Bourbon County Brand Stout - Goose Island Beer Co.

Ford

Texas

4.89/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Bottle.

Wow. I've read and heard about this many times. This certainly lives up to the hype. Now.. it is one of the sweetest finishing beers I have ever had...

and you better like vanilla and toffee... because I got a lot of that in the taste.

Goose Island is now in Texas, but this hasn't been released in the state yet... I can't wait to see it on shelves in the future.. I'll certainly be picking some up when I can.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 02:11:24 | More by Ford

cdmillard

Maryland

4.76/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Never had a Bourbon County Brand Stout, so I asked my local guy if he had any sitting around. Said he had one bottle, a 2011 sitting behind the counter. Told him to wrap it up!

12 oz bottle dated 11/11/11

A - Pours almost black, with little to no head.

S - As soon as I uncapped the bottle, the bourbon smell was evident, if not prevalent. My wife asked, from across the room, what I had just opened. Dark fruits up front, with a hint of chocolate. Wonderful smell.

T - Mellows as you drink it, with the chocolate and vanilla up front, accented by the bourbon which, to me, seems to become more prevalent as I work my way through it..

M - Smooth and creamy. The alcohol is there, but doesn't make it harsh. Wonderful feel.

Overall - Incredible beer. Only my second bourbon barrel aged, but it reinforced the fact that I really enjoy these! I could drink tho all night. Of course, I probably wouldn't make it to work tomorrow! Fantastic beer. If you can find one, give it a shot!

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 22:41:11 | More by cdmillard

standardcherry

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Poured a black/dark brown color into your snifters. Small brown head recedes in a couple of minutes.
S: Tons of dark fruit smells. LOTS of boozy chocolate smell. A few bits of vanilla and coffee.
T: Starts bitter with some vanilla and chocolate. A bit of a roasty flavor. Follows with lots of dark fruit, bourbon and an oaky, sweet taste.
M: Velvety mouthfeel but with a kinda dry after taste. Medium/thick bodied with medium carbonation.
O: Decent BA stout with a good finish. There are plenty of BA stouts better than this. I probably wouldn't buy again.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 10:50:50 | More by standardcherry

BeerBuckeye

Ohio

4.81/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

12 oz bottle dated 09/06/12. Poured into snifter.

A - Pours a complete dark, opaque black with small brown head that fades very quickly.

S - Lots of good dark fruits up front, raisins and fig. Hints of sweet chocolate and vanilla, and complimented with good, boozy bourbon. Incredibly smooth smelling

T - Starts with a bitter chocolate and dark fruit taste. The fruits really start to meld. A lot of that dark raisin and vanilla, before finishing smooth with chocolate and coffee notes. The best part is that the bourbon really plays a supporting role through the whole taste. It never comes out and shows itself, it's a wonderful blend.

M - Incredibly smooth and creamy. Carbonation is perfect. I'm not sure how this is 15% either, it's so smooth.

Overall - Simply. Superb. Outstanding beer here. One of my absolute favorites (and probably my favorite BBA beer now). Awesome, awesome beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 01:33:48 | More by BeerBuckeye

robhbest

Michigan

4.45/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Aaron for throwing this in as an extra!

Poured into tulip glass @ cellar temp.

A: Pours a thick jet black with caramel colored head which dissipates quickly.

S: Woah, holy bourbon. Really alcoholic smelling. Slight raisin and a little chocolate in there too.

T: I'm surprised at how smooth it is considering the 15% abv it has. Notes of vanilla, cocoa, bourbon, roasted malts, stone fruits. Definitely a sipping beer. Has a sweet finish without the burn that I would have expected.

M: Thick and rich, surprising for such a big beer.

O: Glad I have another to age in the cellar and see what a year would do. The bourbon is quite strong with this one now however its something that I'm not against. A sipping beer perfect for the cold winter months. Absolutely a great beer and I cannot wait to try the coffee version of this tomorrow! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 01:26:56 | More by robhbest

Keyportnick

Wisconsin

4.76/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12oz bottle poured into a Central Waters snifter

A- Pours a strong thick black with burnt brown edges. Light carbonation with a head a disappears before its even there. Leaving the glass lined with a thin rim of burnt mocha.

S- rich deep burnt molasses, chocolate, Carmel, vanilla, bounce off charred oak and touches of tamed bourbon.

T- the chocolate stands out in both rich and bitter profiles. The vanilla, Carmel, and molasses play with the rich wood character. All rounded out with a boozy finish that reminds you of the 15% abv

M- big and silky, low carbonation, a barely detectable trace of carbonation leads into a lightly bitter boozy finish

O- I always look forward to getting my hands on this offering very winter. The big bourbon character and rich body make this one for the cold nights of northern WI. One of the staples of barrel aged beers hits the spot every time and is always recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 03:41:16 | More by Keyportnick

DRyan

Texas

4.46/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Served at 50 degrees in a snifter, 2012 version brewed 11/2012

A: Inky jet black with little to no head even with a vigorous pour. The slight head that is there is deep coffee crown, and does linger on the glass.
S: The bouquet is amazing on this, there is the bourbon up front with the roastyness I would expect from a stout, but there is also this sweetness almost akin with a Barleywine hidden in there that I don't know quite what to make of, but I really like!
T: Amazing. The bourbon barrel characteristics are very pronounced, but not overwhelmingly so. The stout roasty/malty backbone is actually somewhat subdued and not nearly as present as I would expect from motor oil like this. That sweetness in the nose is present, and it makes itself know with some coffee/toffee mixture in the flavor. There are some hops to this, but just enough to balance it out. What there isn't: alcohol burn. I can NOT believe this is 15% ABV! Be warned!
M: Smooth, silky, velvety. There is very little carbonation, but I actually like that with this beer, it adds to the silkiness of the taste and compliments it nicely, but there is enough bubbly to remind you that yes, this is a beer.
D: Too drinkable for 15%. Too drinkable for something I can't get regularly here in TX. Pretty amazing.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 03:13:08 | More by DRyan

rringler

California

4.26/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Just a quick shout-out to Dave at Distillers Outlet in Poway, CA. Without his generosity, I would never have had the chance to taste this one.

A: Thick, dark, black, with a bit of an oily sheen. Small, 1/4 finger head of mocha bubbles that shrink to about a 1/8" ring. Leaves very little lacing.

S: Smells big, with lots of chocolate, bitter, toffee, and cool mint in there. Perhaps some boozy bourbon smell in there.

T: Malty, vanilla and bourbon start, but is dominated by a chocolately/caramely toffee/coffee finish. Hides the 15% abv is hidden very well.

M: She's a cruiser; big, thick, and oily all the way down. Delightfully chewy.

O: I really can't do this one justice, as I'm not a coffee drinker. I appreciate the vanilla/bourbon/chocolate tastes, but there's something about that toffee/coffee finish that my tongue has yet to appreciate. I don't think this is a flaw with the beer, just with my tongue.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 05:14:45 | More by rringler

montrealbcr89

Quebec (Canada)

4.64/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Big thanks to Rutager and/or yeahnatenelson for the hookup on this one.
Served into a Bourbon County Brand Stout snifter.

A: Black. Poured 1/4 finger of dark brown, cola-like head that dissipated very quickly. There are slight blood red highlights on the edges when the beer is held up to the light.

S: Wow. Vanilla straight away up front. Bourbon notes galore. There is some dark chocolate waay in the back. Some dark fruits and dark cherries as well.

T: Sensational. This is where it shines for me. Although this is touted as a "bourbon monster", I feel that it is very well integrated into the beer. Rather than the bourbon being dominant, it acts as a new element that is working together with the various other portions of the beer. For a 15% BA Imp Stout, it is a pretty easy drinker. A sipper for sure, but it never becomes harsh.

M: Just enough carbonation to get the beer moving along. Thick, and very coating.

O: It was worth the wait. This beer DEFINITELY lives up to the hype. For me, this is as good as the likes of Parabola as well as other sensational BA Imp Stouts. Just a beautiful beer to slowly enjoy on a snowy Montreal night.

Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 03:36:07 | More by montrealbcr89

Docrock

Illinois

4.93/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

On tap at Sergio's 2-18-13 served in a snifter:

A- dark, almost black with minimal head. A slight ring of foam sits along the edge.

S- sweet bourbon with barely a hint of dark roasted malt.

T- the malt is huge with fair amounts of chocolate, vanilla and sweetness.

M- smooth, creamy with no noticeable carbonation. Full bodied and delicious. While the alcohol content is evident, it drinks remarkably well for 15%.

O- amazing, its actually hard to describe this beer. definitely one to savor and now i understand what the hype is about. so many dont deliver, this one certainly does, a must try for any barrel aged fan.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2013 03:25:14 | More by Docrock

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Bottle dated 9/20/12 so I got it with 5 month of age!

A - I am always amazed when a stout gives me over an inch of head at such a high octane ABV. Could possibly be the deepest tone of mocha head and the beer is blacker than darkness. Wow!
S - As expected it's straight up bourbon yet it doesn't smell "boozy" just smooth bourbon. I do get some mild chocolate and some roast so maybe I need to let it warm up a bit.
T - Starts off rather sweet with a caramel like bourbon tone, then I get some chocolate it's fairly sweet but not cloying, and kind of Belgium in nature. Roasts are mild but apparent giving me a sense of smoke and the finish has some warming bourbon. As it warms though the ethanol sneaks in at the finish making me think this beer is not as well crafted. Still at 15% it's to be expected.
M - Well I am about 1/4 of the way through as I type and it really goes to your head. Quite a high octane Imperial stout, creamy, viscous, and warming.
Overall I am so glad I have 7 more it's everything I expected maybe doesn't go into depth with extreme oak or vanilla flavors (they are there but I didn't pick up too much) but for what it is it's a damn smooth bourbon stout. Worth trying!

As a final note I can't believe how well the bourbon is hidden! I had a Founders Backwoods bastard (10.2%) and it was boozy and harsh even with 5 months on it. How they hide the 15% is beyond incredible!

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 03:17:43 | More by DrDemento456

Brewsephus

Massachusetts

2.41/5  rDev -46.8%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass.

A- aggressively poured into glass yields half-inch mocha colored head which dissipates within 30 seconds leaving no lacing on glass. Beer is black and totally opaque.

S- Vanilla, wow, vanilla, hot chocolate, scotch with lots of toasted peat, dark plum, prune.

T-Fantastic amounts of bourbon on the front of the tongue, lots of chocolate, milk chocolate flavor, oak comes through on the finish. The flavor is very intense. Lots of vanilla, like someone poured vanilla extract into it. The alcohol isn't present at first but borders on burning on the finish. Hot alcohol lingers in the back of your throat.

M- syrup. very viscous, little carbonation. no effervescence. full bodied to say the least.

O- If you could make this into a candle it would be magnificent. As a beer it is very poor. It does one thing, and it takes it overboard. I had really high hopes for this beer but it is so out of balance it's nauseating. There is so much wood and bourbon in this beer, it's impossible to enjoy the base malt or roast. I will not buy this again, or recommend it to anyone. In fact, i'm amazed at it's BA rating. It does one thing really well, too well in fact, does it make it deserving of such a high rating? I'm not qualified to answer that question.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 03:39:57 | More by Brewsephus

RollTide7

New Jersey

4.88/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Was lucky enough to have this again a second time. Beer is borderline black with a dark brown head. Flavor is awesome, lot of sweetness and bourbon flavor imparted from the barrel aging. Very heavy and good mouthfeel. Due to sweetness and heaviness it would be hard to drink more than one of these. Overall an incredible beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 15:54:35 | More by RollTide7

KomodoDragon

Virginia

4.4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

A - Violent pour into a snifter yielded only a tiny brown head, little lacing

S - OK, so one could get toasted just smelling this brew. Smells like a shot, with a hint of chocolate. I would not have guessed this was a beer.

T - I first notice a creaminess and chocolate, followed by a burn of alcohol. Smooth, yet not smooth enough to gulp. This is one to sip. Long sweet finish. Little hop presence.

M - Smooth, light, little carbonation. Perfect.

The abundance of alcohol masks some of the best roasted chocolate characteristics of an imperial stout for me. But no denying this as a unique robust imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 01:49:40 | More by KomodoDragon

4thelvofbeer

Virginia

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottom line....this is my favorite beer....IMO in the top three for one of the best beers I have ever had. Definitely worthy of a "5" rating across the board. I have drank a good bit of BCBS and tried(I think) almost all of the varieties, and while some BCB varieties are just as good, all around, regular BCB is the best. I am not going to go into detail on each and every attribute of the beer, but the taste is the flippin best!!!! The thickness of this stout is great and the bourbon is sl strong and nice and great tasting. Some find this beer as too "boozy", which i think is ridiculous....it is great...hope it never changes!!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 23:31:55 | More by 4thelvofbeer

pvo

Virginia

4.59/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: dark brown, not quite black; head small and not especially dense. Thin lacing.

Smell: Strong notes of vanilla, some bourbon as expected.

Taste: Surprisingly chocolatey. Fairly sweet, meaning the bourbon/oak/vanilla flavors are relatively stronger than the roast or hop flavors.

Mouthfeel: very smooth, not as dense as I expected.

Overall: very good, and glad I tried it. next time I'llbe inclined to share the 12 oz bottle with someone, though. Took me an hour to get through.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 02:07:59 | More by pvo

jvillefan

California

4.14/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

A: Dark brown to black body, not the jet black I like to see in stouts. No head when poured aggressively.

S: Very unbalaced aromas. Very heavy on the bourbon and alcohol. There are some rostey aromas present in the background of the aroma.

T: Sweet bourbon is in the front of this beer. There is a very large alcohol bite as well as some pleasant chocolate and toffee notes in the back of this beer.

M: Very heavy body with the minimum amount of carbonation to not be considered undercarbonated.

O: Great but not amazing stout. Worth a try but don't go through too much effort to get it.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 03:55:55 | More by jvillefan

sbxx

Illinois

4.34/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - Very dark with a 1/2 finger of sexy caramel-colored head. It's like it was whispering, "Taste me... you know you want to..." Yikes! Lightly coated the glass as I swirled it.

Smell - Strong alcohol presence, almost wine-like. Hints of fruit, smoked wood and brown sugar.

Taste - Bold bourbon flavor. Hints of chocolate and raisins. Strong alcohol taste. Not quite as balanced as I like.

Mouthfeel - Thick and sweet.

Overall - Definitely a dessert beer. Something to sip and enjoy over a good conversation. This is a hot one at 15% ABV; you taste every bit of the alcohol. I like my beer a bit more balanced, so that was somewhat of a turn-off. I would definitely drink it again though.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2013 07:01:27 | More by sbxx

Phillyz

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

09 Bottle enjoyed in Philadelphia out of a duvel snifter. I have a broken hand, so I'll make this brief as I just wrote a dark lord review. This beer is amazing. Definitely worth the $8 I paid for a 3 year old bottle. I also have a buddy who has a reserve of 09, so I will buy more in the future. This beer has a serious bourbon bite, but not too alcoholy (if that makes sense). The taste is mild chocolate, VERY light coffee, and mild dark fruits. As I said before, the bourbon bite is damn near perfect. Try this beer. Do it! And I'm sure the beer is better with age, as the first one that I've had is an 09 in 2013.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 06:32:19 | More by Phillyz

Cee-Poe

Wisconsin

4.6/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Great beer on tap... now if only I could find some bottles of it!

A -- Pours deep black with slight lacing of head

S -- Sweet bourbon aromas with hints of barrel, smells delicious

T -- Amazing sweetness that is not over powering or cloying.

M -- Wonderfully small bubbles work well to cleans the palate enough to not have it be too syrupy

O -- It is a perfect dessert beer. Almost like a sundae for the beer drinker.

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2013 17:38:51 | More by Cee-Poe

JDavidRice

Connecticut

4.8/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

If you haven't tried this one yet, make it your mission. It actually holds up to all the hype, which I think is pretty rare. The only reason I didn't give it fives is because I haven't tried enough of its competitors. Given it's cost, it will always be a special occasion brew for me, but I do not feel that it is overpriced. Can't wait to share some with friends. (I can spare one bottle, maybe.) Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 18:07:13 | More by JDavidRice

Hultkrantz

Sweden

3.84/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Mmmmm
Smells of Dark chocolate toffee with a rich vanilla, slightly charred, oak veil. Beneath, something like a liqueur complexity.
Highly viscous, it anoints your throat with this smooth taste sensation, massaging your mouth with a subtle carbonation... It's heavy, 33cl is enough for six people I'm sure.

I wish I would have had a chocolate dessert to accompany it. And I wish I would have bought more bottles!

Highly recommended!

4.45

Edit: I had to edit this because I realized it makes me sick. It's undrinkable and while the taste is interesting it's not very enjoyable after all. Well, I still like it and recommend it, but only in very small doses.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 06:42:27 | More by Hultkrantz

thedoubler55

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A: A pitch black body with a nice fluffy two finger tan head at the top, leaves a nice lacing around the glass as you drink.

S: Brown sugar, vanilla, coffee, cocoa roasted malts, and some burnt wood smell as well.

T: Up front Bourbon, malts, cocoa, coffee, slight hint of vanilla on the tail end and booze throughout.

M: Heavy brew, a nice warming sensation, sticky and mid carbonation.

O: This brew is fantastic, a warming feeling throughout the experience, very nice tasting and nice booze on this one as well, fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 18:40:24 | More by thedoubler55

mikem0487

Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle with bottled on date: 9/20/12. Poured into goblet.

A-A ridiculously black beer. No colors hues when held up to the light. Straight blackness with a single fingered brown head that slowly fell back into the beer. Now all there is is a remanent of the head laced around the outside of my glass.

S-Dark chocolate, bourbon, cacao beans, oak chips, vanilla beans. All those are blended together beautifully with chocolate and bourbon being the dominant aromas. The vanilla beans come in through the end and bring it all together. Has everything you look for and expect in a bourbon aged stout.

T-Dark chocolate and licorice are apparent in the beginning. Dried prune and raisin are throughout the whole palate experience. Vanilla is in their timidly. The bourbon taste comes through the back end of the palate with some oak wood like earthiness character. Alcohol in this beer is barely apparent which is astonishing considering it is 15% abv. Taste great, hides the alcohol but does not taste as good as it smells.

M-Medium bodied, finishes pretty dry, low carbonation. Good for this style of beer.

O- This beer lives up to the hype. For me personally the smell had everything you want with this type of beer but the taste fell short of that for me. The smell was more concise and linear you could say while the taste was more erratic and did not have the extremely enjoyable aspects of what the aroma contained. Overall this beer is done beautifully and does not drink like a 15% imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 23:53:36 | More by mikem0487

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.95/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

(Note: my personal scoring system goes by whole numbers)

2/2/13, 2012 vintage on tap at Brickhouse BBQ in Madison WI.

Aroma: Nose full of vanilla, wood and chocolate. Hints of dry, bourbon characteristics with the occasional whiff of dark fruits. You don't have to work very hard at all to get a nose from this brew. (5)

Colour: Thick jet black body, impenetrable to light. Pours with a 0.5-1cm brown head that evaporates rather quickly, leaving me a full glass of beer! Lacing sticks pretty well when I swirl it around in the snifter a bit. This time, it was an overall above-average appearance for its style. I suppose a thicker head would make it better. But not by much. (4)

Flavour: Incredible dark chocolate sweetness and vanilla flavors combines to make my palate pass out in ecstasy. Throughout I get some oak/wood with some bourbon flavours and heat. I get a little bit of cherry and fig also. You'd never guess this beer has a 15% ABV even with the heat, although the heat ramps up as I get to the bottom of the glass for some reason- probably as it warms. (5)

Mouthfeel: This is probably the creamiest, thickest bodied brew I've had the privilege to drink, almost like drinking a dessert. Carbonation is as expected for the style. Runs a bit dry as expected from the bourbon barrel contribution yet still so easy to drink large swallows of. Incredibly well-done and it's clear that the BCBS series sets the standard for the style. (5)

Overall: The gold standard for barrel aged imperial stouts and I've enjoyed it each time I've had it whether its from the bottle or the tap. I've had a few other BA stouts that attempt to dethrone it, and while they are incredible in their own ways, I consider BCBS to be the granddaddy of them all. The only negative is that it's not a beer to take lightly- open one up when you have something to celebrate or are hankering for a bone-warmer in front of the fireplace- you prepare yourself to take on a beer like this. Don't open one up if you want to hang out with some buddies after work- open up a Zombie Dust or something if you do that- respect BCBS. (5)

Serving type: on-tap

02-03-2013 20:20:20 | More by Stevedore