Now that we’ve passed the winter solstice, everyday is one day closer to spring. And after several months of dark and heavy beers, January is the perfect time for something lighter, something new, and something that will keep us looking towards baseball season. Leave it to Chicago’s own Goose Island Beer Company to fulfill those notions with their brand new seasonal, Preseason Lager, a Vienna-style lager made with both German and American hops. We sat down with Goose Island’s Retail Development Manager and Advanced Cicerone, Beau Forbes, for a private tasting of the new beer.
“Unlike a typical lager, it finishes off with a nice citrus piney flavor,” says Beau. “But it still has that lager smoothness. It’s really a pale ale drinker’s lager.”
Goose Island Brewmaster Jared Jankowski developed the recipe, drawing inspiration from the Wisconsin amber lagers he had when he was younger. And for those of you keeping score at home, this may not be the first time you’ve tried this beer — it was actually the Experimental Lager that came in Goose’s fall variety packs this year. After the beer received a positive reception, the brewing team made the decision to re-release it as Preseason Lager and made it their spring seasonal.
“This is the lager you have while you’re waiting for winter to final break,” says Beau. “That said, it goes great with the heavy dishes you cook during the colder months. I recommend pairing it with pork schnitzel, mashed potatoes, and red cabbage.”
Preseason Lager is available now through April and will be available in 6 and 12-pack bottles, as well as on draft. Find it here:
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