For today’s craft beer review I thought I would sample another beer from the Goose Island Brewery located in Chicago, Illinois.  They produce a number of different and good brews, so today I thought I would try the 2011 version of Matilda.

I’ve yet to have this beer, however I’ve heard many good things about it.

Let’s see if we can find a description of this beer from the website, gooseisland.com. 

Wild in character, with a slightly fruity aroma and a spicy yeast flavor that is as unique as it is satisfying – Matilda is an intriguing choice for beer and wine lovers alike.  Dry and quenching, it’s the perfect accompaniment at the dining table or for casually socializing at the bar. 

Sounds good. 

This particular Matilda came in a 12 oz. bottle and it has an ABV of 7.0%.

This beer poured a hazy orange to almost amber color.  A very nicely sized, slightly off white head was formed from an easy pour.  The crown was very smooth, soft and fluffy.  It maintained it’s size for a good long while and as it receded it left behind a nice showing of lace.  It looked very appealing. 

From the nose I detected a nice dose of that “barnyard funk” along with a delightful fragrance of that familiar Belgian yeast.  Some sweetness of what I thought to be lemon citrus combined with some spicy cloves created a very enjoyable aroma.  It smelled quite “tarty” and “sour”, yet I never became turned off by any unpleasantness.  It was also balanced fairly well I thought.

The taste started with some of the sourness of course, however it was not nearly as foreword as I thought it might be.  The yeast totally tamed the tartness and smoothed out the flavor suitably.  The funkiness is there too, but it wasn’t overbearing or dominating.  I received a touch of lemon citrus with a splash of orange sweetness for good measure.  The spicy cloves finished the savor by coming on strong at the end.   

The mouthfeel was medium, mostly dry, crisp and quite snappy.  It had only a touch of harshness at the beginning, however it smoothed out considerably after my palate adjusted.  The alcohol was never tasted, although a beautiful bit of warmth was felt after about the 3rd sip, which eventually settled in my chest and belly.  Nice.  A good amount of flavor was left behind for me to ponder and contemplate also. 

We’ve got ourselves a nice beer here.  It’s not going to knock your socks off with sourness or anything, but the Matilda does give you a little kick in the behind to maintain your attention.  I found it to be quite easily drinkable, enjoyable and fun to drink.  I would like to find an older vintage or grab another bottle of the 2011 and cellar it for a few years to see how it develops.  All in all, I would recommend you give it a go if you have yet to do so.  I think you might like it.  

As always, thanks for reading and commenting everyone.  It means a lot to me. 

Cheers.

Score:  4.0 out of 5
Grade:  B+