Belgian Week Day Three: Matilda

3rd beer of the week - half way there! Tonight's brew is the delectable Matilda.

From the Goose Island website:
"Wild in character, with a slightly fruity aroma and a spicy yeast flavor that is as unique as it is satisfying – Matilda is an intriguing choice for beer and wine lovers alike. Dry and quenching, it’s the perfect accompaniment at the dining table or for casually socializing at the bar."

This beer also has a video about it from the brewmaster:



The first time I ever had Goose Island's Matilda was early summer last year. Since then, it has become one of my favorites. This beer is very, very versatile when it comes to food - it can go well with just about any meal. I have yet to find something that doesn't jive with it at all. Even foods that normally would not go well with the style (Belgian Strong Pale Ale) seem to do alright next to Matilda.

For a beer that can go well with just about any dish, and is also both an apéritif and a digestive, one would expect it to be a rather bland tasting beer. While I do admit that it does have a smoother and more mellow taste to it, I would never say it is bland by any means. There are a lot of flavors and aromas in there, a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy.

This is one of the beers that brought me into the craft beer world, and to it I raise my glass. Is it strange to toast something by using a glass full of itself? Hmm.

WARNING! Goose Island has issued a recall on certain bottles made between April and May of 2010. A wild yeast entered the batches and caused souring. Read more about it here, which includes which bottle date codes were affected. Check your codes, and if you find one that is affected bring it back to your liquor store.

Matilda
Brewery: Goose Island
Country: USA (Illinois)
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
ABV: 7.0
IBUs: 32
Serving Type: 22oz Bottle
Cost: $7

Appearance: Orange / dark golden color. 2 finger head on this one. good carbonation that settles down after pouring. Very nice lacing, but I was not able to get it to hold long due to improperly cleaned glassware.

Aroma: Very malty, it is the first thing you will notice when you take a sniff. Alcohol smell shows a nice presence here, without being overpowering. Subtle smells of fruits and spices as well - subtle enough that it can take awhile to pinpoint each of the distinct aromas.

Taste: Distinct taste of the yeast and malts. There is a lot going on in the flavor department - subtle hints of fruits such as cherry and pear as well as various spices (some from the yeast used) and a hint of brown sugar throughout the beer. There is a slight floral characteristic, but it is hard to pin down.

Drinkability: The brewmaster sums it up nicely: "Dry and quenching, it’s the perfect accompaniment at the dining table or for casually socializing at the bar." This is something I could drink very often and not get tired of it.

Verdict: You know what I am going to say: buy it and drink it whenever you can. I recommend finding it on tap where you can, it is certainly a step up from the bottle conditioned form.