Gin Barrel Gose

Gin Barrel Gose by Garage Brewing Co. was evaluated as BJCP2015 style 33B (Specialty Wood-Aged Beer). This substyle is intended for beers that are treated/aged in barrels where the previous content of the barrel influences the beer flavor/aroma. The beer pours as a very hazy deep gold with a moderately large poofy head of tiny white bubbles. The head dissipates slowly leaving Belgian lace on the glass. Initially, the aroma is a light bready character with moderate lime zest and slight black pepper. The gin also comes through lightly in the aroma – providing a very complex and pleasant overall nose. The flavor mimics and delivers the promises of the inviting aroma. The juniper gin character is much more prominent in the flavor providing a pleasant boozy character of fresh spruce. The underlying Gose comes though with a bready note and lime, with a low minerality (no overt salt). No hops flavor, very low hop bittering, a hint of woody oak, medium carbonation, a medium body provided by the gin and alcohol character, with a short gin-lime fruity citrus finish. There is a fairly substantial alcohol note – this is an Imperial Gose – but it’s a clean ethanol without fusel or higher alcohols. This is an interesting combination that (almost unexpectedly) works very well together. The beer would pair very nicely with a cream-based Lemon Chicken topped with rice wonton strips.