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Gillian
Goose Island Beer Co.


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Goose Island Beer Co.
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- Saison
Ranked #201 - ABV:
- 9.5%
- Score:
- 93
Ranked #4,075 - Avg:
- 4.16 | pDev: 8.41%
- Reviews:
- 127
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 25, 2022
- Added:
- Aug 17, 2010
- Wants:
- 92
- Gots:
- 220
SCORE
93
Outstanding
93
Outstanding


Notes:
Formerly Scully
White Pepper Strawberry Saison
After a free rise fermentation with our Saison yeast strain, we add crushed white pepper, mashed fresh Michigan strawberries and Local Farmer's market honey to create a dry, drinkable yet complex Saison variation.
Named in honor of Gillian Anderson who worked at Goose Island Brewpub in Chicago, IL while a student at DePaul University.
25 IBU
White Pepper Strawberry Saison
After a free rise fermentation with our Saison yeast strain, we add crushed white pepper, mashed fresh Michigan strawberries and Local Farmer's market honey to create a dry, drinkable yet complex Saison variation.
Named in honor of Gillian Anderson who worked at Goose Island Brewpub in Chicago, IL while a student at DePaul University.
25 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by NeutroMan from Illinois
4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12 oz bottle, 2017 vintage, into a chalice. Slightly hazy orange-amber color with no head but lots of bubbles streaming up from the bottom of the glass. Floral and fruity aroma (lime, lemon, strawberry, cranberry, apple). Taste mostly follows, strawberry, some honey sweetness, just a bit of wild funk to give it some depth but keep it very drinkable. Medium-light bodied, very crisp and carbonated.
Dec 24, 2022Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas
4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Found a four pack of this beer recently at grocery store in New Mexico. Poured into a tulip glass. Fairly clear golden yellow color with brief effervescent head and little lacing. Honey sweet smell and taste with lime, lemon, grass and some funk. Sneaky beer with high ABV but very easy to drink. Slightly tart finish. Really enjoying the four pack.
Oct 21, 2022Reviewed by Reef from South Carolina
4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12 oz. Bottle dated Feb. 21, 2017.
Quick pour resulted in 5 mm fine white head which quickly dissipated. No lacing. Hazy orange amber. Light sediment.
Wonderful strawberry, light floral, and brett scents.
Prominent strawberry, along with Brett, honey, light pepper zing.
Light, bright feel, dry finish. No heat from the ABV.
Refreshing saison, great for warm weather sipping.
Feb 28, 2021Quick pour resulted in 5 mm fine white head which quickly dissipated. No lacing. Hazy orange amber. Light sediment.
Wonderful strawberry, light floral, and brett scents.
Prominent strawberry, along with Brett, honey, light pepper zing.
Light, bright feel, dry finish. No heat from the ABV.
Refreshing saison, great for warm weather sipping.
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania
4.19/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.19/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Goose Island Beer Co. "2017 Gillian"
$6 / 5 oz. @ Goose Island Brewhouse Philadelphia on 06/02/18
Notes: Slightly hazy. Deep golden beneath a bright white head. Sweetish, fruity, floral aroma. Some strawberry actually comes through. Sweetish to sweet in the taste. Golden malt. Not that funky. Moderate to median bitterness balances it. Mild oaky dryness in the finish with some sweetish malt and strawberry lingering. Medium to medium-light in body. Gently crisp.
Feb 26, 2021$6 / 5 oz. @ Goose Island Brewhouse Philadelphia on 06/02/18
Notes: Slightly hazy. Deep golden beneath a bright white head. Sweetish, fruity, floral aroma. Some strawberry actually comes through. Sweetish to sweet in the taste. Golden malt. Not that funky. Moderate to median bitterness balances it. Mild oaky dryness in the finish with some sweetish malt and strawberry lingering. Medium to medium-light in body. Gently crisp.
Reviewed by brendanbeer from New York
4.5/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This is another great option in the wild ale line from Goose Island. I'm having the 2018 vintage. It's a beautiful color with a light fizzy head. Up front is the white pepper, which provides a good bright kick and a little bitterness which surprisingly compliments the fade into strawberries. Fresh strawberries is the dominant mid-palate taste, which isn't overly sweet, and balanced by a lot of carbonation. The ending note is honey, not thick, or strong, just subtly sweet and a nice way to finish a bright and exciting ride of flavor. This is probably my favorite wild ale from them so far, along with the raspberry one. There's a pleasant bitterness that lingers with the strawberries which lends some complexity to the bubbly treat.
Thanks and cheers!
Jul 04, 2020Thanks and cheers!
Reviewed by Billolick from New York
4.24/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.24/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Large capped bottle, 765 ml. "bottled on 15FEB16" "Develops in the bottle over 5 years"
Pours hazed, lighter amber, with a soft orange hue. Lifts a lasting khaki cap. slowly fading to a thicker film and leaving slippery strands and bits of lacing.
Faint floral, sweet and perfume notes on the nose.
Simply over the top delicious offering, deeply flavorful, complex and highly enjoyable. Notes of yeasty funk, earthiness, crisp and tart lime, fruity berries. Super yeasty and nutty final pour.
Thank you to the bottle shop for aging this one nicely for over 4 years for customers like me...drinking great and well worth the $8.99 (!) it was marked down to.
May 22, 2020Pours hazed, lighter amber, with a soft orange hue. Lifts a lasting khaki cap. slowly fading to a thicker film and leaving slippery strands and bits of lacing.
Faint floral, sweet and perfume notes on the nose.
Simply over the top delicious offering, deeply flavorful, complex and highly enjoyable. Notes of yeasty funk, earthiness, crisp and tart lime, fruity berries. Super yeasty and nutty final pour.
Thank you to the bottle shop for aging this one nicely for over 4 years for customers like me...drinking great and well worth the $8.99 (!) it was marked down to.
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia
4.25/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A-Pours a hazy golden color with a slight head and lacing
A-Aroma has a strawberry, honey and Brett hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a well balanced strawberry, honey and Brett sour flavor
M-A light bodied well carbonated beer
O-A good Belgian Saison
Mar 01, 2020A-Aroma has a strawberry, honey and Brett hints
T-The taste follows the nose with a well balanced strawberry, honey and Brett sour flavor
M-A light bodied well carbonated beer
O-A good Belgian Saison
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota
4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottle. Bottling date marked on label as '21FEB17'.
Cloudy, deep gold colored body. Minimal fizzy head dissipates rather quickly. No lacing. Active surface.
Aroma of yeast funk and strawberry. Overall has a sweet smell.
Taste has lots of funk, mixing in leather, rubber eraser, and horse blanket. There is a sweetness from the honey and a fruitiness from the strawberry. The funk wins out in the end. The end is dry, with pepper.
Medium mouth feel. Excellent carbonation which bubbles in the mouth.
Interesting concoction of a saison with honey and berry.
Jan 28, 2020Cloudy, deep gold colored body. Minimal fizzy head dissipates rather quickly. No lacing. Active surface.
Aroma of yeast funk and strawberry. Overall has a sweet smell.
Taste has lots of funk, mixing in leather, rubber eraser, and horse blanket. There is a sweetness from the honey and a fruitiness from the strawberry. The funk wins out in the end. The end is dry, with pepper.
Medium mouth feel. Excellent carbonation which bubbles in the mouth.
Interesting concoction of a saison with honey and berry.
Reviewed by Victory_Sabre1973 from Minnesota
4.3/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a murky, but semi clear golden color. 3 finger white foamy head. The retention isn't the best, and it forms a nice fomay ring around the glass.
The nose hit me as I opened the bottle, and looking at it from a distance. It's wild and quite funky smelling. Up close it is like a sweet, but yet, wild and funky. Very pleasing.
The taste is kinda sweet. I was expecting more wild and funky based on the nose. It is, but more sweet that I was expecting. There's a lot more going on with this beer than I can accurately describe.
Bubbly, and champagne feeling. It's a 9% beer, but not feeling like it.
Wild and funky ale. Damn tasty, and recommended.
Dec 15, 2019The nose hit me as I opened the bottle, and looking at it from a distance. It's wild and quite funky smelling. Up close it is like a sweet, but yet, wild and funky. Very pleasing.
The taste is kinda sweet. I was expecting more wild and funky based on the nose. It is, but more sweet that I was expecting. There's a lot more going on with this beer than I can accurately describe.
Bubbly, and champagne feeling. It's a 9% beer, but not feeling like it.
Wild and funky ale. Damn tasty, and recommended.
Reviewed by npolachek from New York
4.25/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Strawberry, pepper, and honey permeate this barrel aged beer. It’s a bit sweet and also has some good complexity. Effervescent with a golden color to it.
Sep 13, 2019Reviewed by Tucquan from Pennsylvania
4.11/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.11/5 rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Had this on 2019-06-21 in Columbia, PA from a 750ml 2016 bottle.
Pale orange with little head. Belgian yeast, strawberry, light wine barrel and touch of white pepper. Light body and effervescent.Very dry. No way to tell it is 9.5% ABV. Enjoyed it.
Jun 21, 2019Pale orange with little head. Belgian yeast, strawberry, light wine barrel and touch of white pepper. Light body and effervescent.Very dry. No way to tell it is 9.5% ABV. Enjoyed it.
Reviewed by keithmurray from Connecticut
3.83/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 oz bottle bottled in February of 2017
Appearance - dark golden amber color with white head
Smell - apple cider, pear, strawberry , white wine, vinegar
Taste - Cider like, apple, pear, strawberry, lime, white wine, vinegar
Mouthfeel - medium bodied, medium carbonation, tartness upfront, wine and cider qualities in the middle, moderately sour on the finish, dry finish
Overall - decent wild ale here, would be great on a hot summer's day
Price Point - $2.50/12 oz single
Apr 08, 2019Appearance - dark golden amber color with white head
Smell - apple cider, pear, strawberry , white wine, vinegar
Taste - Cider like, apple, pear, strawberry, lime, white wine, vinegar
Mouthfeel - medium bodied, medium carbonation, tartness upfront, wine and cider qualities in the middle, moderately sour on the finish, dry finish
Overall - decent wild ale here, would be great on a hot summer's day
Price Point - $2.50/12 oz single
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled 9/12/13; drank 8/16/14 @ the Palace.
Murky mango hue.
Fizzy white head which quickly dissipates; no lace.
Funk, strawberry & mango nose. Nice!
Medium mouthfeel.
Strawberry, mango & mild pepper heat up front; a dry soda/champagne finish. Unique & effervescent.
Apr 01, 2019Murky mango hue.
Fizzy white head which quickly dissipates; no lace.
Funk, strawberry & mango nose. Nice!
Medium mouthfeel.
Strawberry, mango & mild pepper heat up front; a dry soda/champagne finish. Unique & effervescent.
Reviewed by drtth from Pennsylvania
4.37/5 rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.37/5 rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Bottled 21 Feb 2017, so just over 2 years of bottle age.
The bright clear golden amber colored beer is poured gently out into a Duvel glass with a 1/2” white head that begins to visibly recede to a cap and then a ring and an irregular island of foam while leaving no lacing on the sides of the glass. Sipping creates a couple of arches and some scattered small patches of foam, most of which slide back down to the liquid.
The aromas include some light tartness along with some strawberry and some light floral character up front. In the background there’s a touch of barnyard funk and some light white pepper notes.
The flavors are much as expected from the nose with some light but definite strawberry tartness blending well with some sweetness from the malt. The other flavors include some floral notes, a bit of funk and some white pepper, but no bitterness.
The mouthfeel is medium bodied and both smooth and lightly prickly with the moderate persistent finely bubbled carbonation. The finish begins as the sweetness, the floral, the strawberry and most of the tartness recede to leave the long dry finish showing some light tartness, a bit of funk and some white pepper notes.
Overall the aromas/flavors are fairly complex and enjoyable in that none of them dominate the others and each shows in its own way. I’ve enjoyed drinking this unusual beer and I’m glad there is another resting quietly in the fridge.
Mar 31, 2019The bright clear golden amber colored beer is poured gently out into a Duvel glass with a 1/2” white head that begins to visibly recede to a cap and then a ring and an irregular island of foam while leaving no lacing on the sides of the glass. Sipping creates a couple of arches and some scattered small patches of foam, most of which slide back down to the liquid.
The aromas include some light tartness along with some strawberry and some light floral character up front. In the background there’s a touch of barnyard funk and some light white pepper notes.
The flavors are much as expected from the nose with some light but definite strawberry tartness blending well with some sweetness from the malt. The other flavors include some floral notes, a bit of funk and some white pepper, but no bitterness.
The mouthfeel is medium bodied and both smooth and lightly prickly with the moderate persistent finely bubbled carbonation. The finish begins as the sweetness, the floral, the strawberry and most of the tartness recede to leave the long dry finish showing some light tartness, a bit of funk and some white pepper notes.
Overall the aromas/flavors are fairly complex and enjoyable in that none of them dominate the others and each shows in its own way. I’ve enjoyed drinking this unusual beer and I’m glad there is another resting quietly in the fridge.
Gillian from Goose Island Beer Co.
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
822 ratings
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