Goose Island Honker's Ale

Goose Island Beer Company
Chicago, Illinois

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Copper/light brown color. White, lasting head. Crisp, clean-looking. Nice.

AROMA: 3/4
Sweet. Nutty—almond, brown sugar, grainy. Sweet corn. No hop aroma.

TASTE: 6.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Malty, fades to bitter. Minimal hop flavor.
Aftertaste: 1.75/3: Grainy—grape nut, sweet raisin. Really nutty. Slight weird chemical aftertaste.
Mouth-Feel: 1.75/3: Dry, clean. Sour at front, ends grassy, woody. A bit watery at the close.

OVERALL: 2/3: Could use more aroma and bittering hop. Slightly watery. Goose Island's beer for the masses.

TOTAL: 14/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: I don't love it, but I appreciate the attempt. A nutty take on a standard pale–if I have to drink a pale ale, this isn't a bad one.
Ben: Unique enough to be craft, safe enough to entice newbies to try more ambitious Goose Island products. I don't love it, don't hate it—it's better than Sam Adams.

Goose Island IPA

Goose Island Beer Company
Chicago, Illinois

APPEARANCE: 2.5/3
Gold, bright. Minimal head (appropriately).

AROMA: 3.5/4
Nice hoppy nose, not overpowering.

TASTE: 10/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 4/4: Fairly malty, excellent balance of malt and hop.
Aftertaste: 3/3: Bitter, but dry. No lingering bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 3/3: Clean finish, no astringence.

OVERALL: 2.5: Bouncy, meadowy–Cascade hops, maybe? A very well-crafted IPA.

TOTAL: 18.5/20–Keep 'Em Comin'

NOTES:
Matt: A very good beer–textbook. Very solid, nothing unexpected.
Ben: A good IPA–drinkable. I'd have more than one.