Day 15 of the 6th Annual Advent-ure Calendar
Day 15: Goose Island Christmas IPA
We’ve been to a ton of breweries together in Chicago but only Julia has been to Goose Island. We definitely want to head there together next time we’re in the city, if only for their barrel-aged beers. From Goose Island: “Christmas IPA is a malt forward IPA using 6 different hops throughout the process. Subtle stone fruit and wood notes balance with caramel malt on the palate dry-hopped with Meridian, Ahtanum, and Cashmere. It’s got a bit of an old school feel on the malt side with caramel malt and a lovely red hue to go with the classic kettle hop backbone. Nicely balanced and dry, this little number dons a big fruity aroma.”
Reflections
Ben: Well this is just lovely. I haven’t had a Goose Island in a while, so I didn’t have any real expectations either way, but this one surprised me. First, love the can. It’s clean and fancy, yet simple. I thought for a second it smelled a bit stale, but it definitely does not taste like it. It has a really nice hop flavor…not bitterness, but flavor. There’s actually almost no bitterness, but it still finishes crisp. This is a great starter IPA for someone that doesn’t like them. The IBU is 38, but it almost tastes like a pale ale. Either way, I’m in. This is right up there with Citra Noel for me (it’s kind of a Citra Noel Lite?) for a hoppy break from the spicy boys out there. Really good job by Goose Island with this one.
Julia: It’s been so long since I’ve had a new Goose Island so I was pumped to try this one. I’m also happy to see another IPA on the calendar. It smells quite delightful. It’s hoppy yet fruity. There is no bitter aftertaste and it’s very crispy. It’s easily one of the best IPAs I’ve had in a long time. I honestly would not classify this as a holiday ale because this could be drank all year round if available. I recommend if you like IPAs or Goose Island.
Adam: This is freaking fantastic. If citra Noel was the first big Christmas ipa we discovered, I feel like the ones we’ve had this year have followed in their footsteps and even improved upon it. I get the spruce notes and it’s ludicrously easy to drink. I also get a little malty and peaches and plums. I am 100% going to buy a lot of this.
Alex: Goose Island’s Christmas IPA is another new one this year, and it does not disappoint. It smells fruity and is very easy to drink. It is hoppy and a little malty and 100% delicious. I will definitely continue to drink this one. Festively Smooth!
Scott: I really hope I’m just not tasting this right, but the Goose Island Christmas Ale is not enjoyable to me. I’m getting a very odd oaky, bitter aftertaste. It’s a pretty mild beer and Christa really likes it so I want to believe I just had a bad beer and a bad beer day today. Hoping my next can sits better with me than this one.
Christa: Listen, I love IPAs (but not in a smarmy way) and I was so excited to try this one. Does it come close to Citra Noel? No, not even close. Does it have a bit of a flat aftertaste? Sure. But I enjoyed every sip because it’s different and I love the hops. I don’t get anything Christmas here, but sometimes you want a break from that, anyway. Goose Island almost always delivers and while this isn’t a slam dunk, I’m definitely still enjoying the game.
Tony: I like it. Boom. Done…..j/k j/k 😆. I honestly do like it though. I get the fruity aroma that they describe and it has kind of a dark amber color. As with any IPA one of the first things I taste are the hops but then I get some of the caramel maltiness and it creates a nice balanced flavor. That being said, I’m not sure that there is anything Christmassy about this one to earn its “Christmas IPA” label. I maybe get a hint of spices, but to me it just tastes like a pretty good IPA. It doesnt stand out among the crowd and it doesnt feel like a “holiday beer” to me but I do like the flavor and wouldn’t mind drinking it again.
Megan: I’ll preface this review by saying I’m not a huge IPA fan. That being said, this isn’t bad, It’s not super hoppy or bitter and it’s not too dark or light. It seems to have a crisp finish. I don’t know if I would classify this as Christmasy because other than some caramel, I’m not getting a holiday feel. I’ve been to goose island before and I like their beers, I just don’t reach for IPAs first but if you do, I would suggest it.
Brad: Oh how I miss traveling to Chicago and visiting Goose Island! When I saw this Christmas IPA it called my name. I love the simplicity of the can and really enjoyed the beer. It’s basically a red IPA with Christmas marketing. I didn’t get a strong holiday spice taste but it’s still a good IPA that I would happily drink again.
Heather: I don’t know what’s happening. Am I… am I starting to like IPAs? Or is this just a damn good one? I mean, it’s Goose Island and I do love most of their beers, so I’m not completely surprised, but still. It’s silky smooth yet crisp (sorcery), kinda fruity without being offensively so, and malty with a hint of sweetness. Also, my minimalist heart is giddy at the bold statement can and name, which is just that perfect shade of holly red and straight to the point. Big fan.