Goose Island was sold to the giant Brazilian beverage conglomerate AB Inbev in 2010. Goose Island's price was $39 million dollars, and some say a majority stake of it's craft beer credibility, but the Goose Island Brew Pub beers were said to be separate from the overall deal, and independently produced by the brew pub. I doubt it, given the increased production anyone can see with the Brew pub beers. We're not just talking about added taps or bottles at the O'Hare Airport.
With the sale, chief brewer and founder's son, Greg Hall left the company to launch Virtue Cider (a Michigan based heirloom apple cider company) and is also Brewmaster at epic new Chicago brewery, 5 Rabbits. For his part, Greg's father, John Hall, has assumed on a bigger roll in the new AB-Inbev Goose Island subsidiary.
And the beers that the Halls designed at Goose are growing like wildfire, including Sofie.
Sofie is one of several Belgian style Saison beers that includes Matilda, which is also in NYC on tap. Sofie is made with wild yeast and aged in win barrels with orange peels with outstanding results. It's a small glass of clear liquid gold with a light, thin ethanol
flavor, small froth, very slightly sour and nearly "hop-less" in flavor. As of this writing, Ratebeer.com has it a 98% with 853 votes.
The good news is that Soife on tap at Harlem Public (149th and Broadway), where it's served as well as the it is at the Goose Island Pub in Chicago (clean lines, clean glasses (however small), and a smile.
Bottom line: Go to Harlem Public and get you some Sofie.
