Goose Island 25th Anniversary Ale

The Goose Island Beer Company is from Chicago, Illinois. This 6.4% ABV Extra Special Bitter (ESB) celebrates their 25th anniversary, established May 13, 1988. They began as an independent, but were bought out by AB-InBev a couple of years ago.

The beer pours an amber, copper and chestnut wood in color. There is nearly an inch of thick, foamy, off-white head. The aroma is fruity, jammy, malty, caramel, with a bit of a tang. The taste follows the aromas, caramel tasting malt, fruit marmalade, biscuit cookie, but not overly sweet, with a moderate bitterness on the finish. There is some dark tea with light lemon and just a hint of tobacco. It feels round, yet also amply carbonated. It is a nice lightly Americanized take on a British classic style.