As some readers may know, I grew up in St. Louis and now reside near Detroit. One thing the two cities have in common is a sense of rivalry with the Crown Jewel of Midwestern cities: Chicago. You could always count on some newspaper article (back when people actually read newspapers) touting the respective cities pros and cons when weighed against Chi-town. Wishful thinking.
You see, there is no way, no how, no chance either St. Louis or Detroit (and I love both, by the way) even come close to the awesomeness that is Chicago. I’m not even going to work my way down the checklist of reasons why — any objective observer would have to concur that Chicago rules the Midwest.
Goose Island is the Chicago microbrew. Sure, there are many others, but for the average consumer, Goose Island is the one on the shelf at the local Megamart. I’ve always found Goose Island beer to be good, but not great. Until now…
Goose Island Harvest Ale is pretty amazing stuff. It had many of the expected attributes one looks for in a fall beer: a roasted malt flavor and appealing amber color. But what sets Harvest Ale above the rest are the hops. You end up with this wonderful, bitter hoppy finish on top of the caramel malt. It makes for a fantastic beer, perfect for fall.
Goose Island Harvest Ale is a worthy representative of the great city it comes from. Hopefully the beer lovers out there can give it a try; you will not be disappointed. Harvest Ale is (currently) without peer among the seasonals I have had the good fortune to drink, and that includes Sierra Nevada. I do plan on reviewing at least a couple more, so final verdict will be withheld for now. But for the time being, Goose Island Harvest Ale is the beer to beat.