The Goose Island 312 was a recent Gold Medal winner at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival (GABF). It has
long been a favorite of mine; in fact I named it as one of my favorite session Beers in the Q2 issue of The
Aperitif. The 312 is one of Goose Island’s staple brews being sold in bottle and on draft year round. (For
those not from Chicago, 312 is in reference to our local area code.)
Goose Island is Chicago’s greatest
regional brewery growing from a single brewpub on Chicago’s north side in 1988 to now being bottled and sold in 15
states as well as the UK. (My apologies to those living in areas without access to Goose Island Beers.)
It’s an
“American Wheat Ale” which means that it in no way is attempting to be a Bavarian style Weiss Bier with its
distinctive fruity, banana and clove like aromas.
Tasting Note: Cloudy in appearance with a golden, straw color. Spicy and mildly grainy on the nose with hints of citrus. On the palate the 312 is bright and lively with a silky texture accented by notes of toasted grain and balancing hop bitterness and citrus zest. It finishes clean and crisp inviting the next sip as a great session Ale should. $7.49 per 6 12oz. bottles
