Goose Island Beer Company

Goose Island Beer Company, named after the only island on the Chicago River, started as John Hall’s brew pub in 1988 when Milwaukee’s beer giants still cast a large shadow on craft brewing in the Midwest. The small pub became a full-scale brewery in 1995, opened up another brew pub in 1999 and began national distribution (and expanded to the Untied Kingdom) in 2006. They have been winning medals at the Great American Beer Festival the past 14 years in a row, and their beers prove extremely worthy. They also make various kinds of soda and root beer that are sold at the two Chicago brew pubs.

 

India Pale Ale

ABV: 5.9 percent

Rating: 4/5

Right off the bat, it is clear why this IPA, similar to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, has won the 2004 and 2009 silver medals, as well as the 2000 gold medal for English Style Pale Ales at Goose Island. The smell is extremely hoppy and piney (think evergreen forest). It tastes as good as it smells, with a citrusy bite marked by orange and lime flavors, common in IPAs. For those who enjoy their coffee black and tart citrus fruit, this hop-losion is sure to wake up your taste buds.

 

Honker’s Ale

Style: English Bitter

ABV: 4.2 percent

Rating: 4.5/5

As a 1997 gold medal winner for English Style Bitters at the Great American Beer Festival and 2006 bronze medal winner at World Beer Cup, Honker’s Ale is a traditional style English Bitter. While not actually bitter-tasting, which is the American misconception of Bitters, the brew is low in alcohol, fairly well balanced and easily drinkable. If you want to try a lighter beer without seeing ‘light’ in the name, try Honker’s — it’s one that holds its own in the flavor category.

 

312 Urban Wheat

Style: American Pale Wheat Ale

ABV: 4.2 percent

Rating: 3.5/5

While not the best for winter, this refreshing and light wheat beer took home the 2008 bronze medal, the 2006 and 2007 gold medals for English Style Summer Ales at the Great American Beer Festival and the 2006 silver medal at World Beer Cup. Next to the Bourbon County Stout, 312 is the most well-known Goose Island beer. Combining a biscuity and citrusy nose, comparable taste and extremely light mouth-feel, this beer is a great way to quench thirst on a warm day or in an extremely overheated campus classroom. Well, maybe not during class, but you get the idea. If you like light, crisp beer that won’t be found in a keg on Euclid Avenue, give this one a try.

 

— Compiled by Lucas Sacks, staff writer, ldsacks@syr.edu

Published on January 26, 2011 at 12:00 pm