Big John
Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Pastry / Flavoured - Imperial Rotating Out of Production|
Score
7.81
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Inspired by the epic skyline of Chicago, Goose Island’s brewers set out to craft Big John; a tall, bold slugger of a stout that stands out vividly against the little soft beers out there. Epic amounts of roasted malt and an addition of cacao nibs give Big John a massive chocolate flavor and aroma. With a body as substantial and black as the building to which it pays homage, Big John is sure to inspire a sense of awe with every sip.
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6.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle with gooovikings in KC. Thanks Jetson! Black appearance with a very small dark brown head. Roasty, chocolate, licorice, light vanilla nose. Dark chocolate, roasty dark malts, licorice, light vanilla flavor. A little disappointing.
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Aug 2011
at 20:22
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
This brew pours black with a medium thin khaki head that dissipates to an outer ring. Stringy lacing on the glass. Aroma of coffee, cocoa and charred malt. Medium to full body and a little on the hot side with a bitter coffee and dark chocolate character tempered a bit by doughy malt. The finish is bittersweet with a boozy chocolate aftertaste. Would probably settle if laid down a year or two, still above average as it is.
Tried
on 28 Jul 2011
at 14:03
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle thanks to my Michigan crew! Pours black with a cream brown head that dissipates to the edges. Aroma has a good amount of chocolate, both sweet and bitter with some backing roasted malts and dark grains. Flavor has a bit more roasted malt still with a lot of chocolate (both) and a bit of a backing sweet dark grains. Nothing really stuck out for me on this one.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Jul 2011
at 17:39
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle shared thx to tkrjukoff 2011-07-09 Sätila AR: chocolate rich, coffee, bitterness AP: Dark brown, frothy dark beige head F: vanilla bourbon, thick chocolate, coffee, truffel , cognac in the yolk
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Jul 2011
at 14:51
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Courtesy of hopscotch. Pours dark with mahogany edges and mocha head. The aroma offers up dark to near burnt roasted malts, chocolate malts and then some booze at the end of the draw. The taste is similar with pleasing flavor richness coming from dark roasted malts, burnt malts and near velvety chocolate goodness. Nice rich bold yummy stout.
Tried
on 01 Jul 2011
at 19:57
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
Bottle. Pours oily black with a thin brown head which quickly dissipates. Nose of motor oil, toluene, burnt dark cocoa and burnt vanilla. Taste is motor oil, very sweet dark fruits, cheap bourbon, burnt cocoa and vanilla. Oily and sweet.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Jun 2011
at 23:38
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
A friend of mine got this on tap at Goose Island Clybourn at Rare Stout Night, and I had maybe a 0.5oz sip of this. Maybe it’s not a proper amount to do a proper rating...but this stuff is hard to find and I figured it may be my only shot at reviewing, so here it goes! Appearance pitch black with very thin off white head. Aroma mostly malt, maybe a faint lactose backing. Taste super rich, huge in lactose notes, kind of has a sour undertone which is actually pretty good. It has that boozey flavor but doesn’t have the kick in the back end. Also has somewhat of a dark fruit/plum flavor as well. Pretty complex and somewhat easy drinker. I approve.
Tried
from Draft
on 25 May 2011
at 21:16
6.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6
22oz bottle pours a thick, viscous, opaque black with a thin, ringing beige head. Nose is coffee liqueur, cherry, malt syrup, some Hersey’s syrup, a little alcohol, licorice. Flavor is very sweet, licorice, cherry candies, boiled down coffee, brown sugar, chocolate syrup, something a little medicinal, dark fruits, lactose. Really full bodied, almost distractingly thick, cloying sweetness. This needs a lot of time in the bottle to age out some of the sweet tones.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 May 2011
at 17:39
8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8
Pours a solid thick black color with a smallish tan head that disappears too quickly. Smells sweet with an alcoholic edge. Heavy dark bitter chocolate and tons of molasses dominate the aroma. Mix in some dark fruits and alcohol for good measure. Taste is again thick sweet and alcoholic. Lots of dark chocolate mixed with brown sugar and molasses. Long lingering alcohol burn after each sip. If not for the alcohol I think this would be a bit overly sweet. Thick viscous body with a sweet velvety smooth mouthfeel and low level of carbonation. I really enjoyed this one but I think a little time will help the flavors meld together a little better.
Tried
on 14 May 2011
at 19:35
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
22 oz bottle. Poured nearly pitch black, small brown head. Aroma was roasted malts, touch of coffee, cocoa, touch of caramel. Flavor was roasted malts, chocolates, coffee notes. A bit warm, but a pretty darn good one.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Apr 2011
at 23:35