Goose Fest Bier | Goose Island Beer Co.
Brewed by:
Goose Island Beer Co.
Illinois, United States
gooseisland.com
Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.70%
Availability: Fall
Notes / Commercial Description:
Formerly Goose Oktoberfest
Märzenbier inspired by the classic Festbier style. Hallertau Tradition hops. Toasted, bready malt. Noble hop character.
23 IBU
Added by Mitchster on 09-06-2001
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 944 | Reviews: 265
3.93/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L: brilliant copper amber with streams of fast rising bubbles under a 1" cream cap with good retention.
S: rich beady smell with bread crust, bread crumb and very light toast, traces of light caramel and a dash of earthy herbs from the hops
T: mild caramel sweetness, bread crust and bread crumb. It dries on the finish with a little grainy tang. A low level of Hallertau spicy earthy flavor shows up on the finish with a moderate balancing bitterness
F: creamy, smooth medium body and medium high carbonation.
O: the carbonation is a little high which detracts slightly from the malt flavors and the use of the caramel malts gives it a little extra caramel character that it does not need
694 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L: brilliant copper amber with streams of fast rising bubbles under a 1" cream cap with good retention.
S: rich beady smell with bread crust, bread crumb and very light toast, traces of light caramel and a dash of earthy herbs from the hops
T: mild caramel sweetness, bread crust and bread crumb. It dries on the finish with a little grainy tang. A low level of Hallertau spicy earthy flavor shows up on the finish with a moderate balancing bitterness
F: creamy, smooth medium body and medium high carbonation.
O: the carbonation is a little high which detracts slightly from the malt flavors and the use of the caramel malts gives it a little extra caramel character that it does not need
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4.07/5 rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.25/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Solid Marzen - a little too much caramel mixed with bitter after tones. The look and smell are amazing - just doesn't finish they way I would like.
148 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Solid Marzen - a little too much caramel mixed with bitter after tones. The look and smell are amazing - just doesn't finish they way I would like.
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3.75/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dark amber medium carbonation. Aroma is malt,bread,and hops. Taste is malt strong,bread, with a hop backbone. Decent version of the style,I would definitely try it again
169 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dark amber medium carbonation. Aroma is malt,bread,and hops. Taste is malt strong,bread, with a hop backbone. Decent version of the style,I would definitely try it again
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4.22/5 rDev +15%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
A beautiful amber color with a nice head. A really enjoyable taste. Great flavor and not too strong. Very easy to drink. I’m surprised this isn’t rated higher.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
A beautiful amber color with a nice head. A really enjoyable taste. Great flavor and not too strong. Very easy to drink. I’m surprised this isn’t rated higher.
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3.98/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Nice amber color with a thin head on it. The smell is "warm bready". Some ting in the feel with an above average taste. Say what you want about some of their other beers, this is the best seasonal offering in my book.
221 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Nice amber color with a thin head on it. The smell is "warm bready". Some ting in the feel with an above average taste. Say what you want about some of their other beers, this is the best seasonal offering in my book.
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3.53/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.23/5 rDev -12%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.55/5 rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle from the 2017 release, poured into a Goose Island Brewpubs snifter glass.
The beer pours a dark copper color, amber hues, very clear with a finger or so of bone colored head, little retention with soapy lace. The aroma is pleasant, dark brown bread, caramel malts, light piney noble hops, a bit nutty almost with lingering earthy undertones. The flavors are simple and enjoyable as well, strong caramel and amber malts, light noble and earthy hops, a hint of bitterness with a touch of fruitcake flavor. The mouthfeel is good, lively and prickly with a coating medium body and a mildly dry finish.
Verdict: A decent Märzen from Goose Island. Not the most complex or balanced example of the style but refreshing and perfect for a crisp fall day.
759 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12oz bottle from the 2017 release, poured into a Goose Island Brewpubs snifter glass.
The beer pours a dark copper color, amber hues, very clear with a finger or so of bone colored head, little retention with soapy lace. The aroma is pleasant, dark brown bread, caramel malts, light piney noble hops, a bit nutty almost with lingering earthy undertones. The flavors are simple and enjoyable as well, strong caramel and amber malts, light noble and earthy hops, a hint of bitterness with a touch of fruitcake flavor. The mouthfeel is good, lively and prickly with a coating medium body and a mildly dry finish.
Verdict: A decent Märzen from Goose Island. Not the most complex or balanced example of the style but refreshing and perfect for a crisp fall day.
759 characters
3.44/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a light almost orange amber color. Completely clear. Thick bubbly tan head dissipates leaving a ring of sudsy tan bubbles along the outside of the beer and a couple lacey spots of tan bubbles on the glass.
Aroma is sweet - caramel and bread notes up front. Maybe a touch of grassy hops, but its mostly sweet caramel.
Taste is sweet up front - caramel and sweet bread transitioning to a more toasty flavor that brings with it the spicy hop finish. More spicy than bitter. Herbal lingering flavor is left behind on the finish. There is also some red wine grape and dark fruit notes that I get as the beer warms.
Feel is light and drinkable but not thin. Mild to moderate carbonation.
Overall a solid oktoberfest. Generally a solid American take on the style, but it does nothing to move it from just an average example of the Americanized style to the better more traditional takes on the style.
907 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a light almost orange amber color. Completely clear. Thick bubbly tan head dissipates leaving a ring of sudsy tan bubbles along the outside of the beer and a couple lacey spots of tan bubbles on the glass.
Aroma is sweet - caramel and bread notes up front. Maybe a touch of grassy hops, but its mostly sweet caramel.
Taste is sweet up front - caramel and sweet bread transitioning to a more toasty flavor that brings with it the spicy hop finish. More spicy than bitter. Herbal lingering flavor is left behind on the finish. There is also some red wine grape and dark fruit notes that I get as the beer warms.
Feel is light and drinkable but not thin. Mild to moderate carbonation.
Overall a solid oktoberfest. Generally a solid American take on the style, but it does nothing to move it from just an average example of the Americanized style to the better more traditional takes on the style.
907 characters
3.42/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a super clear, light amber color with a little bit of white head that leaves a small amount of lacing. Smell is a little bit of caramel and toasted malts. Taste is sweet, caramel, a little bit of bread, some notes of grassy hops flavor. A little bit of sharp bitterness. Not bad, a little thin for my tastes and too sweet, to the point it tends to mask the other flavors unless you're really looking for them.
415 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a super clear, light amber color with a little bit of white head that leaves a small amount of lacing. Smell is a little bit of caramel and toasted malts. Taste is sweet, caramel, a little bit of bread, some notes of grassy hops flavor. A little bit of sharp bitterness. Not bad, a little thin for my tastes and too sweet, to the point it tends to mask the other flavors unless you're really looking for them.
415 characters
3.83/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
2.94/5 rDev -19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
12oz bottled 7/1/17 poured into a.5L krug at fridge temp 5.7% ABV 23 IBU. The beer mostly bright honey colored amber with short lived off white head. The head recedes to a thin ring (barely) and no lacing. The aroma is semisweet caramel bread with maybe a hint of hops. The label calls out Hallertau Tradition hops. The taste is pretty sweet and caramelly(I made up this word but it seems fitting). There is is somewhat vague hoppy finish. Mouthfeel is medium to thin bodied, well carbonated and the finish is undry with a definite oily/soapy aftertaste reminiscent of cheap AAL. Overall, not good. Another amber beer masquerading as a Marzen. If you're going to buy noble hops, lager the beer properly so they are not covered up in off flavors GI.
757 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
12oz bottled 7/1/17 poured into a.5L krug at fridge temp 5.7% ABV 23 IBU. The beer mostly bright honey colored amber with short lived off white head. The head recedes to a thin ring (barely) and no lacing. The aroma is semisweet caramel bread with maybe a hint of hops. The label calls out Hallertau Tradition hops. The taste is pretty sweet and caramelly(I made up this word but it seems fitting). There is is somewhat vague hoppy finish. Mouthfeel is medium to thin bodied, well carbonated and the finish is undry with a definite oily/soapy aftertaste reminiscent of cheap AAL. Overall, not good. Another amber beer masquerading as a Marzen. If you're going to buy noble hops, lager the beer properly so they are not covered up in off flavors GI.
757 characters
3.62/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.42/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.52/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Got a sample to see if I can get another fall beer rather than going to SA's Octoberfest. The color is a red amber with a small white head that dissipated quickly with some lacing on the glass. The nose is one of dark roasted grain, caramel, with dried fruit. The hops are a little too bitter and flowery for the style in my opinion. The taste somewhat follows the nose as I got elements of dark roasted grain. The feel is good. Herbal bitterness from the taste and a light body. Overall this is a drinkable beer that I will try on tap and see how it does with the locals.
572 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Got a sample to see if I can get another fall beer rather than going to SA's Octoberfest. The color is a red amber with a small white head that dissipated quickly with some lacing on the glass. The nose is one of dark roasted grain, caramel, with dried fruit. The hops are a little too bitter and flowery for the style in my opinion. The taste somewhat follows the nose as I got elements of dark roasted grain. The feel is good. Herbal bitterness from the taste and a light body. Overall this is a drinkable beer that I will try on tap and see how it does with the locals.
572 characters
3.54/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Goose Fest Bier from Goose Island Beer Co.
Beer rating:
3.67 out of
5 with
944 ratings
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4