MATILDA BY GOOSE ISLAND BEER COMPANY
Trying a brew from a brewery, I have tried before on this blog. I am trying a Belgian Pale Ale from this brewery. The brewery I am trying tonight is Goose Island Beer Company. Goose Island was created in 1988 and in 1995 they opened a larger brewery to keep up with their growth. Now they are widely known and have become part of the growing craft beer scene in America. One of their most popular brews is the Bourbon County Series, which was first thought of in 1992 and actually created in 2004. Goose Island Beer Company is located in Chicago, Illinois and even though they are in a big city they are still able to focus on sustainability and creating green beers like their Green Line, which is only available in Chicago. The brew I am trying tonight from Goose Island is Matilda, part of their Vintage Ale Series. Matilda is a Belgian Pale Ale, she has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 7.0% and an IBU of 26. I have tried only one other brew in the Vintage Series and that was Juliet, which is a Belgian Style Wild Ale, so not exactly close in styles.
Appearance of Matilda
I poured Matilda in to my beer glass for the night and was shocked at the appearance of this brew. Personally I thought it would be lighter since it was a pale ale, but looks can change and depending on the brew you can get a range of colors for the style. To me this is a pale golden complexion to Matilda and it almost looks she has a goldish red tint to her. Foam or head of Matilda is does leave some lacing on the glass and has a thick appearance to it. One aroma I notice of the bat is the clove aroma that is closely followed by a spiced aroma. The clove aroma is a strong aroma and definitely makes its presence notice when you take a whiff of this Belgian Style Pale Ale.
Taste I am eager to see, since I have tried a few Pale Ales and not been too keen on them. I think the clove aroma is giving of more of a Tripel aroma and is making me eager to try this brew, because I am fond of Tripels. I took my first sip and was pleasantly surprised by the style of brew. I thought this would be hoppy, but it was rather enjoyable and something I can really enjoy. Matilda is a light body and finishes with a sweet dry note. The spice note that you find in the aroma you pick it back up in the brews taste and it goes well with the sweet dry finish. When you drink Matilda this brew is light and has dry finish, but it does not have the taste of a higher ABV. Rather it finishes like a brew you drink that is much lower in ABV. The more and more I drink of this brew, I begin to notice the clove note and a banana flavor mixed in. I really enjoy this brew and the way it was done so eloquently.
Check out MATILDA
Matilda is a year round brew and something that can pair well with some many different flavors. If you want to know examples make sure you check out Matilda on Goose Islands Website. Matilda was an enjoyable brew and a great style that I will be looking into more. I think that if you like Belgian Style brews, Matilda is a brew you need to try. Even if you are not into Belgian Styles, you need to explore this style and Matilda is a perfect way to start.
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