour fruit beers (Juliet, Madame Rose and and especially Lolita) are some of the best I've ever had. I also consider Matilda to be one if not the best American made Belgian Pale.

If you've only tried their standard bottled stuff I would definitely recommend giving some of their more special bottlings a try.

My .$02.

Regards,

Brobeman

 

[wyowolf]

The Matilda was OK but served in a pretentious wine glass. The Green Line and 312 were undrinkable. I've had 312 before and it was fine but not at Terminal 1.

Last year after the Husker/NW game we went downtown to some big tower to look around... had the 312... worst beer ever!! seriously I took a couple sips and that was it!! dont know if just that one was bad or what... I believe that was the only beer i never finished...

I did have the Honkers Ale and it was fine... and an Eliot Ness Lager I really liked also

 

[waldzinator]

Last year after the Husker/NW game we went downtown to some big tower to look around... had the 312... worst beer ever!! seriously I took a couple sips and that was it!! dont know if just that one was bad or what... I believe that was the only beer i never finished...

I did have the Honkers Ale and it was fine... and an Eliot Ness Lager I really liked also

Elliot Ness is Great Lakes Brewery out of Cleveland. Not owned by InBev or affiliated with Goose Island. Spectacular beers...I would argue that their Edmund Fitzgerald is one of the BEST porters available, hands down. But I digress...

 

[The Soft Underbelly]

Goose has actually lost more than several brewers that have gone off on their own since the buy out.

I've found their beer now to be hit or miss depending on where you are and where it's being brewed and shipped. It's very unfortunate as it has been a flagship of the Chicago beer scene but so many new breweries have popped up here it's not quite what it used to be

Honkers was the beer that got me through my 20's and early 30's back when the only craft options in Chicago bars was Sam Adams and on a very rare occasion Anchor Steam. I find of all the mass produced GI beers, this one has changed the least from my perspective. But i rarely drink it now.

Whenever I mourn the decline of this great brewery, i crack open a Daisy Cutter, or a Sidekick or, my new favorite local brew, an Anti Hero IPA

 

[Calichusetts]

Whenever I mourn the decline of this great brewery, i crack open a Daisy Cutter, or a Sidekick or, my new favorite local brew, an Anti Hero IPA

Just got my hands on an Anti Hero, very well done

 

[Clef051]

Elliot Ness is Great Lakes Brewery out of Cleveland. Not owned by InBev or affiliated with Goose Island. Spectacular beers...I would argue that their Edmund Fitzgerald is one of the BEST porters available, hands down. But I digress...

I'd take any great lakes beer over goose island. bourbon county is a great beer, whatever style I"d pick of their standard beers I'd choose the great lakes bottle every time. For the most part though I find goose island to be average at best.

I believe it was matlida that I had that was also excellent.

 

[duboman]

I'd take any great lakes beer over goose island. bourbon county is a great beer, whatever style I"d pick of their standard beers I'd choose the great lakes bottle every time. For the most part though I find goose island to be average at best. I believe it was matlida that I had that was also excellent.

While I will not agree or disagree with any above posts, I will say that in being bought by InBev, Goose now has one of the largest barrel aging programs in the US and the infusion of capital has allowed them a new facility strictly for the purpose of barrel aging and wild yeast brewing. IMO some of these newer beers they're producing are great.

While their standard beers may not be what they used to be, their new stuff is pretty solid and that's pretty cool!

 

[Ramitt]

I really like GIs specialty ales, but their main stream stuff is lacking.

 

[BreezyBrew]

I really like GIs specialty ales, but their main stream stuff is lacking.

I'd agree with this.

 

[TallDan]

I really like GIs specialty ales, but their main stream stuff is lacking.

I've always had a hard time deciding if it's the beer that changed or my tastes. For everyone who says that they used to like GI beers, but don't like them anymore, consider that if you are like me, Goose Island, Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, and Anchor were some of the first "craft" beers that you had. At the time, they were a new experience with new flavors and they were exciting. Now those beers are available to you anytime, anywhere and you're broadened your horizons to much more variety in beer. The craft beer industry has exploded (again) and there are flavors in beer that simply were not there 5 years ago. Those beers you had then are not new and not exciting anymore.

Are you remembering the flavor of the beer when you first had it, or are you remembering the experience of first having it?

Are you looking at it through the same lens that you did then? Did you think about what hop varieties you tasted, texture, finish, clarity?

I don't know if GI beers have changed in the last decade or not, but I know for sure I have.

 

[The Soft Underbelly]

Just got my hands on an Anti Hero, very well done

I find all the Revolution beers to be very good. The Eugene Porter is great beer that pays tribute to one of America's most beloved communists. I had Rosa at a beer fest this summer...sublime.

Solemn Oath out in Naperville deserves some love too. Some of the most creative beers ive ever tried.

All things have their moment, then that moment is gone and something new takes its place. I was the worlds biggest Goose Island fan at one point - or at least it felt like it - but there's too many good beers coming from the Chicago area these days.

 

[seefish]

I haven't noticed a decline, I'm just happy there is more barrel aged beers and more Matilda

Didn't they win Gold at GABF last year for the IPA?

 

[Ramitt]

I've always had a hard time deciding if it's the beer that changed or my tastes. For everyone who says that they used to like GI beers, but don't like them anymore, consider that if you are like me, Goose Island, Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, and Anchor were some of the first "craft" beers that you had. At the time, they were a new experience with new flavors and they were exciting. Now those beers are available to you anytime, anywhere and you're broadened your horizons to much more variety in beer. The craft beer industry has exploded (again) and there are flavors in beer that simply were not there 5 years ago. Those beers you had then are not new and not exciting anymore.

Are you remembering the flavor of the beer when you first had it, or are you remembering the experience of first having it?

Are you looking at it through the same lens that you did then? Did you think about what hop varieties you tasted, texture, finish, clarity?

I don't know if GI beers have changed in the last decade or not, but I know for sure I have.

I should have been more clear, I never thought GIs standard line up was all that great, not bad by any means. I always considered SN vastly better.