Demolition Time

By Erin in Food on May 19, 2005 3:47PM

It was Homer Simpson who said that “a good beer is like a good woman: it looks nice, it smells nice and you would step over your own mother to get one.”

Luckily Chicagoist didn’t need to go that far last night at that wonderful Bucktown mainstay The Map Room for a free tasting of this year’s batch of Goose Island Beer Company’s Demolition Ale.

Goose Island began brewing Demolition Ale in the mid-90’s to celebrate the customers who frequented their flagship brewpub on Clybourn during the massive construction happening in the Clybourn Corridor during that time. Goose Island remarkably managed to not only stay in business, but thrive once the construction was complete.

Demolition is a hearty, Belgian-style golden ale brewed with Saaz and Styrian Golding hops for a grassy, citrus aroma and lots of the finest pale malt for a "honey" malt middle and intense flavor. Brewmaster Greg Hall insists that Demolition Ale makes a wonderful pairing with fresh oysters, and he wasn’t just spouting hyperbole. The oysters being shucked at Map Room- fresh from Alaska’s Prince William Sound- were so rich with flavor that salt and Tabasco were not needed. Coupled with Demolition Ale they made a wonderful palate cleanser.

Interested readers may find Demolition Ale at both the Clybourn and Wrigleyville Brewpubs or at their nearest package store. We recommend heading to Sam’s Wine and Spirits so that you can pick up a bag of oysters at the store’s Marcey Street Market and see for yourself.

Thanks, Chuck!