Goose Island The Illinois
Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s grandiose vision for a mile-high skyscraper dubbed "The Illinois," we set out to brew an imperial IPA that would be similar in name and ambition. "The Illinois" Imperial IPA is dry-hopped with three of our favorite hops: Cascade, Meridian, and Citra. the result is a harmoniously hoppy ale with a flavor and aroma that is uniquely Goose Island.
3.7
377 reviews
Chicago, United States
Community reviews
Pours a golden amber color. Aromas of floral hops, some sweetness, and a touch of fruit. Flavors of hops, pine and citrus. Light body with a bittersweet finish and long aftertaste.
Draft. Golden with a white head. Citrus, hops, and alcohol aromas. Similar flavors: sweet citrus, pine, and booziness.
This was poured into a tulip.
The appearance was a hazy semi-burnt amber color. Mild little white head quickly dissipated. Semi-sliding lacing.
The smell takes on some sweet to bitter grassy with bitter citric hop driven components. Some floral qualities involved.
The taste pretty much sums up all of the previously mentioned flavors. Dry sweet citrus to floral aftertaste. Quick dry floral sweet finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body. Sipping to sessionable quality.
Overall, as a DIPA, it definitely works. I’d have again.
Well it’s unique. Very medicinal and a bit spicy. Pretty clear gold color. Not much fragrance but some nice lacing
12 oz. bottle. Bottled 13 JAN 16. Hops are Calypso, Galaxy, Cascade, Chinook 8.4% ABV per the label, so this is a new recipe. Pours a medium thick, well retained, ivory head, with moderate lacing, over a clear, dark amber (SRM 14) body......nose is pine, citrus, primarily grapefruit, orange, tangerine, from the hops, mild toasted malts, balance to the hops......taste is moderately sweet, with light toffee/caramel tones, from the malts, heavy citrus, with orange, tangerine, grapefruit notes, pine, resin, licorice, finishing moderately bitter, balance to the hops.....mouth feel, medium body, mild alcohol, moderate carbonation with moderate acid. This is a showcase for the hops. The malts are present, but simple and subdued. The hops are definitely in the newer style of I/DIPA with loads of citrus, fruity notes in both aroma and flavor from the hops. As a result it is a bit trite although drinkable. BJCP 8/3/15/5/8
Clear golden brown with a light head. Quite piney, some light citrus. Some hay. Quite bitter. Light sweetness. Medium body, kind of oily, not much carbonation. Quite good.
The Illinois has a thin, bone-colored head, a clear, burnt orange appearance, some bubbles, and minimal lacing left behind on the glass. The aroma is of sweet, sugary, malt, and fruity, hop resins. Taste is of those elements, with a very forward and robust hop oil bitterness. Sweetness and white bread are also noticed. Mouthfeel is high medium, and The Illinois finishes puckering dry. RJT
Draught at The Beer Trappe. Clean orange pour. Bitterness and hops with some resin. Not too heavy. Nice.
Draft 0.15l at Tap takeover Goose Island at The Beer Temple Amsterdam Netherlands.19.03.2016.Taste with Potjebier and Zlotta.Pour it hazy orange with small white head.Aroma fresh squizzed orange and pine.Taste fresh orange flavor,smooth texture,tanderine,some pine on the back,perfectly balancded really good.I liked it.
Aroma: citrus, grass, floral,
Appearance: golden with a white head
Taste: medium sweetness, medium bitterness,
Palate: medium body, sticky, average carbonation, long finish,
Delicious
Aroma is citrus and buttery pine. Flavor is way too heavy on the alcohol - almost make you think you’ve mixed vodka into your DIPA. Not as good as advertised.
Draft @ Goose Island night, Hoppy Loft.
Orangée, col crémeux.
Arôme est houblonné agrumes, retro malté, caramel, avec une impression belge.
Palais reste orienté houblon, plus renforcé avec des notes agrumes, malt offrant une pointe de biscuit, pin persistant. Touche abricot avec encore eune marque levure belge.
Tap @ Beer Temple, at Goose Island Migration week, with Markoijelena and Zlotta (a.o.). Clear orange color. Forthy head, not much and with short retention. Aroma’s: tropical fruit, resin. Retronasal: tropical fruit, sour, resinous. Flavor is moderate to full bitter, moderate sweet. Medium bodied. Finishes with a good bitterness. Nice one!
Draft at beertemple. Golden pour. Aroma of bitter hops, citrus, pine and mild caramel. Fresh flavor of bitter pine, citrus, soft caramel, grassy hops and some malt. Good beer.
Sampled from tap at ’Beertemple’. Clear, golden amber with a tan to white head. Sweetish, fruity-resiny aroma of mango, passion fruit, some honey and pine. Sweetish, fruity-resiny taste of mango, passion fruit, orange, honey and pine, followed by a medium long, resiny, medium bitter, dry finish. Medium to full body, creamy mouthfeel, flat. Quite good!
Draft at Beer Temple. Near clear amber with an off white head. Aroma of big fruity hops, tropical fruit, peach, citrus, lychee. Flavour is above light sweet and moderate bitter. Light medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Rating #3000.
Draught at Hoppy Loft.
APPEARANCE: darker blond beer, nice stable white head.
NOSE: fruity, hoppy, bit bitter, dry.
TASTE: florar, fruity, hoppy, fresh. Very nice!
Deep orange. Nose of meaty citrus, grapefruit, pine, and sugary malt. Flavor is sweet, borderline hot grainy caramel with more thick citrus bitterness. Lingering light boozy malt and grapefruit rind. Chewy.
Hazy orange with a small head. The aroma is a bit resiny, with some caramel and some mellow citrus, orange and stone fruit and light vanilla notes. The flavor packs a bit more tropical fruit and citrus, and is also very clean. A moderate amount of sweetness carries all the way through to the slightly bitter, resiny finish.
On tap at Timothy O’Toole’s Pub, Chicago. Hazy copper with a white head. Aroma and taste of hops, grapefruit, resin and some caramel. Fairly thick body and with a long bitter finish. Also some warming alcohol.
2/11/16 Chicago ($7 12 oz draft pour into chalice at Goose Island Tap Room). Darker yellow pour, clear light head, minimal lacing. Citrus aroma. Nice strong hops and clean taste and texture. Pleasant bitterness, decent kick. Overall very good beer.
Draft at District Tap House. Murky orange with s beige head and mid-heavy lacing. Aroma of orange, pine, and butterscotch. Flavor is odd. Almost reminds me of a creamsicle or something with game orange flavor. I can’t exactly pinpoint what, but it definitely tastes different than I expected. It’s almost creamy. A bit of boozy heat comes through on a mid-plus bodied beer with an okay overall feel. Decent, but not something is rush out for again.
Pours a slightly cloudy apricot color with golden orange edges and a two finger, frothy white head that slowly settles into a lasting ring. Good retention with streaks of soapy lace left behind.
Earthy floral hop aroma with dank, resinous oils, grass and pine needle countered by citrus fruit, sweet malt and biscuit. Nice grassy character followed by pineapple, mango, grapefruit and citrus peel. Subtle caramel malt sweetness along with bread, biscuit, toffee and cracker.
On the lighter end of medium body with a blast of dry, earthy hops that lingers over the sweeter citrus/tropical fruit notes and pale malts into bone dry finish. Bitter, dry and sticky with pine sap, grass and spruce tip follows by hints of grapefruit, pineapple and lemon peel. Underneath, there’s a pale malt backbone but it isn’t as strong as in the nose. Subtle cracker and biscuit flavor with some bread and faint caramel sweetness. Decent balance with good flavor.
95 IBU. pours cloudy copper with a thick off white head. Initial soft creamy citrus hop taste that builds after swallowing. The massive hop flavor builds as you breathe in.
---Rated via Beer Buddy
Une amertume impressionnante et résineuse avec un arrière goût herbacé persistant. C’est ce que j’écrirais si j’avais à décrire cette bière en une seule phrase. Mais bon, puisque j’ai droit à plusieurs phrases, alors bah... je n’en ferai pas usage par paresse!
cool hops used but too muddled and malty - me thinks I got an old one. I’d like to try it fresh, but for now the light citrus over cardboard ain’t floatin my boat.
I keep drinking bottle after bottle of this over the past month, but never seem to get around to rating it. Guess now is the time... The aroma is stuff full of toffee malt and resiny hios with dried citrus fruit; burnished copper orange color with an off white crown; the flavor is complex and contains lots of dried fruit (apricot, peach, dates), chewy toffee malt, leather, toms of herbal and spicy hops, a dollop of resin, moderately bitter overall, warming alcohol speaking out; chewy and sticky texture, medium full body; this drinks almost like an American style barleywine, buy goes down easier and seems more enjoyable and complex overall; I think this is a really good beet and I’m thoroughly enjoying it... Fantastic label, too!
APPEARANCE ? Light copper color. Nice white head that builds quickly with the pour, and stays with me as I enjoy this beauty.
NOSE ? great resiny hop scent ? not overpowering.
FLAVOR ? light resin hop bite in the beginning and slightly malty finish. Really nicely balanced for a bigger IPA.
NOTES ? While this is another new IPA on the market, it?s a solid introduction. But not anything exceptionally different.
Pours a clear brownish yellow with a half inch of head. Good amount of lacing. The aroma is a big juicy whiff of citrus sweetness, floral hop hints. The taste is some citrus peel with some floral hops as well as pine. Sweet caramel malts with a flowery hop bitterness towards the end as well as some citrus peel. Slightly bready at times. Slick, oily mouthfeel with a moderate amount of carbonation. Overall, its not a hop bomb but its still a really good Imperial IPA
Big aroma of citrus and pine , taste is not a big, a little soapy. Citrus and pine, good