Lake Effect Winter Ale
Goose Island Beer Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Draught @ Clybourn Brewpub: Served in a tulip glass. This one pours a Fairly clear amber color. There was about 1 finger of an off-white head onit. There was some lacing. It has a nice hoppy nose. It is pretty well balanced between citrus and pine hops. The taste is very good. Not too bitter at all. It is fairly full bodied. Pine, some citrus, lots of malts, but no real sweetness to it. Some caramel and faint fruits also.

A - Reddish copper colored beer with a fairly large white head. Some spots left on the sides.

S - Lots of hops and caramel malts. Smells quite sugary, with a bit of pine, resin, and citrus.

T - Tastes like a big IPA that is very sugary. I wouldn't quite say it is like a triple IPA, as there is a lot more caramel and amber notes coming through than that, but the sugar and hop combination does remind me of it a bit. Not bad, but a little bit different.

M - Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

O - Not a bad beer, interesting as I haven't had a particularly hoppy red other than Nugget Nectar. It is slightly too sweet, but decent.

listed as an Imperial Red Ale but i've always that thought that moniker was dumb. indeed Red Ale seems to be often puzzling. it might be catering to some demographic that i don't understand (what's wrong with "Amber"?). Reds also often seem to be dumbed down in terms of flavor profiles, like the abovementioned demographic is looking for Killians. if that is the case, how to market an Imperial Killians? silly. it's an American Strong Ale

the color is a nice reddish copper an supports the best head i saw all day. the aroma is of amarillo hops! (i think)

bitterness is strong and the hops provide plenty of punch: sweet and sticky and tasting like cascade and amarillo (or whatever NW hop i'm confusing this for). the malt profile is robust, too: dark fruit and caramel. perhaps even a little port--this made me think of Stone's trademark port/buterscotch thing their beers have going on

best beer i tasted @GI