Hard Cider Tasting at the Goose

'Tis the season...stop by the Goose's Enoteca on Tuesday, Oct. 26, from 5-7pm for complimentary samples from Oregon's Wandering Aengus Ciderworks. We'll be pouring two of the ciders brand new to Indiana: their straight up, stand up Bloom cider plus their spicy Wanderlust.

Perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. Sweet tropical aromas with a crisp, clean finish. Pairings - spicy Asian cuisine, savory crepes, or by itself on a cool autumn day.

Modeled after English ciders, a full bodied cider with a long ginger spice finish. Pairings - barbecue, pork, turkey, sausage, or sharp, aged cheddar.

Upland's new release: complimentary tasting at the Goose

For the first time, Upland Brewing in Bloomington is bottling their Imperial stout "Teddy Bear Kisses." And they're bringing a fresh batch to the Goose's Enoteca from 5-7pm on Tuesday, Oct 19--the very same day that the beer is released--just to pour a free sample for you.

A dark and robust beer brewed in the traditional stout method. Teddy Bear Kisses features an abundance of dark malts and high alpha hops for a powerful impact of roast, chocolate, and sweet bitterness. The lucky few who cuddle up to a warming session with Teddy Bear Kisses sense the velvety malt character, balanced bitter intensity, and soothing chocolate notes created by long aging on fair trade cocoa nibs. Teddy Bear Kisses will make you feel warm and happy inside, but it’s definitely not your childhood cuddle toy. Teddy Bear Kisses won a Gold Medal in the 2010 World Beer Championships.

From 5-7pm this Tuesday, we'll also be handing out complimentary samples of Upland's latest seasonal release, Komodo Dragonfly Black IPA, plus three more Upland brews. See you there!

New to the Crew

The Goose Gang is growing. Help us welcome new members to the staff!

Meat Monger Andrew grew up in Oklahoma and was surprised to find that Indiana has more in common with his OK state than he expected. "It's been an easy adjustment," says Andrew who settled first in Bloomington with his wife who was studying photography at IU. A horticulturalist and horticultural designer by trade, Andrew misses the organic and biodynamic garden he started in B-town, but since he saves all his own seeds, the two month old garden he and his wife have started in Indy is off to a good start.

You can take the girl out of Michigan, but you can't take good Michigan beer away from the girl. Kelley is a Grand Rapids native who was excited to see some Michigan craft beers on the Goose's shelves. She headed south for a degree from Anderson University then went west to volunteer with AmeriCorp. But coming back to Indiana again was "the easiest move I've made," Kelly reports. After four years working as a barista during school, Kelly is frothing up great coffee drinks at the Goose when she's not shooting photographs for her own fine art work or for clients.

While studying creative writing, Jordan created a long list of experiences that might provide future literary inspiration. Undergrad stints as a janitor for the Purdue Athletic Department, staff at a hipster used clothing store, and fine dining server are just a few of the diverse gigs that Jordan played before working on his uncle's farm. Now he's working on running his own operation and adding full-time Farmer to his well-written resume. In the meantime, Jordan is serving beer and wine by the glass in the Goose's Enoteca and playing with his band The Perennials.

Complimentary Wine Tasting: Tuesday, Oct. 12, 5-7pm

Stop by the Goose's Enoteca for a complimentary wine tasting Tuesday, Oct. 12, 5-7pm.

We'll be pouring Barone di Valforte rose--a fall rose that's round and full but refreshing--and the Barone's Pecorino, a complex white made from grapes that were on the verge of distinction not long ago. Italian legend spins that a cluster of the rare vines were uncovered by a pecora, or sheep. Since the little lamb rediscovered the stock that kept the vines from disappearing forever, the Italiani named the grapes Pecorino in the pecora's honor.

We'll pair some samples from the charcuterie case with each bottle, too. See you Tuesday evening for the complimentary sampling!