Bourbon County Brand Stout - Goose Island Beer Co.

jlpepper13

Indiana

4.78/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into an antique traditional German Pilsner glass.

A:Pours out somewhat thin with chocolate brown head that has no retention. Deep black in color with no lacing or sign of carbonation after pour.

S: Very strong bourbon and chocolate in the nose. Some maltyness and fusel alcohol smell at the end. The smell is beautifully deep and complex on it's own. This is going to be a fantastic beer!

T: Strong bourbon jumps to the taste buds then quickly washes to bright chocolate. Still has that alcohol burn that can't be ignored. Eventually comes to rest as a roasted dark chocolate. Fusel alcohol helps to bring new flavors to the foreground with each additional sip.

M: Medium body that goes down so smooth. Little carbonation is present. Alcohol tingle briefly touches the tongue as the beer runs over it.

O: Wow, this is without doubt one of the best Bourbon Barrel Stouts I've ever had, if not the absolute best! So complex but everything works together so well. It's just incredible! High ABV is masked by chocolate that makes this beer almost too easy to drink, given its alcoholic strength.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 21:14:41 | More by jlpepper13

Synergy87

Wisconsin

4.38/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on 9/17/2012. Served in Duvel Tulip.

A - Pours pitch black, no light penetrates through. A very thin tan head quickly dissipates.

S - Bourbon, wood, roasted malt, vanilla.

T - That hot bourbon kick initially, but quickly dies down and the flavors come out: oak, dark chocolate, a bit of coffee, and a touch of vanilla. Surprisingly not as complex as I'd thought it would be, even after letting it warm up. The flavor is so damn good I can't help but rate the taste higher regardless. WIth a year or 2 of cellaring, this will taste even better, the wood and dark chocolate should blend together less seamlessly, and more layers of flavor will come out, add more complexity and lessen the hot bourbon, which really isn't as bad as others seem to think, I think KBS was hotter to be perfectly honest.

M - Amazing mouthfeel, very smooth for 15% abv, oily yet chewy, a nice subtle carbonation which I dont usually notice much of for this style, carbonation is usually more flat, and as expected, an overall warming mouthfeel (it is 15% abv...)

O - I am so happy I found 2 more bottles, so I can age this for a year, and the other for 2. I really think this will shine with a year or 2 on it. I have had a 5 year version at Darklord day 2012, but I can't recall the flavor profile, other than that it wasn't boozy at all and some serious depth and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 00:42:51 | More by Synergy87

reto21

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

first time i got to have this one 2012 vintage.

A- pitch black with a tan head, just like any other stout. very little head

S- dominated by bourbon and boozyness, fruit and chocolate come in the background.

T- upfront is bourbon and boozyness, a lot less than the nose suggests. a really full bodied stout just like i predicted, chocolate and fruit notes come in at the end, excellent stout.

M- love the mouth feel not too thin not to thick this is quite what i want out of a beer

O- wonderful beer one of my top five stouts so glad i got my friend to pick me up a case when in NJ. i will enjoy this beer all winter long.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 22:02:48 | More by reto21

McShane

4.88/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

We just got done discussing this beer on the Growler Radio podcast. I can't begin to tell you how awesome this made my night. This beer was simply amazing. My hats are off to my Cohost for sending me a bottle. Epic beer.

Appearance- Dark and viscus. Like night in a bottle it poured heavy. It was as though the beer was going to make you wait. Then once it was in the glass, it was going to make you wait more because it had to make you look at it.

Smell- Amazing. It smelled like whiskey barrels. It smelled old and rich and strong. It smelled noble.

Taste- Unreal. It was soft on the palate yet strong. You could taste the bourbon in it but it wasn't overpowering. Somehow they kept the bourbon out just enough that it left the stout behind. It was awesome. Ever had a good cream sherry? Now we're talkin.

Mouthfeel - Cold beer that warmed you up. That's right. It was cold yet it had that breathing qualities that cognac has. It burned a little bit but not harshly. Just enough to make you aware it was there. Then you swallowed and sweat a little.

Overall I count myself very lucky. It's an awesome beer and one that is not available out west. Least not yet. It's expensive too. $12-$15 depending on where you get it.

I failed to mention one thing. it's 15% ABV. and you'd never know it. Awesome beer.

Thanks,

Steve McShane
The Drunkardscall Podcast
Growler Radio Podcast
www.inkandaudio.net
@ayemcshane on twitter.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 04:33:03 | More by McShane

purdueflyguy

Colorado

4.85/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2012 Vintage poured into tulip glass

Pours dark black with about a finger of mocha colored head. Very thick looking.

Massive vanilla a bourbon in the nose. A touch of booziness. Little chocolate.

Initially a lot of vanilla sweetness, then boozy whiskey fading into chocolate and coffee dryness on the back end of the palate with lots of whiskey flavor lingering.

Feel burns a little but not back makes you feel happy.

Overall awesome beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 00:29:31 | More by purdueflyguy

MarkJBurch

New York

4.58/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Bottling date clearly indicated on side of bottle, 11/07/12. Less than a finger width of head resulted from an aggressive pour into a dogfish snifter. Some lacing, color is black with beautiful deep brown edges where the beer touches the glass. Nice reflective properties.

Smell: Strait bourbon. Vanilla, alcohol, raisins, esters.

Taste: Fennel, alcohol, bourbon, makers mark, bittersweet chocolate, honey, chilis.

Mouthfeel: Coating, chilled but warming, an acceptable level of carbonation for this style.

Overall: I like this beer a lot. I am interested to see how it will progress with age, hope that it will smooth out a bit. Lives up to the hype, met my expectations.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 05:12:30 | More by MarkJBurch

Gratefullawyer

Ohio

4.95/5  rDev +9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

so tonight on the 36 anniversary of 5.8.77 cornel gratefuldead I decide to open a 2012 BCS and my faith in this beer was restored I have had many versions of this beer including the legendary BCS vanilla bean
I have now put my 2009 in the fridge. The best stout bar none
so
smell chocolate and bourbon heaven
taste luv bourbon luv beer a match made heaven. the 2012 is young so the bourbon taste is strong. this is a smooth stout
feel. it's smooth chocolatey. yummy
a beer to hunt out and savor

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 02:16:56 | More by Gratefullawyer

Aprilluvsbeer

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is my second tasting of this awesome beer. I do want to say that my reviews are more for myself than for others, so it will be written in a way that make sense to me.

Poured into a tulip, a small beige head forms and slowly dissipated. I drank this one at cellar temp, which really brings out the smells and flavors!..Boozy, boozy, boozy! Followed by chocolate, vanilla, and some roastiness. This beer is not for the faint hearted, IMO. The taste of alcohol smacks you in the face and gives you that warming sensation as it goes down..good for those cold, winter nights! This is followed by a nice roasty, chocolate flavor and a slight hint of vanilla at the end.

I gotta say that this is one of my favorite beers to date..being a BA for just shy of a year, I have seen major changes in my palate. If I had this beer a year ago, I would have said "yuk"..I am so glad I waited to try this one. Anyone feeling generous? You can always send me some o' dis and I will never be disappointed!


Cheers!
April

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2007 02:15:56 | More by Aprilluvsbeer

paulzy

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev -20%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pilsner.

Appearance: Looks great. A deep, rusty brown, almost black, but the light catches some red. Barely foams, and then the foam disappears to a tiny ring around the glass.

Smell: Smells pretty strong, but not as strong as I'd expect a bourbon stout. The smell is noticeable when drinking it: woody, and vanilla.

Taste: Nutty, vanilla taste. Malt is strong. Finishes wet, for a stout, with a real sweet finish.

Mouthfeel: This is where this beer shines. Grab a toothbrush because it'll coat your teeth. It's soft and chewy. Thick, like drinking a Hershey bar. This is what I want every stout to feel like. I'd give this a 9.5 of 10 if I could.

Drinkability: Very drinkable for big Imperial. The taste, smell, and mouthfeel all work so well together that I'll definitely be buying this again.

Overall this beer is excellent. I don't remember what it cost, but I'd gladly pay $4 to $5 a bottle for this beer, and would recommend it to anyone after an interesting beer willing to try a stout. I would not recommend it to those who have to drive.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2008 00:23:28 | More by paulzy

21mmer

Michigan

4.38/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2008 vintage, poured into a snifter

a- pours dark black. not the darkest i have seen, but not too much light getting though. mocha colored head that doesn't stick around for very long. nice and viscous, clings to the glass.

s- obviously, strong bourbon notes, but also dark malty aroma, woodsy, with a hint of molasses and slightly sweet

t- you can definitely taste the bourbon barrel in this beer. but also huge malt flavor, dark cherries/raisins/dried fruits. slightly sweet....a hint of molasses and vanilla. a nice little alcohol kick that burns the mouth and nose in the most pleasant fashion.

m- delightful. coats the mouth and tongue. slightly oily and viscous. leaves the lips and mustache whiskers sticky.

d- i could drink this beer all night...of course, at 13%, i think it would be a relatively short night.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2008 02:34:38 | More by 21mmer

bruningmd

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: black, viscous, no head whatsoever because of abv, light ring of sticky bubbles on ring

S: Bourbon, coffee, soy sauce, charred wood, burnt malts, smokey oats, chocolate, brown sugar

T: Bourbon, warm diacetyl, dark chocolate, caramel, more bourbon

MF: Thick, rich, warm, biting alcohol on back of throat simmers and warms to a warm belly, like after drinking hot cocoa-very smooth

D: Gets smoother and smokier as it warms. Worth the price, every once in a while. Would love to drink 2 in a row, but I might end up in Mexico with a hooker in the trunk of my car. Kudos to Goose Island for making this complex and robust beer. It takes huge nuts to pack in so much flavor

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2009 00:41:54 | More by bruningmd

WPRebelFan

Mississippi

3.25/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

2008 bottle poured into a pint glass

Appearance: Poured very black and very thick with practically no head.

Smell: Bourbon, coffee, bourbon, vanilla, and a little more bourbon to finish it off.

Taste: Roasted malts with some coffee in there. It all seems to be overpowered by the bourbon though.

Mouthfeel: A big beer to say the least with no carbonation. It seems to overtake your mouth.

Drinkability: One at a sitting is plenty. If I want to drink bourbon, I'll drink bourbon.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2009 21:53:41 | More by WPRebelFan

TAREUA

Washington

1.45/5  rDev -68.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

I got this from a wine/beer shop where the owner said he'd heard good things about this one but hadn't tried it yet. Well, he won't hear anything good from me. I don't remember the last time I didn't finish a beer. Just dreadful bleck. A friend with me shared my opinion.

This beer either represents the Emporers New Clothes of craft beer or there was something wrong with this bottle. It looked a fine dark brown/black. The smell was of molasses, burned things,raw alcohol and more burned molasses. A hint of overheated radiator was one of the better scents. The taste was big and layered, but the waves of burned sugar, gloppy sorghum, alcohol, just kept coming like a string of plague rats jumping into my mouth. I'm not sure of the mouthfeel, as I was too busy thinking of ways to apologize to my tongue.

If you took a Guinness and let it bounce around in your car trunk for a summer spent in the desert, added various burned molasses concoctions and some bourbon you had washed your feet in, you might approximate the flavor. This is the Edsel of beers in my opinion, and I am a huge fan of big stouts.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2009 23:07:09 | More by TAREUA

brewgirl

California

4.33/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: I had been aging this beer for a year and it poured a thick, black with a very thin tan head.

Aroma: This beer smells amazing! At first I got a ton of bourbon then I started to get vanilla, molasses, dark chocolate, currants, and espresso.

Flavor: incredibly complex. The bourbon is very apparent but not too boozy. The malt profile is very rich with hints of coffee and dark chocolate and then there were layers of vanilla, molasses, and darker dried fruits. It was smooth and all of the flavors blended well.

Mouthfeel/Finish: Full bodied with a lingering bourbon, vanilla, finish.

Drinkability: This beer is delicious and very drinkable (despite the high alcohol). Unlike some bourbon stouts, this one is well balanced and the bourbon character is there without overpowering the beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2009 19:00:13 | More by brewgirl

AHebel

California

4.15/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2008 Bottle poured into a snifter.

BCS pours almost black, thick, with practically no head. At first, right after pouring, the aroma is almost solely bourbon, but once it's opened up for a min. that takes a backseat to vanilla, raisin, and dark, chocolatey-roasted malts. Mouthfeel is great, with mild carbonation and a perfectly thick, light, syrupy consistency. After a year, there's still a slight, very acceptable dry alcohol finish that comes after smooth, bourbon-chocolate-oaky-smokey flavors. I think the flavor of vanilla sticks around afterward as well. Overall a great stout, which is hard for me to say, because this is the only GI beer that I've decided I liked. Used to live in Chicago so I had most available. The tour I went on was a joke....

Pleasantly surprised with this beer!

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2009 20:46:20 | More by AHebel

AndrewD1022

Florida

4.43/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This was a 2008 bottle that I have been storing for Christmas. The beer was poured into a regular pint glass.

The pour was like pouring out a coffee. There is no opacity when it is in the glass and even when you are at the very end of the drink it's still very dark. After the pour, the head does not stay at all. However, there is always a small ring of brown head around the glass.

Smell is very simple, think bourbon. With subtle hints of coffee and molasses. The smell is very smooth. Compared to my initial tasting of bourbon county stout it is a little smoother after a year.

The taste follows very closely with the smell. Hints of bourbon, sweet molasses, vanilla and caramel. Some smokey taste to it hits later on the back of your pallet.

The mouthfeel is very smooth at the beginning and sort of sneaks up in the end. With the hint of bourbon coming into play later in the taste, it really brings a whole new feel to the beer.

Drinkability is up to the drinker. I could probably have one of these every few days. However, for people not accustomed to this beer. It is a huge undertaking. Usually takes me about an hour to drink a full bottle.

This is one amazing beer. I have had this beer in two consecutive years and both years are very good. Aging is recommended and from the reviews it is a good choice.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2009 03:36:03 | More by AndrewD1022

tikk

New York

3.98/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Wow, this is a fantastic beer. Not as good as KBS, but I did that before I started reviewing.

Poured into my Portsmouth Tulip it was a deep dark black, with little head and some brown lacing as it went down.

Smelled of bourbon, chocolate and raisins and figs.

Tastes like heavy amount of bourbon, chocolate, fruits and a hint of vanilla. There is a hint of booziness, not as upfront as some others, but I definitely could feel the warming as it went down

Definitely a one bomber type of beer, couldn't do more than that. I actually would've preferred to split this one, but I don't regret it.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2009 04:59:31 | More by tikk

jones3aj

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

(From notes)

Chilled bottle poured into a glass.

Bought this bottle of 2007 Bourbon County Brand Stout on 5/14/10. I'd be really interested to compare this to the 2008 and 2009 varieties to see how it ages.

Appearance: Pours pitch black with absolutely no head. (Bottle described it as having a thick head, so I assume this is the result of oxidation.) A very fine ring of reddish tan circumvented the interior of the glass.

Smell: The maltiness of this beer jumps right out at you from the second you pop the cap. Noted in order: Malty, Alcohol, Coffee, Chocolate, Smokey, Vanilla (after reaching room temperature).

Taste: Once again, fantastic maltiness. A mouthful of the darkest cacao beans you can find. Smokiness fills the palate from front to back. As should be expected from 13%, there is an alcoholic bite that lasts well into your second or third exhalation. I had hoped for more powerful bourbon notes , but wasn't disappointed with their absence. Smoke and chocolate flavors intensify as the beer warms, and you'll even find hints of vanilla strolling amongst the complexity of this beast.

Mouthfeel: Excellent experience as the smooth and creamy nature of this beer clashes with the strong burn of alcohol on your tongue and in the back of your throat!

Drinkability: Excellent choice. Lived up to what my mind had decided it 'should' be. You probably wouldn't want to do more than one of these by yourself. After one, you'll find your ability to detect taste, smell, and most other senses will be thoroughly... altered!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2010 05:46:59 | More by jones3aj

Kenny411

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this into a glass and it was so dark and rich looking. When you put the glass upto the light there was barely any light coming through. This was the best and greatest complex beer I've tried. You can pick up so many things while you drink this. I picked up chocolate, maple, bourbon, and a little hint of coffee. The noise of this beer you can smell the bourbon and it smells really good. I wish they were producing more of this beer this year. I was told no more until November 2011 in MA

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 21:41:16 | More by Kenny411

JC5886

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours out pitch black, almost not lacing on the glass. Smells like chocolate mixed with a little coffee, can tell it is a strong beer just from the smell. Strong bite chocolate flavors with heavy alcohol presense. Tastes almost like some jack daniels was mixed in with this beer. One of these beers is good for a night. Great stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 04:45:14 | More by JC5886

JackStraw

4.53/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a snifter; bottled on 9/17/12

A - Pours completely black, 40+ SRM, totally opaque, can't see a bit of light through it; nearly non-existent brown head bubbles up and fizzles out quickly, a little circular blotch of carbonation forms in the center of the glass looking like an oil slick.

S - Definitely rich, deep, and complex, the initial nose is sweetness with caramel and vanilla and tons of roasted malt. Each smell brings out more; there is the bourbon, though not as strong as I've smelled in others, and I also get cherries and raisins. One smell I get more of the malt, and another more of the fruity esters.

T - Wow! Like the smell, the more you sip, the more and varied the flavors. Very initial sweetness with chocolate and caramel, dark roasted nearly-burnt maltiness; then the alcohol really takes over and comes on strongly. After a minute or two, I get a lingering dark chocolate aftertaste with a hint of dark fruit (raisins).

M - Thick, chewy, velvety, luscious, with a long, lingering warming and alcohol. Almost no carbonation feel, and does feel a little syrupy, I can almost feel it building up on my lips...

O - This beer is super-hyped, but it's easy to see why. It's a real treat. Complex, deep, strong, interesting, it's a beer you can sit with and get to know for a while, and it keeps giving you more and more. I'm glad I got to share this with my girl, it can easily be split into a couple snifters and enjoyed together!

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 01:34:12 | More by JackStraw

backbaybrewer

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: dark as night. Little to no head. What head there is dissipates vey quickly with little to no lace.

Ar: bourbon/alcohol in the forefront. Some chocolate and roasted malt.

T: fantastic! Amazing mix of alcohol without being overkill and roasted malts. Vanilla lingers with some wood.

M: thick, thick, thick. Leaves a feeling of film on the palate for minutes after each sip. Yet somehow it seems wonderful. Very low carbonation.

O: a fantastic barrel aged imperial stout. Doesn't fit neatly into any standard style but every sip screams imperial stout. Love it. But, at 15 percent ABV, drink two or three and you'll be hard pressed to differentiate it from a Gatorade.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 01:50:35 | More by backbaybrewer

zen

New York

4.1/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

this beer is really drank. when held up to the light you can not see thorough it.
when you take the first smell it smells very much like alcohol. but overall i though it was very good. im going to buy a case and age ir for some time and try each 4pk at different times.
i would def recommend this for stout lovers
on drinkability i wouldnt be able to drink this all night long

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2005 05:02:59 | More by zen

chainsawhutch

California

4.4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 2

A - Black as used motor oil, 1,000 miles over due.
The head retention was quick to dissipate after good mean stirrr.
The lacing on my glass was as yellow as a grandmother's fingers, after smoking Lucky Strike Non-Filters for 40 years.

S - Banana esters; spicy, rum-cocoa; and a definite, overpowering, Chuck Norris, kick to the nose , scent of alcohol.

T - a vanilla, milk-shaky, phenol (that brings all the boys to the yard) , upon approach, before it met my palate. A roasted first taste, followed by an overwhelming alcohol intensity.
The tribes men agree, that the finish begins as robbery, of all of See's Candy's Toffee. Then leaves you tasting a cornucopia of coffee. Brilliant!!!!

M - Imagine: cottage cheese in yo mouf.

D - I had to kill the Beer Specialist, Mike (Slayer3604), at Whole Foods, Glendale, for it. Ha ha! JK! He's still alive - barely. Mike's the man about beer - and your not.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2008 10:05:44 | More by chainsawhutch

PutsDeBnABV

California

4/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark with no head or lacing apparent

S - Chocolate, coffee, roasy flavors come out in the smell with some alocohol smell

T - Goood no great with a nice roasty finish

M - pretty thick full bodied with a dry finish

D - Almost too much alcohol. Can drink one bottle just fine, but not much more.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2009 08:36:09 | More by PutsDeBnABV