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Wild Goose IPA
Frederick, Maryland
BJCP Category: 14A English IPA
Wild Goose Brewery <visit site>
39
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[expand]Total Score: 43/50
Very drinkable beer that has an inviting blend of hops and malt that meld to form a classic English IPA. Very clean; well made. more >
[close]Total Score: 43/50
Aroma: Medium to high earthy hop aroma with supporting toasted, toffee and caramel malt backbone. No DMS or diacetyl. Alcohol is evident. Moderate fruity fermentation esters. Very inviting aroma. (10/12)
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Appearance: Light copper color. Brilliant clarity. Thick, rocky, long-lasting head. Medium carbonation. (3/3)
Flavor: Sweet, bready, toasted malt flavor up-front with balanced assertive hop bitterness that lingers into the aftertaste. Medium earthy hop flavor complements the toasted malt very well. No DMS or diacetyl. Moderate yeast-derived fruity esters. Alcohol is fairly assertive. Dry finish from a sweet start. (18/20)
Mouthfeel: Mild warming from alcohol. Medium bodied. Smooth but with assertive bitterness that lingers. Low hop-derived astringency in aftertaste. Moderate carbonation lends to dry finish. (4/5)
Overall Impression: Very drinkable beer that has an inviting blend of hops and malt that meld to form a classic English IPA. Very clean; well made. I can just imagine this with a meat pie and mushy peas on a cold London day. Yum. (8/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 38/50
The malt character of this beer is more evidently English than the hop character. Fermentation is very clean, missing the fruitiness that adds complexity. more >
[close]Total Score: 38/50
Aroma: Biscuity malt with a touch of caramel; earthy hop follows a somewhat strong sulfur note that dissipates fairly quickly, allowing a significant alcohol aroma to come forward. This too diminishes as the beer sits, and gives way to a clean sugary aroma that accents the spicy hops. (9/12)
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Appearance: Brilliantly golden with well-formed off-white, persistent foam stand; fills half the glass. As the head slowly collapses, it takes on a rocky texture and pearly sheen. (3/3)
Flavor: Lightly toasted malt up front gives way to sweetness that supports the moderate spicy, earthy hop flavors. An unexpected smoky note present, allowing the supporting bready, sugary sweet malt to better showcase the hops flavor; balance is toward bitterness still. Other than the sulfur mineral note, this beer is very clean. Hop presence is much more bitter than flavor, and is accentuated by a mineral dryness at the end. Bitterness lingers long into the finish. As the beer sits a little, sweet malt becomes more prevalent, and balance shifts more evenly among sweet, mineral and bitter. (15/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium body; carbonation is at first medium high, but softens quickly. Fairly significant alcohol warmth observed, but character is not hot; no astringency present. (4/5)
Overall Impression: The malt character of this beer is more evidently English than the hop character. Fermentation is very clean, missing the fruitiness that adds complexity. The minerally dry finish that accentuates hop bitterness is pleasant, adding to the drinkability of this beer. This would go well with sweet’n’spicy foods, like barbecued ribs. (7/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 38/50
This is a pleasant beer, with a good balance between the malt sweetness and hop bitterness. A little more hop aroma would improve the nose. more >
[close]Total Score: 38/50
Aroma: Earthy, minerally metallic notes with some graininess. There is some toasted malt character in the background, but leans to the grainy side rather than biscuit or toast. The yeast fruitiness adds complexity and blends with some floral hops notes, and I also pick up a little alcohol. (9/12)
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Appearance: Great clarity, and the light copper color is on the money. The head crackles and fades a little too quickly. (2/3)
Flavor: There is more malt depth than I expected from the aroma, and there is some backbone that is balanced by the hop bitterness. I pick up floral and earthy hop notes in the middle, along with light yeast esters. These are background elements—the primary flavors are malt up front with a quick transition to a moderate hop bitterness and mineral notes in the finish. The balance is good, but there is not a lot of depth. (16/20)
Mouthfeel: There are moderate residual sugars, but the grainy and metallic notes come out a little too strongly and are accompanied by some astringency. I also pick up a slight alcoholic warmth. (4/5)
Overall Impression: This is a pleasant beer, with a good balance between the malt sweetness and hop bitterness. A little more hop aroma would improve the nose, while more fermentation character would add complexity. The metallic notes and graininess detract a little from the finish but could result from Burtonization of the brewing liquor. All in all, it was a well made beer that would be worthy of a second bottle or pint. (7/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 40/50
Harshness of bitterness is a bit high for my tastes. Nice English flavors, particularly in the malt and hops. The yeast is a little sulfury but not very estery. more >
[close]Total Score: 40/50
Aroma: Moderate hops with an earthy, floral and herbal quality, but also with a lightly metallic note. Soft bready English malt character. Light esters. Low caramel. Hops are the strongest component. The malt builds as it warms. The metallic quality detracts. (9/12)
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Appearance: Moderate off-white head, frothy. Clear. Deep gold color with hints of orange. (2/3)
Flavor: Strong bitterness, lingering into the finish with a little harshness. Bready base malt, very English. Moderate earthy, herbal hop flavor. Light esters. Fairly dry finish with a light sulfury quality. A touch of alcohol also adds to the dryness in the finish. The bitterness dominates the palate, but the harshness detracts. Hint of caramel and floral hops. The malt and yeast quality is very English. (16/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium body. Medium carbonation. Light hop astringency. Low alcohol warmth noted. (4/5)
Overall Impression: Harshness of bitterness is a bit high for my tastes. Nice English flavors, particularly in the malt and hops. The yeast is a little sulfury but not very estery. The dryness works well but accentuates the bitterness along with the alcohol. A little more esters and less harshness would help the overall balance. Maybe sulfates in the water and the hop varieties are combining to give it a metallic nose. The bready malt is the nicest quality, and the balance is very traditional. Note that I tried two bottles of this beer and they tasted different; one was much better than the other (less harshness and metallic qualities, more caramel and esters). This scoresheet talks about both beers, but I probably would have scored them 35 and 42 individually. (7/10)
