Bourbon County Brand Stout - Goose Island Beer Co.

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Black with a thin brown creamy head. Very inviting.

S - Strong caramel and toffee scent, hints of burnt brown sugar, vanilla, chocolate and a strong whiskey presence

T - Chocolate and caramel up front with a sweet brown sugar middle and then wham, the whiskey flavor hits you. Hints of vanilla and oak follow.

M - Thick, oily and creamy with a very strong warming presence. Lightly carbonated.

D - Very smooth for a high alcohol beer. Perfect for a cold winter's night next to the fire or as a rich dessert. Definitely a beer that would meet any special occasion I invite it to.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2006 22:22:39 | More by brewcrew76

bultrey

New York

4/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.5

What a difficult beer to review. This is not a balanced beer by any means. You really have to like bourbon to like this beer... really. Poured into a large snifter, this was quite an amazing pour, thick viscous black with angry cappuccino-colored frothy head that recedes to just a ring around the glass. The smell might be the absolute best thing about this beer: coconut, chocolate (think almond joy candy bars), a little banana, and some noticable alcoholic fumes that are a fitting preview of what's to come. The taste introduces itself with just the slightest char, which is quickly smashed to bits by a straight-up bourbon flavor, but with a bit more malty goodness, as if you made a chocolate cake with bourbon (I have, and it's good), or perhaps had a black organic coffee with a hefty dose of bourbon. The alcohol is not that well-hidden, honestly, and that means drinkability is where I have to take off the points. Age this for, say, half a decade or more, and then enjoy the fireworks.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2006 02:23:20 | More by bultrey

whartontallboy

New York

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

Jet black pour with a thin, tightly-packed brown head. The head didn't linger or lace too well, but it was nice while it lasted.

Smell is alcohol, roasted malts, chocolate, and prunes. Really, the alcohol comes through much more clearly than anything else here.

Flavor is still quite hot with alcohol, but more complex with the chocolate and roasted grain flavors coming through more clearly, and the vanilla notes from the barrel aging are very evident. The vanilla lingers on the pallet a bit, as does a light bourbon flavor. Mouthfeel is massively thick and chewy.

Overall: I think that given maybe two-three years in the cellar, this one could truly kick ass. As it is, it's a bit too boozy and hot with not quite enough complexity to really stand with the best stouts.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2006 03:47:15 | More by whartontallboy

goodbyeohio

Oregon

4.7/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

brewed 1/2005, consumed 2/2006

nicotine-stained black, brown resin cascades down the glass behind the light brown creamy foam that is left.. tiny spots on the glass remind me this is beer, not liquor.

the nose of this beer is enveloped in a booze haze.. very deep caramel scent in its sweet whisky character. toffee notes collide with raw vanilla bean and burnt sugar crisp.

boy does this beer taste good. and not good like your regular favorite beer, but good like a special treat beer. after opening and taking the first sip, i thought, "maybe i should have saved this for a special occasion!". but like giamatti says in sideways, the beer IS the special occasion.. or wine. whatever. this creamy, caramel based stout is accentuated by carbon-charred sweet woody notes and the mossy character of the bourbon barrels. the bourbon stands out enough and the abv is high enough to bring this beer to the apex of quality, approaching the threshhold of fine aged liquor. earthy, spirit qualities linger in the boozy finish.. a true brew to savour and a sipper that has held up to a year like a champ.

body is thick yet smooth, a light brew this is not.. but a light brew i do not want from something with this flavor depth. i want to sip it, and i want to feel the velvet of each small, well-planned sip.

the best beer goose island has ever made, hands-down.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2006 07:31:05 | More by goodbyeohio

francisweizen

Australia

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

Drank in Chicago, my notes have me confused as to where it was consumed, eithe the hop leaf or the map room, either way, here goes. I was waiting a long time to try this one and it did not dissapoint. black-hole black in colours, light absorbing black, blacker than black, or none-more-black, as the first spinal tap album is. Aromas of in your face hot bourbon. Evan williams or rebel yell maybe...but more likely the mark. Vanilla, cocoa, exotic fruits, and nuts all jump into the air and fill the olfactorys upon opening and pouring this beer. Taste is hot bourbon big ass roasted maltiness, vanilla, cocoa, fine dark french-press coffee and more. A real palate raper if there ever was one. Mouthfeel is thick as all hell and drinkability is great for such a big beer. Damn man this one is serious. Pricey? Yes, but worth it. I wish it was easy to get more! Damn you Goose Island....make this shit again! and lots of it!

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2006 23:55:42 | More by francisweizen

WVbeergeek

Ohio

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

Appears opaque black burnt malt color forms an oozing tan chocolate head leaves fine specks of lacing after the oil like pour. Aroma is primarily charred oak vanilla with dark chocolate whiskey barrel aging is here on multiple levels vinous fruit alcohol almost takes out some un needed nose hairs. Flavor is big almost too big half the bottle is an ample serving size for me the vanilla charred oak tone is great in moderation dark chocolate and espresso coffee with leafy tobacco like edge to it all with fusel alcohol finish it doesn't hide the fact that it's 11% alcohol by volume very well. Mouthfeel has a Chewy texture low carbontion as it warms it's a bit cloying on the palate. Drinkabiliy is limited for me, it challenges the senses but sessionability is key sometimes if looking for an extreme barrel aged creation you have found a full flavored one.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2006 22:30:15 | More by WVbeergeek

stewart124

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thank you Pitstop Nelsonville.
Pours jet black with a reddish brown head that sits atop a mohagany tinted brew. This head is thick but goes away after a little while. Leaves whisps of head along the top as you drink.
Very strong smells of whiskey/bourbon with a oak or smoked or earthy smell.
Intense tastes to say the least. Strong malts and aged in an oak cask leads to the very strong tasting beer that warms your stomach all the way down. Tastes of currants and vanilla along with dark chocolate and coffee. Smooth silky body with a thick oil feel to it all. As far as I could tell the hops were well masked by the malts and bourbon. This one really knocked me over and my tastebuds were ruined for the night. Really impressed with Goose Island on this one and I might as well have followed this up with a snifter of bourbon.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2006 04:11:59 | More by stewart124

Applesauce1

Virginia

4.4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Got the Bourbon County Stout at the Pit Stop in Nelsonville, OH.

Pours a very dark brown (almost black) with a 1/4" head. Just from pouring it out, it seemed very thick.

Smell: strong; coffee beans, alcohol, whiskey

Taste: Bam! this is strong, extremely flavorful; a typical stout flavor with some whiskey flavor; not as strong of an alcohol presence as you'd expect with an 11% beer (I don't want that strong alcohol flavor)

Mouthfeel: thick, but good

Drinkability: need to sip this

Overall, a great tasting beer to sit down and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2006 03:34:25 | More by Applesauce1

EPseja

New Jersey

4.55/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from a 12oz. bottle in a big brandy snifter at cellar temperature. Shared with BAs Ego and Yelterdow.

Bottled on date: 08-16-2005.

A - Watery, but thick. Dark as espresso with a deep cocoa head. Faint raspberry crimson highlights. Froths up very nicely with some swirling, replenishing the head. Lacing isn't all too great; spotty at best.

S - Oaky bourbon, vanilla and dark chocolate. Notes of black licorice and acacia. Dark molasses malt, dry and dark sweet bread. Fantastic.

T - Mild up front with burnt caramel -- much like the top of a Creme Brulee. Mocha. The middle brings a brown sugar sweetness. The finish is drying with a hint of hops. The aftertaste is buttery, with big bourbon notes (Think hot-buttered Maker's Mark). Strangely enough, the big bourbon only makes its entrance after the swallow. Given the big alcohol, the afterglow is very comfortably warming.

M - Slight, very subtle carbonation. Mouthfeel is viscous and full of presence. Slick, quick, and coating finish. Nice.

D - Easy and amazingly smooth given the ABV. Enjoy this one as an excellent after dinner drink. Savor it... and take your time. This one is worthy of your full attention.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2006 21:59:41 | More by EPseja

DrJay

Massachusetts

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

Inky, thick pour produced a thin chocolatey head. It settled quickly to a ring, but remained throughout and left fine, spotty lacing. Wow, what an aroma! The first thing I thought of was a really earthy, leathery, dark red wine, but then the vanilla, oak, and alcohol hit me. Definitely whisky. There's a rich roasted quality as well, but this is overpowered by everything else. Malty and sweet with a fair bit of chocolate starts things off on the first sip, followed by massive whisky/alcohol and vanilla in the middle. It mellows out again at the end, with chocolate and roast coming forward again, and it finishes with lingering alcohol warmth. Low carbonation and quite creamy. Full bodied, almost heavy, but not cloying at all. Alcohol is a bit aggressive, but appropriate. This is a "take no prisoners" kind of beer, really big and not apologetic about it. Fabulous. Thanks Viggo!

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2006 01:22:29 | More by DrJay

yelterdow

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Ego for procuring this fat ass beer, one that is to be approached with caution.

Served in a tasting tulip at cellar temperature, amongst BAs Epseja and Ego after dinner.

Appearance- Watery, yet thick, almost black. The tan head breaks apart rather quickly, leaving just a rim after a few minutes.

Smell- Booze soaked chocolate. Oak barrels. Alcohol. Fudge brownies. Totally unique and full, this one I will remember for a long time.

Taste- Black licorice soaked in alcohol, heavy and syrupy. Burnt and intensely malty, with a dry, bittering finish that evaporates whatever saliva is left in your mouth.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability- Thick and buttery, real heavy in the mouth. This is a savoring beer, in all aspects of the word... it packs a pretty good punch. Save it for a quiet evening, and don't be too surprised if you're asleep halfway through the beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2006 17:34:31 | More by yelterdow

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A big beer. Very thick, full of chocolate, some wood, slight smoke, the bourbon and booziness. Knock yourself out. Rich and deep intensity of flavours, I got the caramel, coconut,. A very fine effort, a top stout. I had the 2006 bottle again in 2012 and it was too coconut. I had the 2007 in 2012 and it was rich and smooth, 4.25 territory.

I had the regular on tap 5 years later and it was pretty good and well integrated bourbon. Black colour, and scored that for this review.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2006 03:12:32 | More by northyorksammy

bditty187

Nebraska

4.8/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Scary black in hue; in fact it is completely black, when I held it to a light the beer actually absorbed the light. Impressive! Russet head, on the pour the foam created only a sliver of a finger. The head wasn’t imposing and it quickly faded to a soapy collar. I’m happy the collar kept the liquid company but I’m saddened (but not surprised) there was no lacing. On the whole, if nothing else the darkness is extraordinary and this beer looks great in my goblet.

So you like whisky? So you like stout? How about both at the same time? Apparently this is the beer for you… and me! Vanilla, oak chips, the alcohol heat stings my nose, charred wood (but not smoky) like it was burned by an intense but short-lived fire. Chocolate covered nuts, semi-sweet cocoa candy, some leather, earth, molasses, and kisses of dark fruit. This is the first beer I can think of that I smell coconut! Nifty. The nose is imposing. Sure, it is inviting but I’m “fearful” of the potential boldness of the booze on the palate. High potency, thunderous at times, I am deeply impressed because even in the face of all the power I can still tell this is a well-crafted beer.

The beery aspects of this beer are secondary and, seemingly restrained. Maybe the whisky, oak, vanilla notes are just that vocal on the palate. The roasted malts get lost a bit. I find it mainly at the back plus some charred wood (again, not smoky), semisweet chocolate, roasted nuts slathered in a coco-caramel glaze with a side of raisins, dates, and figs. I love the alcohol heat, it is warming and relaxing. Sherry. Port. Earlier I called this beer retrained… let me correct myself. This Stout is extremely well-crafted. The flavors melt seemingly into one enjoyable beer, there is great depth. I wonder what this beer would taste like sans the barrel aging? This is one of the most complex beers I have ever tasted. The aftertaste is almost straight Old Crow (I like Old Crow!). Hot. My belly is getting warm. My brain is getting slow. My mouth is getting really, really happy. I have no complaints… I keep thinking there should be something else in this beer, something more to balance the barrel influences. I don’t know what that is. Maybe it is nothing. Maybe it is perfect. All I know, I love this beer… it is so well thought-out. Yes, it is heavy handed. Yes, it beats the shit out of your tongue. Then it reconciles. It is an abusive but a beautiful relationship. What a beer.

Medium/medium-full in body, if this beer had the mouthfeel of Founders Breakfast Stout, my god… this beer could not be stopped! Still, the mouthfeel fits this beer well, it is filling enough with low carbonation, and I can’t help but sip and savor. Yum. I don’t think I want to pair this beer with many foods, maybe some rich cheesecake, maybe some zesty cheese, maybe this beer should fly solo as a nightcap.

If you can handle it this beer is supremely drinkable. I think it is a masterpiece, it is one of the most remarkable beers I have ever had. Delicious. Complex. Delicate. Violent. Boozy. Shrewd. Lovely. And you know the best part? I can buy it in Omaha now. I got my four-pack via RedHaze. Thank you. I will buy more and cellar some! I hate cellaring beers but I think this one is worthy. Highly Recommended!

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2006 16:02:21 | More by bditty187

Ego

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

music: King's X - Ogre Tones
$12.99 for a 4 pack @ Decicco market, pelham, ny

eyes...
pours thick, not quite syrup but maybe cousin jemima... dark brown head receedes quickly to the edges, wesley snipes dark, a good looking stout.

nose...
chocolate jack daniels, dark fruit bread soaked in rum, toasted butter, pecans, pumpernickel, I am loving this.. every sniff yields a bit more, the intensity at first is staggering but now it has mellowed with about 15 minutes of decanting in a ommegang chalice. I could smell this all day.. it reminds me of the drunk semi toothless woman at the bar with the great ass, you wonder "would I hit that?".. it fascinates you...

taste etc..
sip ... sip.. sip... if you take a big swig this is like drinking bourbon although followed with a super nice vanilla slickness and bitterness. Sippping this you can appreciate the flavors here. full in the mouth, the carbonation rises up well. The alcohol is apparent but yet so well integrated into the flavor that you appreciate it as a component. It isn't the harsh biting alcohol, more like smoothed out aged bourbon (duh..I know). major warming effect from this one.. and "cant get the f up effect" also, whoa boy this is strong. This is easy enough to drink considering the heavy ABV and tone of the alcohol.

verdict?
I like this one alot. not something to have after a big meal... maybe something to sip later at night while smoking a nice djarum black and having some sort of really dry coacktail rye or the like..maybe even some olives, I know, sounds wierd, but it fits... what the hell do I know, I don't even have a BA fez.. damnit. I like this one, I will keep a couple of these around, it reminds me of the Rochefort 10 for some reason, of course a bit more on the alcohol side, actually.. it tastes more like alcohol is what I should say but does seem like the Roche10. I would love to see how this puppy ages and maybe loses some of its rough edges...

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2006 04:03:32 | More by Ego

BeerBuilder

Minnesota

2.9/5  rDev -36.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours black with a ring of light brown around the rim. Leaves spotty lacing. The aroma is malty, chocolatey, slightly roasty with oak and bourbon. Has a bit of dark fruitiness and molasses and brown sugar. Vanilla is also present.

The flavor is malty, and fn boozey! She is tough, I probably could run the war protester mobile with this one. It is tough to get all the flavors under all the booze. It is sweet and sugary with a bit of molasses and dark fruits. DFH WWS is highly drinkable compaired to this.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2006 00:03:57 | More by BeerBuilder

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The beer poured into the glass black with a ruby highlight when held to light. The head was brown and frothy and rose well falling back to lace the glass.

The aroma was fruity with a strong bourbon and oak aromatic. The aroma was chocolate and roasted with coffee coupled with a strong bready character and a subtle sweetness. The aroma also had a bit of spicy nature with cinnamon phenolics wafting with alcohol. Vanilla was also present in the aroma along with a nutty aroma and bananas.

The flavor was nicely achieved with a definite bourbon presence, yet the bourbon was somewhat restrained and not overdone. The flavor contained an estery profile and bananas. The flavor contained a nice bit of chocolate and a bit of caramel along with a strong presence of roast. The flavor did not start as dry on the palate, rather just a bit more of the caramel and bourbon coupled with the fruity character. With the bourbon, chocolate and fruit it was similar to a box of sampler chocolates.

The finish was dry with a lasting bourbon, oak, chocolate and bit of roasting into the aftertaste. The body was full and the mouthfeel a bit creamy. The alcohol was strong in this beer, especially in the warming that occurred after consumption.

12 ounce bottle. Thanks beerinator!

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2006 01:08:21 | More by GCBrewingCo

Fugazme

Nebraska

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

Pours black. duh. This one is very, very dark... zero light getting through even when tilted. Head is dark tan and gone within a couple of minutes. Some decent lace.

Aroma is big. Alcohol, bourbon, caramel, woody, fig, raisin, molasses, coconut, sherry. Quite complex and inviting.

Taste is about as big as possible. Warm with alcohol and whiskey overtones. Chocolate and caramel. Sweet. Akin to a great port or sherry. Perhaps the perfect dessert beer to share... the key word. Making it through one is tough by yourself.


3/31/05 New Update...

Just tasted another bottle that had been in my cellar for a few months... much bigger on the chocolate. In the nose and in the taste. Huge chocolate that wasn't as dominating before. Very mellow and nice.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2006 03:41:52 | More by Fugazme

Brewfan

Connecticut

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

Thanks to Merlin48 for this bottle via trade.

Poured into my Dogfish Head Raison D'Etra longstemmed oversize chalace.

Poured the darkest head I've ever seen. I was actually a dark brown. I've seen tan heads before, but this was incredible. Not much retention on it though. Thick lace attached to the edge of this monster glass.
Dark as night. No light enters or leaves this beer. My 4-cell maglight isn't penetrating this coal-black beer with dark red highlights.
Immense aroma of oak, vanilla, burnt mocha and bourbon-soaked raisons. Alcohol comes through towards the end, but much less than I would have though for an 11%'er.
Now to try this bad boy from Illinois. Oh my god. This is huge. Oaked bourbon and vanilla, followed by burnt mocha, caramel, figs and alchohol. So much flavor going on in this beer, you don't get the full effect of the flavors until deep into the glass. And even then, I have trouble expressing all the flavors I'm tasting.
This is a quite thick beer, heavy mouthfeel that coats the tongue, roof of mouth and throat. Also coats the glass easily. Lace is all but gone now and there's still 1/3 beer left. Finishes very oaky and thick. Excuse my while I go scrape my mouth clean.
I don't think I could drink more than 1 of these at a sitting. HUGE beer. And the 11% makes itself known. Even now at 3:30 in the afternoon.
This is my 2nd beer from Goose Island, my first being their IPA at Camden Yards last year. This one's a beauty. Will try to get my hands on more of these for special occasions and for aging. I can only imagine how this one's gonna turn out...

(edit). So I finished this beer 1/2 hour after I finished my review. It ended SOOO oakey I couldn't believe it. The warmer it got, the oakier it got. Beautiful.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2006 20:36:59 | More by Brewfan

stegmakk

New York

3.35/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours deep brown almost black and completely opaque. Great brown reddish head.

Smell is a bit too strong. Strong mollasses mixed with alcohol. Burnt malt.

Taste. Bourbon and chocolate and molasses. Strong.

Mouthfeel is creamy. Semi thick with some smootheness.

Drinkability is a bit rough. Can only do one of these. I think I will let the rest of my bottles sit for a bit.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2006 21:16:39 | More by stegmakk

ChiSox05

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Goblet. Poured 6 inches above glass coaxing a brown 1/4" inch head that held for about a half minute before being swallowed up by the beer. In the center of the glass when looking from above, a dime sized circle of miniature bubbles lurches through to the surface. Pitch, light-strangling black, the edges held to a light show bourbon brown. Swirling leaves film of alcohol. Surface is freshly-waxed car glossy.

Vanilla extract. Charred wood. Chocolate. Alcohol penetrates the nostrils, cuts the big malt.

Dark chocolate, exemplifies bittersweet. Vanilla bourbon. Super burnt malt tastes like the char on a firepit roasted marshmallow. Boozey, engulfs the tongue, attacks the throat, raises body temp 3 degrees, took off sweater after a few sips, strong and prominent. Oily mouthcoat, grooves over the palate and glides down the throat with alcohol in tow. Rich and full. Just found some hops buried in the taste ten minutes after pouring.

Label has a good description of what is in store. Intimidating, totally intense. First beer I have enjoyed where more than one would be too much. Not for everyone, great for me. Truly unique, ass-kicking, a new species. Pour this in any dessert recipe for that extra baseball-bat to the head touch.

Note to self: serve 5 degress colder than suggested, because this will take some time.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2006 23:46:04 | More by ChiSox05

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

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

Worth every penny. Pours a deep opaque black, no light penetrates, super thick, small tan head forms, leaves pretty quick but settles to a ring that lasts the glass, nice lacing and legs. Smell is huge, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, cherries, tobacco, bourbon, oak, toffee, and rum raisins, alcohol doesn't really come out here, super complex. Taste is chocolate, coffee, real roasty, with faint bourbon notes, lots of vanilla and oak, toffee, maple syrup, and a roasted chocolate bitter finish. Mouthfeel is super thick, very full bodied, with medium to low carbonation. Drinkability is pretty low simply because its thick as hell, although great. I though it was similar in complexity to Bells Batch 7000, smell/taste seemed to constantly be changing. Amazing stout, aged for 100 days in Bourbon barrels, but the Bourbon was held in check and worked very nicely. Fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2005 09:13:40 | More by Viggo

Billolick

New York

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

This is one of the thickest, richest and tastiest stouts I've ever tried. If you like em "dark and sludgy" this one will do it for you. Pours black, with minor dark tan head. Little lacing. Nose of brandy, chocolate and burnt malts. Bold char broiled flavors abound, whiskey soaked raisins, dark chocolate, a double black expresso tossed in, some vanilla, oak and more chocolate late,sheesh, can you say complexity?!? Very thick, super bad dark flavors. Meta winter sipper. Not for the faint of heart or those not into super bold dark beers. Goose Island continues to impress. The arrival of their beers in the NYC area this fall and winter has been the highlight of the local beer scene, IMHO

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2005 00:13:07 | More by Billolick

Dogbrick

Ohio

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

Pours a viscous black color with a thin and fizzy dark brown head that vanishes quickly. Roasted malt and bourbon in the nose. Thick and chewy mouthfeel with roasted malt and sweet caramel flavors offset by the bourbon. Very warming from beginning to end. The finish is chocolatey with a smokey flourish. Easily the best Goose Island beer I have tried.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2005 22:38:22 | More by Dogbrick

murphysbleachers

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Served in a 12oz bottle bought across the street from the brewpub at Sam's.
A: Had to pour it straight down the middle of the glass to coax a head out of this (used a Hobgoblin pint glass), but it did form (and left quickly). About as black a beer as I've seen, the head kind of a fuzzy brown.
S: Bourbon. Am I about to drink a beer or take a shot of Jack? That said, it is not unpleasant. Second whiff gives a note of vanilla. But they weren't kidding with the bourbon.
T: The aroma is a little overpowering. As it warms up oak, vanilla, and chocolate come through. But the bourbony thing is hard to get around.
M: Thick, almost cognac-like.
D: This is the kind of drink you have one of by the fire on a cold winter's night.
Overall, I'm not sure if I'm the best judge of these bourbon barrell things that everyone is doing these days. I prefer to keep my bourbon and beer in seperate glasses. This wasn't bad though. If I had one in the fridge and was sitting by the fire on a cold night, this would do the trick. For the 17 bucks this cost, I would go for the Matilda instead, also in the Goose Island Reserve series. Different style, but a better beer from the same brewery and cheaper. Glad I tried this.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2005 21:14:59 | More by murphysbleachers

waldowin

Washington

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

Many thanks to merlin48 for this brew! On the first sip, I was seriously worried this might supplant my long-running all-time favorite beer!

Poured a rich, velvety black. So thick the surface didn't ripple under a pour, it *folded* in waves. Dark brown head was a little difficult to coax out, and slowly disappeared. No real lacing, but this stuff is so thick that sheets of the beer itself lace the glass when tipped.

This stuff smells heavily of vanilla, bourbon, and oak. A thick, sweet smell.

This stuff is just double-stout heaven! Intensely complex. Starts as an espresso double-roast, and instantly turns into an explosion of vanilla, oak, and roast. Slowly fades into a bloom of grapefruit-like hops that stay with you. Each sip brings out more flavors than the last.

This stuff is thick, and massive. Just barely enough carbonation to keep it from intimidating your tongue into hiding. If only all stouts could be so!

I have to be careful, as this is the only bottle I've ever had, and this stuff isn't sold locally for me. Once it's gone, it's gone. I think I just may weep when I finish this glass.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2005 07:41:21 | More by waldowin