Goose Island 312 Urban Pale Ale
On March 12th, Goose Island will be releasing 312 Urban Pale Ale, the company’s first year-round pale ale offering. At 5.4% ABV, the beer is right about in the middle for what we normally see in this style. 312 Urban Pale Ale is brewed with Amarillo, Mt. Hood and Nugget hop varieties that give it a welcome bite (30 IBU) as well as a good amount of piny character.
What I really like about this beer, however, isn’t the hop profile. It’s the malt backbone that arrives late in each swallow to help temper the brisk hop character with a good bit of caramel and soft sweetness. The result is a pretty darn drinkable beer with solid balance and a refreshing nature.
Appearance
A small cap of white foam falls to a full ring around the surface of the golden amber colored brew.
Aroma
An assertive grapefruit and pine hop character fills the nose quickly with hints of grass, lemon, crackers and distant grain in the background.
Taste
312 Urban Pale Ale starts off with a surge of grapefruit, lemon, grass and leafy hops that arrive swiftly on the crisp mouthfeel. The bitterness peaks quickly and fades slowly to a lingering tingle in the lasting finish. Grain and lightly toasted bread round out a fairly balanced swallow. For only 30 IBU, the beer packs a quick-hitting bite of hop bitterness. The active carbonation combines nicely with the lighter body to make for a refreshing drinking experience.
Overall
The initial wave of hop bitterness is a welcome surprise. It’s got a brisk arrival with plenty of pine and grassy character, as well as a moderate amount of bitterness. The brewery does well to round the beer off with a decent malt backend that balances everything out nicely. I can certainly see this one doing well in the warmer months and while, it’s not your prototypical sessionable lawnmower beer, the flavor begs for those types of occasions.
Rating: 3.5/5
This is a review of a promotional sample from the brewery.
