The Bruery Six Geese A-Laying

The Bruery Six Geese A-Laying, Belgian-style Dark Ale with Cape Gooseberries. Alc. 11.5% by Vol. "The sixth verse of our Twelve Beers of Christmas saga incorporates tangy cape gooseberries into a subtle, Belgian-style dark ale. Happy Holidays!"

So, I'm off season with this one. My last visit to Wisconsin was in early December, and lo, and behold, there were still bottles of this when I returned two weeks ago. Well, as for me, it's always a good time for a Belgian strong dark, so let's dig in…

Appearance: dark, burgundy-hued, utterly opaque, with a slim head that dies down quickly.

Aroma: Tart fruit starts it off. I'm not that smart about gooseberries…what are they, berries that geese lay…is that why it's six geese a-laying? Well, I'm getting a bit of the cran
- and a whiff of the rasp- in that berry fashion.

Taste: Here it comes again, with dark, rich malt behind it. A little chocolate-y, caramel, toffee…stays just on one side of sweet, but firmly encamped in indulgence. Sweetness is staved off by the sour, the refreshing tartness those berries bring. The high alcohol has been staying shy..until now. Boom-lang-a-lang! Full-bodied, long finish.
And the flavor is what's doing it for me, for this one really does have the great, rich, deep and dark flavor of a Belgian strong dark ale, with the twist of the berries. I'm liking this more and more as I drink it in. It tastes oh, so, goose-y.

Tasty stuff. Mmmm, mmm, The Bruery, I like what you do-ery.