Chicagoist: Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week": Goose Island "312" Urban Wheat Ale

Constance - Goose PR Girl

Thu, 17 May 2007 13:16:45 -0600

Thanks to everyone who gave us love here. We're really glad you like our beer. Just a quick fact - 312 won a gold medal at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival in the category "English Summer Ale." Thanks again!

Constance - Goose PR Girl

Thu, 17 May 2007 13:15:36 -0600

quack

Fri, 04 May 2007 10:49:11 -0600

My experience with 312 was almost exactly as Chuck described it. At some point I decided I didn't like GI cuz Honkers was to hoppy. Then I ended up with a 312 in my hand, and totally dug it. From there, I moved onto Nut Brown (current fav) and am slowly branching out and exploring beers the same as I've done with wines, teas and coffee. Yes, its a lot less flavorful than a lot of the stuff out there, and the name SCREAMS "Chad," but it works for what it is.

Hornpipe Wilson

Thu, 03 May 2007 18:43:47 -0600

I don't think its been that long, Mike--Im thinking more like 2 1/2. But the reason for the complaints is the taste. Its over-priced crap. Goose Island makes good beers. 312 isn't one of them.

Mike

Thu, 03 May 2007 18:23:19 -0600

Correct me if I'm wrong but it's been called Urban Wheat Ale since it came out 4 1/2 years ago, long before Goose Island "sold out", which I'm guessing is the real reason why people are complaining about Chuck's beer choice.

Hornpipe Wilson

Thu, 03 May 2007 17:41:36 -0600

Are there other beer companies making an urban wheat ale? As far as I can tell 312 is the only beer calling itself "urban wheat ale". No there are no other companies making an "urban wheat ale." The moniker smacks of Anheiser-Miller-Coorsian gimmickry. Its another reason--aside from the poor taste--to avoid 312. The reference above to Hefeweizen refers to the better known German variety of top-fermenting wheat ales. Belgians also brew tasty wheat beers, "witbieren." Why in the world Goose Island didn't try to brew a proper Hefeweizen is beyond me. Instead the marketing seems to have trumped the taste.

Mike

Thu, 03 May 2007 16:06:46 -0600

Are there other beer companies making an urban wheat ale? As far as I can tell 312 is the only beer calling itself "urban wheat ale".

annie

Thu, 03 May 2007 15:23:34 -0600

Boooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

asljdfh

Thu, 03 May 2007 10:32:11 -0600

312 is pretty crappy beer. If I am going to drink something with minimal taste, I'll grab an Old Style. As an "Urban Wheat Ale" it fails miserably. If you want a decent "urban wheat ale," you are better off thinking "Freising" rather than "Fulton." Great German Hefeweizens are available all over the city that put 312 to shame. I will give props to Goose Island for their IPA--its their best offering. If they offered them in 12 packs, that would be brilliant.

prescott

Wed, 02 May 2007 19:53:39 -0600

"I think by now regular readers recognize who writes what here, and if you can't, the author bylines are at the bottom of the posts." I agree, and that fact makes the whole "Chicagoist style" an annoying tic that's insulting to us as readers and I would think you guys as writers. Granted, it's one of my only minor complaints about the site but some lay that style on a little thicker than others. When I read things like, "Chicagoist tends to be picky about our mashed potatoes," my eyes do a backwards 180.

Mike

Wed, 02 May 2007 17:37:44 -0600

Summertime is also a great beer and it's in stores now. I just can't wait for New Belgium to get it's full line here. Fat Tire is OK but it's nothing compared to Sunshine Wheat or Blue Paddle or the Springboard seasonal

Daniel

Wed, 02 May 2007 17:00:24 -0600

Whoaaaaa. What about their Summer Ale?

mike

Wed, 02 May 2007 16:10:43 -0600

Not a big fan of 312. But I don't like citrusy wheats in general. Honker's Ale is OK, but I really prefer the IPA and seasonals. And I prefer the small batch brews to all of em.

Mike

Wed, 02 May 2007 15:45:32 -0600

How can you say Honkers and 312 are their worst offerings? I don't even know where to go with that. are they the most complex? Probably not but they're still way better than most of the beer out there.

Bill V

Wed, 02 May 2007 15:22:03 -0600

Great summer beer, I alwasy have 10 or so cases around just in case a party breaks out.

marquee

Wed, 02 May 2007 15:06:07 -0600

i have tried my hardest to like Goose Island product and support a local brewery. however, honkers ale and 312 are definitely two of their worst offerings.

Bill V

Wed, 02 May 2007 15:00:20 -0600

Great summer beer, I alwasy have 10 or so cases around just in case a party breaks out.

yup

Wed, 02 May 2007 14:54:02 -0600

agreed...now that the city is Bells-less and no Oberon for the summer this is the beer to turn to.

doppler

Wed, 02 May 2007 14:28:18 -0600

Heaping on the Chuck-love-pile, I think you do a good job of posting interesting content while staying above the north/south, hip/frat, indie/mainstream fray. I am getting tired of seeing people vent in black and white in the comments. Some of posts are flamebait, and Chuck's manage to avoid that.

joe m500

Wed, 02 May 2007 13:58:52 -0600

GOOSE LIGHT?????? (that's what a lot of people call it) weak. weak. weak. sorry, this stuff is almost tasteless. GUMBALLHEAD is released Saturday.... 1000 times the beer that the "Goose Light" is.

thundercougarfalconbird

Wed, 02 May 2007 12:54:10 -0600

@matty: Agreed. All his posts seem like he actually gets out and does stuff. And all his posts have something to do with the city itself rather than him writing whatever he feels about and THEN try to randomly hook Chicago into it. Kudos, Chuck.

Mike

Wed, 02 May 2007 12:45:08 -0600

312 is a great beer and I totally agree about the gateway. When I first tried Honkers I wasn't really a fan but it wasn't until I started drinking 312 regularly that I revisited Honkers and enjoyed it just as much. 312 was a gateway to not only Honkers but many other beers like it.

matty

Wed, 02 May 2007 12:43:29 -0600

chuck is fast becoming one of my favorite posters. I don't love the beer but it's an interesting taste that's for sure.

Chuck

Wed, 02 May 2007 12:36:34 -0600

Matt: You stretching there. What I wrote was, "(Y)ou're reading the headline ... and thinking, "Chuck isn't even trying this week." The conceit there is that you, the reader, is reading the post and hopefully not saying "Chicagoist isn't even trying this week." I think by now regular readers recognize who writes what here, and if you can't, the author bylines are at the bottom of the posts. Otherwise, the Chicagoist style remains intact.

dave

Wed, 02 May 2007 12:07:46 -0600

I'm relatively low-maintenance; as far as I'm concerned, this is the perfect beer. Yes, I forsake thee, Yuengling Lager ... (which you can't get here anyway)

Kyle

Wed, 02 May 2007 12:03:46 -0600

Good beer Chuck . . . although I personally prefer that "other" wheat beer with the black and yellow label!

MJK

Wed, 02 May 2007 11:42:21 -0600

Good Beer.

Matt

Wed, 02 May 2007 11:36:00 -0600

Whoa! You totally threw the chicagoist style out the window getting all person by calling yourself Chuck. Where's the royal 'we' that we've come to love?