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750ml
$12
Goose, Clybourn

The second I popped the top on this brew and started pouring the smell of banana bread filled the room. This beer is pours surprisingly dark with a body bordering on thick, rich apple cider. By apple cider I mean the darkest of apple ciders you have ever witnessed. A lot of yeast was released into the glass even with a careful pour. The head grew to just under two fingers in my weizen glass and quickly fizzled down to a solid cap that leaves behind some small patchy lacing here and there after each drink.

The nose is loaded with warm banana bread, more banana than bread though, and dark sugars. Molasses and dark brown sugar all play their own roles while adding complexity. There is a lot of caramel keeping this beer malt heavy with a faint, leafy hoppiness drifting around in the back. The estery banana really plays a nice part in this beer and adds some fruity sweetness that I don't come across too often in other brews. Faint milk chocolate pops in and out throughout the entire drink. The nose is complex and inviting.

The flavor is just as deep as the nose suggested it would be. The dark sugars from the nose start off the flavor profile with dark brown sugar and faint molasses leading the way before being joined by some fig-like sweetness. The milk chocolate takes on more of a bittersweet chocolate on the tongue while the banana bread comes in a big way, tasting like banana nut bread with chocolate chips. This beer is interesting and delicious. The banana adds that layer of sweetness before a leafy hoppiness balances it all out.

This dunkle weizen has a medium body with a bit of a gritty texture. The body is caramelly smooth and somewhat creamy with clean alcohol fumes rising through the nose. That alcohol works to add some more spiciness to the already spicy hop profile.

Dunkelweizenbock was a sipper for me with all the complexities. The bottle is now gone and I find myself wanting more. As it warms the flavors continue to develop until this becomes a sit down and focus type of brew.

I'm a big fan of these special releases from Goose Island for their 20th anniversary. I usually don't find myself buying many wheat beers of any kind but this is high quality. I'm glad I had the chance to give it a go.

Reviewed: 1/22/08

Price: $12.00 Served In: Pilsner Glass

Sampled March 2009
This beer pours with a noticeable viscous texture. The beer is topped by a frothy, initially two-finger thick, lightly browned, tan colored head. The beer is a murky, muddy, brown-amber color that is hazy enough to be opaque when held up directly to the light, but does pick up a bit more of a red hue. Up front I get a banana note that is quickly subsumed by a toasted malt character. A bit of clove character is noticeable throughout the aroma and there is also a nice nuttiness here in the nose. There is a touch of spiciness here as well, which seems to meld with the toasted grain notes, and there is also a prune / fig fruit thing going on here as well that seems to get a bit over-ripe as the beer warms. An interesting nose, but it isn't quite as expressive as I might have hopped.

Not nearly as sweet tasting as I expected, there is a touch of malt sweetness here, but it is well tempered by a wheat-tartness and the toasted malt character. My second sip sees a bit of clove spiciness become noticeable up front and the tartness accentuates some plum-like flavors. The finish has a mix of hop bitterness and toasted malt notes that are not quite roasty, but do provide a touch of astringency. The body of this beer isn't as big as it looked visually, but does have some heft to it; the beer is actually pretty quaffable for a beer of this strength though and is pretty nice for the style. This has a bit of an off flavor in the finish that is sort of plastic like, a bit savor / meaty, or perhaps just burnt; I really can't quite put my finger on it.

Not a bad beer as most of the elements seem to be here, but somehow all the flavors / aromas don't seem to combine into an integrated whole all that well. Still this is certainly enjoyable

Served In: Pint Glass

beer added and reviewed on my phone on the GI WiFi. there's a first.

A - cloudy, murky brown body. there is no way you'll see through this glass. No head at all.

S - wow. Chocolate is ry big here, as is dark fruits. Strong malted wheat.

T - Huge red fruit flavors. Dates, cherries, raisins, etc. Almost has a rye flavor to it. Wheat is big, but this is all about big fruity flavors.

M - Medium to full body. Carbonation is low.

Overall - I really like this beer. Easy drinking but full flavored brew.

Served In: Goblet