Goose Island Beer Company- Big John: Big Disappointment X 2

I was sitting here on the couch watching game 5 of the Bulls vs. Pacers series hoping for a Bulls win and eagerly anticipating game 7 of the Blackhawks vs. Vancouver series with hopes of a Blackhawks win when I remembered that I had a brew in the fridge that would be perfect to review at this moment.  We have a great tradition in the city of Chicago of great sports teams and die-hard fans.  Recently, Chicago lost a great brewing tradition, Goose Island Beer Company.  Now mind you Northern Illinois is by no means remotely close to the brewing Mecca’s such as Michigan, Colorado or California but Goose Island has been around for a very long time.  Facing distribution issues related to production, Goose Island was looking to expand.  Then the worst thing that could have happened, happened, they sold out to InBev.  While some may disagree with my stance on this issue, I hold firm that this was a money grab move and the integrity of Goose Island was sold right along with the brewery.  In the last month I’ve seen Dogfish Head, Avery and Great Divide pull distribution out of certain markets to maintain stronger distribution in other markets.  While this may have disappointed fans in certain markets, it is the right thing to do.  I’d be willing to bet that as soon as Dogfish Head increases capacity they will distribute back into markets that they once sold to.  I have absorbed and read every article known to man about the sale of Goose Island and while some hold out hope that nothing will change, InBev is driven by profits not quality.  I truly believe that it is only a matter of time before Goose Island’s Vintage, Vintage Reserve and Extreme Series will be no more than a distant memory.  In three years you will be lucky to find anything more than their Honkers, 312 and Harvest Ale as again it is about profitability NOT quality.  I had a friend Adam pick me up a bottle of Big John.  Big John is in their current Extreme Series and is an Imperial Stout.  It is my opinion that this will be the last original Pre-InBev Goose Island brew that will be made in the Extreme Series.  I can tell you one thing for sure, with InBev’s record of trying to hamper the growth of Craft Beer, this will be my last and final Goose Island beer ever.

Goose Island Beer Company classifies this brew as an Imperial Stout and their website describes Big John as, “Inspired by the epic skyline of Chicago, Goose Island’s brewers set out to craft Big John; a tall, bold slugger of a stout that stands out vividly against the little soft beers out there. Epic amounts of roasted malt and an addition of cacao nibs give Big John a massive chocolate flavor and aroma. With a body as substantial and black as the building to which it pays homage, Big John is sure to inspire a sense of awe with every sip.”

Big John pours a burnt coffee black with a ½” brown head.  The aroma is chocolate, roasted malts, toffee, prunes/dates/raisins and slight alcohol.

Interesting.  Seeing that Big John was brewed with cacao nibs, I expected a bit more chocolate flavor.  Instead what I get is more dark fruit, licorice and slight alcohol warming.  Yes, you do get a very slight hint of chocolate but it is overshadowed by the previous mentioned flavors.  When I drink Imperial Stouts I expect to get some nice roasted malts, coffee and bitter chocolate flavors but none are present here in Big John.  I guess I’m not really all that surprised as I’ve never been completely blown away by any of the Goose Island brews with the exception Pepe Nero and their Vintage Reserve series.  Big John is actually a Big disappointment but nowhere near the disappointment of hearing that Goose Island was sold to InBev.

ABV: 11.5%

Consumed: USMC 10oz Snifter Glass

Verdict: Bum One From A Friend