Beer of the Weekend #180: Mild Winter

Tonight, the City High Little Hawks were beaten in the IHSAA 4A State Football Championship by West Des Moines Dowling, 38-31. Though a bittersweet end to the season, I have to say, as a CHS alumni, I was proud of their effort.

This will be my eighth BotW of the week. I’m speechless, yet a bit thirsty. Perhaps I will take next Friday off.

Nah.

The proper beer of the weekend is Mild Winter, brewed by the Goose Island Beer Company of Chicago, Illinois.


As you can see, I am introducing the newest member of The Quiet Man’s beerware collection: an Ayinger “tumbler.” I bought it today at The Glass House, Dirty John’s annex of beer merchandise. (Or is it called The House of Glass? I keep confusing it with a former IC institution, The Glass Lodge, which sold custom glassware of a different purpose.) It most resembles the “Willi” glass Goose Island recommends for all its beers. If you ask me, I think it’s damn sexy, and it may be my new favorite glass.

Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles. The “BOTTLED ON DATE” printed on the back label is 10/25/10.

Appearance: Straight pour into a tumbler. The color is a toffee brown with some copper undertones. Three fingers of eggshell colored head developed and dissipated slowly to leave a spotted and bubbly lacing, as well as foam trails along the inside of the glass.

Smell: Smells a lot like marbled rye bread. Along with the obvious rye aroma, toasted caramel, coffee, and chocolate malts are present. It exhibits a nice nutty and roasted barley quality. There is a little bit of toffee, too.

Taste: The mouthfeel is smooth and a little creamy, and the flavor mirrors the smell deliciously. It tastes like biting into a piece of rye bread fresh out of the toaster. Rye; toasted caramel, coffee, and chocolate malts; roasted barley; and a touch of toffee. There is a noticeable and very pleasant spiciness and hop bitterness that lingers after each sip.

Drinkability: Really good stuff. Straightforward and very drinkable. I wonder how many calories is it in, though.

Fun facts about Mild Winter:

-Style: Though Goose Island classifies it as an “American Mild Ale,” BA lists it as Rye Beer. Sounds sexy. Here’s what BA has to say:

Not to be confused with a German Roggenbier, beers that fall into this category contain a notable amount of rye grain in the grist bill. Bitterness tends to be moderate, to allow the often spicy and sour-like rye characteristics to pull through.

-Price: $8.49/sixer at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.

-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.

-Alcohol content: 5.6 percent ABV.

-Food pairings: Goose Island recommends beef, stews, and sausages. “I WANT SAUSAGES!”

-How about The Ham of Truth?



“He can puke on this side, though.” Love it!

-While I’m on the vid binge, here is the Goose Island video about Mild Winter:



I apologize for the premature holiday soundtrack.

-IBU: 28


The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.

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