Goose Island, an iconic Chicago brewery that pioneered craft brewing in the US, opens the doors to the Vintage Ale House on 16th December – its first venue this side of the Atlantic, which the Company’s founder says will be their ‘spiritual home’ outside the States.
The Vintage Ale House will bring a passion for innovative artisanal brews to Balham’s vibrant food, drink and café culture and prove itself a neighbourhood hangout to complement the area’s well established staples.
Aside from serving a great range of innovative barrel-‐aged Goose Island beers, the Vintage Ale House will also be serving up food inspired by its Midwest home – much of which is custom-‐designed with the brews in mind.
Goose Island has developed a reputation across the States for innovative brews and brewing techniques since it was founded in 1988 by ‘unabashed beer lover’ John Hall and has a long list of industry awards to prove it.
John says: ‘The Vintage Ale House will be a great focal point for Goose Island in London – a spiritual home for beer lovers to immerse themselves in our brewing history and tradition without the need to travel all the way to Chicago.’
‘We wanted to create a venue for the community, full of flavour, and one that would become firmly rooted in the routines of city life. And I think we have succeeded.’
‘We have spent the best part of 30 years honing our craft and now is the time to bring that craft to the UK -‐ we are truly excited to share what we have created.’
Goose Island has a long history in the US of pioneering and innovative beer production. As well as ageing beer in bourbon and wine barrels, our brewers are constantly innovating in flavour and technique and have also developed brews inspired by those that John discovered during a trip to Europe which convinced him to start brewing in the first place.
Since then, the Goose Island brewing team has continued to use inventive ingredients and techniques to expand flavours and challenge the industry status quo.
Goose Island, named after an island in the Chicago River just a short hop from the brewery’s HQ, has built a huge following of beer aficionados right across the USA thanks to this determination which even reflects on the hops they use -‐ grown and harvested at Elk Mountain Farms, in a secluded valley in northern Idaho. Ed Atkins, head farmer, cultivates 50 different types of hop from favourites like Saaz, Amarillo and Cascade to more experimental types.
Signature brews include Sofie, a 6.5% Belgian-‐style Farmhouse Ale aged in wine barrels infused with hand-‐zested orange peel and a light, refreshing creamy vanilla finish, which pairs particularly well with oysters.
Matilda is a 7% Belgian-‐style pale ale inspired by the beer famously produced by Trappist monks, made with wild yeast strains and pairs well with Porter and molasses glazed beef cheeks and also the roasted cod and seafood fregula; both of which are on the Vintage Ale House menu.
Other Goose Island beers available at the Vintage Ale House, alongside a handpicked list of wines, soft drinks and spirits, include Goose IPA, a 5.9% full-‐flavoured IPA, six-‐ time medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival; Honkers Ale, a 4.3% drinkable ale inspired by the English countryside; and 312, a 4.3% urban wheat ale with hazy, unfiltered flavours and the winner of four Great American Beer Festival medals.
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