Batch 2000 (Barleywine)
Goose Island Beer Co.

Batch 2000 (Barleywine)Batch 2000 (Barleywine)
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From:
Goose Island Beer Co.
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
11.59%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.2 | pDev: 9.52%
Reviews:
12
Ratings:
14
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 12, 2012
Added:
Nov 16, 2006
Wants:
  6
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
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Rated: 4 by 2378GCGTG from Texas

Mar 12, 2012
 
Rated: 5 by Photekut from Tennessee

Nov 14, 2011
Photo of ChainGangGuy
Reviewed by ChainGangGuy from Georgia

4.05/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Appearance: Pours a hazed, chestnut-hued body with a modestly-sized, white head.

Smell: Sweet-smelling aroma, like a helping of caramel ice cream topping tossed with macerated fruits and sherry.

Taste: Soothing, sugary mix of caramel and brown sugar rightly paired with mind-calming dose of alcohol. Actively fruity, with vibrant tastes of apricot, sweet cherry, and raisin. Pinch of fresh orange zest. No more than a hint remaining of the now decayed hop bitterness. Some spiciness picked up from the alcohol content. Warming, sweet finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation. Notable stickiness on the mouthfeel.

Drinkability: A real sweet maltiness vs. alcohol slugfest, this one. Though only an ambiguously labeled twelve ounce bottle, it's good to have someone on hand to share this with.
Sep 22, 2010
Photo of MDekker
Reviewed by MDekker from Michigan

3.45/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Shared with my brother, from a virtually unlabeled bottle.

A: A little head, hazy, and a reddish orange hue to it. Looks fine.

S: Wow! The aroma is loaded - very sweet, like caramel, molasses, and strong notes of fruit (raisin, banana) and alcohol.

T: POTENT. The alcohol bites and burns, and the flavor is mostly sweet, like mead - alcoholic honey. It kept giving me shivers. Slight bitterness in the finish.

M: OK, not creamy, but not watery.

D: With the one-two punch of overpowering sweetness and high alcohol, I wouldn't think of putting back another one of these. Half a bottle was quite sufficient.
May 20, 2008
Photo of ndekke39
Reviewed by ndekke39 from Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I bought a bottle of this from the Goose Island Clybourn brewpub in early August 2006, and I've been saving it in my cellar since then. With a brother visiting from out of town, I decided it was time to bust it out. We split a 12 oz. bottle with the blank white label and a cryptic marking of "2000 1200."

Pours a hazy reddish-orange with a small white head. Thin layer of foam after the pour that descended into a steady ring around the glass.

Aromas are overwhelming sweet: honey, caramel, maple syrup, some fruit like raisins. Definite bite of alcohol.

Tastes are similar: lots of sweet honey and syrup, with raisins to boot. Rather boozy: brandy or bourbon. A bit cloying - I'm still tasting the alcohol. A little bitter in the finish - lightly hoppy, too.

Mouthfeel begins with a definite alcohol bite. Medium body. Bright fizz.

Overall, I'm glad I split this beer. It's good, but too sweet and alcoholic to make it really drinkable. A bit one-sided. Still interesting to have saved this for so long and to try it now. I wonder how/if it would have aged.
May 18, 2008
Photo of hoppymeal
Reviewed by hoppymeal from Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a nice and hazy rusty copper color with a small cream head that recedes to a ring. Aroma is a beautiful blend of sweet and sugary caramel coating a sweet raisin. Also some fruit aromas, pears and cherries / strawberries and just a hint of the alcohol content is detectable with these. Taste follows with the sugary caramel maltiness dominating up front along with a good dose of berries, raisins and fruit are also evident here but more subdued then in the aroma. A peppery alcohol warmth hits the throat and warms down to the chest, a decent grassy bitterness as well in the dry finish. Mouthfeel was a full medium to heavy in its body, soft and creamy in texture yet peppery and biting mid taste thru the finish. An outstanding beer that I would go broke on if it were an annual release. Many thanks to Dave for the opportunity.
May 13, 2008
Photo of orbitalr0x
Reviewed by orbitalr0x from Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle with white label simply stating "BREW 2000". Pours into my glass a deep red/orange with great clarity and a half inch of off white head that falls to a ring around the top. Aromas begin with rich caramel malts met by a bold mix of nuts and fruits as well. Brown sugar and some spicy, citric hops mix in. Dark fruits, cherry and marzipan lead the way in this brew. Nice.

First sip brings a sweet caramel malt upfront that leads into fruity flavors across the palate. Nutty tones mix in along with bready aspects, brown sugar and toffee. Spicy hops usher in some bitterness as well as green, citric herbal flavors. A touch of vanilla on the way down with lingering cherry caramel accents. Mild alcohol burn on the finish. Darn good barleywine.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and slightly slick on the palate. Mellow carbonation moves everything along. Solid brew overall. A tasty sipper that I'm glad I had the chance to try. Too bad I'll probably never get to taste this again! Thanks autumnaldave
Apr 13, 2008
Photo of mcallister
Reviewed by mcallister from Ohio

4.32/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to Kirok1999 for sharing this treat.

Pale amber and very still. Virtually no head accept for a light foaming around the edges of my snifter.

Signs of oxidation are masked by mixed nuts and dried fruit. Big on toffee and caramel with a musty aged hop aroma that is almost floral in nature.

Tasty as hell. Thick coating caramel malts. Glyceryl streak this leaves is amazing. Thick and juicy, fig paste, date, brown sugar, maple syrup, spent grains, nutty characters and a ever so ligh hint of milk chocolate. A beer I could sip all day long. None of the oxidized notes are noticeable in the mouth.
Jan 29, 2008
Photo of weeare138
Reviewed by weeare138 from Pennsylvania

4.32/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to hopdog for cracking open this rarity for one of our finale brews at the tastings...
Appears an orange toned amber with a small white head that slowly fades into a thick cap and collar. Spotty lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of cherries, caramel, rich malt, cocoa, oak tannins, port wine, and rich mollasses.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with a dosage of oxidized sugary goodness. Wow. Really complex and flavorful stuff.
Mouthfeel is sugary cherry, bready sugar, caramel, and toffee.
Sep 28, 2007
Photo of GbVDave
Reviewed by GbVDave from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12oz bottle into two small white wine glasses. Assisted by Pops!

A: Pours a cloudy honey-amber color. Small orange tinted head and ring.

S: Sweet caramel, sweet fruit, big hops, and a whiff of alcohol. I expected the alcohol to singe my nosehairs but I was surprised by how restrained it was.

T: Pretty much just look above. Massive alcohol content, but extremely well hidden.

M: Quite dry and peppery with a welcome blast of juicy sweetness.

D: Drinkability is actually very good, considering the alcohol content, but any more than one bottle and you're pretty much obliterated.
Apr 20, 2007
Photo of warriorsoul
Reviewed by warriorsoul from Pennsylvania

4.02/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
An unexpected extra from one of the kindest BA's, kmpitz2...thanks Kev!
Cherry rust in color...less than a finger of white head, leaving spotty lacing.
Delightful aromas...citrus, cherries, fig, caramel and a touch of floral hops.
Taste is solid. Raisins, some citrus, which complements the English style barleywine this offering is portraying. Juicy, thick and finishes perfectly dry/bitter...alcohol is very well masked.
Definitely a sipper with this offering....and I enjoyed every one.
Goose Island rocks.
Feb 19, 2007
Photo of ppoitras
Reviewed by ppoitras from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle obtained via trade with kmpitz2. Thanks for the opportunity... Plain white label that only notes Brew 2000 1159. Also has a Goose Island cap. Good thing I'm a beer detective!

Poured into a Rapscallion glass, formed a 1/4" tan head over the cloudy reddish brew. Head is down to a skim of bubbles with more around the edges pretty quick, with reasonable bubbly lace. Aroma is malty, fruity, boozy. What else would you expect from a 11%+ barleywine? Flavor is malty sweetness upfront, light fruitiness in the middle, and strong alcohol to close. Again, as expected. Mouthfeel and drinkability are also what one would want/expect from an over-the-top barleywine and a a good brewer. Try if you can.
Dec 03, 2006
Photo of amatuerbeerguy
Reviewed by amatuerbeerguy from Oklahoma

4.62/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured out a nice brown with an amber hue. Moderate head with lacing. Tiny bubbles make an excellent anticipation of what lie within..

Aroma of grassy, fruity, with a hop aroma of ahtanum(got the hop from the brewer), with some spicy character, malt is a predominant flavor, as well as aroma.

Flavors of ginger with some orange, accompany the malt flavor. Some toastyness is apparent in the finish. As well as caramel.

Moutheel is nicely carbonated, with a full body. That seems to lend to the alcohol warming, that is a delicate attribute to the whole experience.

Overall this is the best of the english style barleywines that I have been prevy too. I have to thank Adan and all of the Goose Island personnel for this one. It came highly recommended by them. Cheers All
Nov 28, 2006
Photo of Beertracker
Reviewed by Beertracker from Oklahoma

4.52/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Commercial Description: This intensely flavorful ale was brewed for the 2000th batch made at the West Fulton Street production brewery. Enormous malt is met with huge hop character (80 IBU’s), and additional dry-hopping with Crystal and Ahtanum varieties gives an even more complex fruity aroma. Quantity is extremely limited.

Goose Island's Batch 2000 (Barleywine) is best served at warmer cellar temperatures (50-55°F) from a small brandy snifter or thistle and comes via a plain white labeled 12 fl.oz. brown bottle that simply denotes the bottling date and alcohol percentage. This milestone barleywine pours up intrepidly with a moderate carbonation and a bit of anticipation. The tiny bubbles create a short lived tannish-cream colored head that sits lacily atop a burnt orangish copper-honey amber body. The initial clarity suffers a bit from "chill-haze", but clears some after it warms in hand and shows off some legs. The initial aroma showcases the resinous Northwest hops (Ahtanum & Crystal) which are abundantly fruity (citrus salad/grapefruit) with some added spicy (piney/pine tar) and grassy/floral notes, but gives way to a solid maltiness and vinous strength as it warms. The malt dominated flavor starts off nicely fruity (apricot preserves, Mandarin orange, ripened star fruit) with a rich, toasted (ginger snap, shortbread cookies, vanilla wafer) caramel maltiness (hot buttered rum, toffee/treacle) that carries a touch of nuttiness (e.g. nougat, peanut brittle) which adds to the overall complexity of this finely crafted barleywine. There's a moderate amount of underlying bitterness that keeps this grain fed monster in-check and prevents it from being overly cloying. The powerful, lingering finish is a touch thick & syrupy, but packs just enough bitterness and plenty of warmth to carry it. Batch 2000 is certainly a rare delight for sophisticated malt lovers and should continue to cellar or enjoy now. Here's to Wil Turner and the rest of the Goose brewers on their 2000th batch!

CHEERS! Beertracker

*Taster's Note: Thanks to amatuerbeerguy for sharing this one!
Nov 16, 2006
Batch 2000 (Barleywine) from Goose Island Beer Co.
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 14 ratings