Chicagoist: Chicagoist's "Beer of the Week": Goose Island Harvest Ale

guest

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 00:56:29 -0600

There's also the fact that most Oktoberfests are kind of gross. This beer seems tamer in the bottle, but decent overall. I would much rather see this style as a fall offering than most of the crap that gets lugged out around this time (though at least they're better than the "summer" offerings).. Oh, and using this to cook ribs? Ribs are gross to begin with. That's a waste.

guest

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 13:07:45 -0600

Decent pick. I really enjoy this seasonal. Much more hoppy and less sweet than some Okotberfests. A lot breweries are moving away from Oktoberfests and releasing Harvests in their place. This is partly due to the hard time stores have selling beers labled Octoberfest once the month has passed. FYI Goose Island had their old Oktoberfet on draft at the brewpubs.

Chuck Sudo

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 12:46:03 -0600

For folks looking for medium weighted alcohol contents, Harvest Ale comes in at around 5.7 percent by volume. So a couple go a long way here.

JoeM500

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 12:37:49 -0600

Goose island has always brewed wonderful Bitters. My notes date back to the "14 Year BItter" from 2002 that was cask conditioned. Every year, they changed it up, sometimes using UK hops (2003) and sometimes bumping up the alcohol level to nearly 7% (2006) and often filling it chock full of Pacific Northwest hops! Hats off to them for releasing a nice bottled version, just tasty enough for hopheads like me and hopefully just pedestrian enough that Bud/Miller/Coors drinkers try one and experience what a beer is supposed to taste like. Great choice. The Sierra Nevada Harvest is just arriving in the area, also, and is one of the best IPAs ever brewed in my opinion!

guest

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 12:10:23 -0600

Good pick. Though I don't like using quality beer for boiling, this beer is great for boiling ribs before you put them on the grill. Mix 2 beers and a beer bottle's worth of water with olive oil in a pan and shove in the oven for 45 minutes at 350F. Apply rub before you put it in the oven because it hurts trying to do it afterwards. This beer keeps the ribs moist on the grill.