The color is a light copper color, and it's very clear. The head is a gloriously lumpy foam that grips the sides of the glass like the iron grip of Andre the Giant on the neck of whatever witless sap happened to be in the ring with him. The aroma is all kinds of hops with a little metallic smell and something more like flour or maybe light spices - there is almost a sweetness. I suspect this will be another successful Goose Island beverage.
First sip is a bit harsh and bitter. There is no hint of the sweet that I smelled. It's an unbalanced beer, and it needs malt in the right place. However, the sip is not the best way to judge a beer, and it's pretty obvious that the only way to really enjoy this beer is to give it a proper gulp.
Tip-in is floral and hoppy. The middle is a bit of caramel with a hint of metallic overtones. Right in the center of it is a subdued hop. The finish hits with a harsh bitterness followed by a more noticeable hop and even a hint of sweet. It's not Goose Island's best beer, but it isn't a terrible beer, either. Even as it starts to lose the very cold temperature that it was at, it doesn't get worse - it quite possibly gets a little better.
3.5/5