– Cleveland, Ohio
Goose Island is one of our favorite breweries here at the BRC. Yes, yes, we know, “They sold out to AB-InBev!” – we get it. While the status of their ownership is controversial amongst craft beer lovers, it would be nearly criminal to claim that Goose Island fails to put out some of the best beer in America, if not the world. Though their more accessible brands such as 312 or Honkers may be brewed in an off-site AB-inBev facility, Goose Island is still crafting some of the most amazing beers out there. Brands such as the Bourbon County Brand Stout line are arguably some of the finest craft beers one can consume, and it is because of those types of beers that keep Goose Island at the top of the charts in the hearts of craft beer lovers everywhere.
Migration Week is Goose Island’s annual nation-wide tour in which they showcase some of their finest craft beers to excited fans of the brewery. This year, we were fortunate enough to be invited to an extra special tasting event held at the beautiful and impressive craft beer bar Town Hall in Cleveland, Ohio for what Goose Island dubbed their ‘Sours & Sweets’ event.
Town Hall – Cleveland, Ohio
Town Hall – Cleveland, Ohio
This Goose Island Migration Week event was too good to be true. An extra-special food & beer pairing (which we are very fond of) that combined both the Goose Island sours (also known as the Four Sisters Program) and artisan deserts? Seriously? We had to get in on this. Our new friend Maria, representative of House of Larose was kind enough to invite us to this event, and our pallets (and stomachs) are endlessly thankful.
The Calm Before the Storm
The Food and Beer Pairings for the Sour & Sweets Event.
Funny enough, one of the Four Sisters; Gillian, was one of our very first YouTube review episodes at the very beginning of our Brew Review Crew journey, so it was really exciting for us to not only revisit Gillian, but to try out the other sours in the lineup.
Goose Island sent a team of representatives to hang out for the evening. The was composed of brewers, taproom managers and other team members to mingle with the crowd and give personal explanations to all of the food and beer pairings. We spent a lot of the evening sitting and chatting with brewer Brian LaGro and taproom manager Jonny Coffman; both of which were wonderful spokespeople for Goose Island. Anyone who thinks Goose Island lost its soul to the AB-inBev merger needs only to spend some time with the people who make up Goose Island as a company to realize that they are still in the business of people. These two guys, along with the rest of the Goose Island crew were hospitable, genuine and just plain fun to hang around for a few hours.
While we won’t go into specific notes for the brews and pairings, you should know that the Four Sisters sour lineup are fruit-based brews that are infused with pounds and pounds of real fruit and wild sour yeast strains that result in some of the finest sour beers we have had the pleasure of drinking. We aren’t just saying that to pay lip-service. These Goose Island sours are the real deal and just as good as any you could ever enjoy.
Before the evening concluded, the Goose Island team ended the night with a bang. They graciously provided everyone in attendance with a small sampling of what I (Ron) consider to be the best beer I’ve ever had the pleasure of drinking; Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout – Proprietor’s Edition. One of the BRC’s long-time supporters, Dominic Sberna quite literally ran over to our seats to proclaim his excitement. The man’s craft beer soul was bursting from his mortal body with the fervor of a thousand raging bulls. From experience, I know that his anticipation and excitement was well warranted. Drinking that brew is as close to a religious experience that one can achieve in the world of craft beer – and we want to thank Goose Island for providing that experience for all in attendance.
The Magical BCBS Proprietor’s
The fun was not quite yet over for this year’s Goose Island Migration Week. At the outset of the evening, the fellas from Goose Island challenged all in attendance to an Instagram contest! Whoever could take the best photo of the evening tagged with the hashtag #MigrationWeek would win a grand prize. A 2012 vintage of the Madame Rose Belgian Style Ale brewed with Cherries!
We here at the BRC don’t often like to brag or toot our own horns…but we like to think of ourselves as ‘Beertographers’ from time-to-time.
Our Submission to the Migration Week Instagram Contest
We are proud to say that our photo, which demonstrates the range of colors and hues of the Four Sisters sour lineup, was the grand prize winner of the evening. For our efforts, we were awarded the 2012 vintage of Madame Rose!
The 2015 Migration Week celebration event was a rousing success. We would like to thank Maria for inviting us, Town Hall for hosting the event, and especially Goose Island for sharing some amazing beer and providing an event for craft beer lovers to congregate and socialize over some of the finest sours in the nation, paired with some heavenly treats.
Cheers!
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