Bourbon County Brand Stout - Goose Island Beer Co.

cretemixer

Indiana

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

I've been fighting a cold for a while now & have put off drinking this beer just because I wanted to be sure to taste & smell all it has to offer. I shouldn't have worried so much, this beer will cut through almost any cold.

Deepest chestnut in color, it looks black in the glass but the ruby highlights come out when the beer clings to the glass. A thin mocha colored head fades fast, leaving nothing in its wake.

The aroma is top notch. Bourbon soaked bitter chocolate with a smoky, woody background. Hints of carmelized brown sugar and again, more bourbon.

Tastes even better than it smells! The bitter chocolate & bourbon from the nose are here in spades. An alcohol warmth is felt all the way down. A true Gusler "bellywarmer". Licorice notes as well as hints of raisins & smoke.

Slick & sticky seems like a true oxymoron, but this is it & it suits me just fine for a beer of this style. Sticky-sweet on the lips without becoming cloying, slick & oily in the glass & on the way down the gullet.

The 11% is definetly noticable in this beer & that's a good thing, but drinkability does suffer a bit. Do I want another? Hell yes. Am I going to go open another? Not today, but I will revisit soon.

Damn fine beer & worth every penny so you can all quit your bitchin'.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2005 22:45:23 | More by cretemixer

raynmoon

California

4.25/5  rDev -6.4%

06-19-2013 02:43:23 | More by raynmoon

tarheels4life23

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%

06-19-2013 01:19:46 | More by tarheels4life23

Tyrus

California

4.75/5  rDev +4.6%

06-18-2013 23:09:06 | More by Tyrus

taylor714914

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -6.4%

06-18-2013 23:04:00 | More by taylor714914

Scalawags

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%

06-18-2013 15:50:32 | More by Scalawags

TargaFlorio

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%

06-18-2013 00:24:39 | More by TargaFlorio

beerjardin

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +4.6%

06-17-2013 06:34:20 | More by beerjardin

bcsbeer

Florida

4/5  rDev -11.9%

06-17-2013 04:49:09 | More by bcsbeer

Rocklobsterbrew

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%

06-16-2013 18:20:35 | More by Rocklobsterbrew

ChrisYager39

Indiana

5/5  rDev +10.1%

06-16-2013 17:37:22 | More by ChrisYager39

crawfordcf

New York

5/5  rDev +10.1%

06-16-2013 13:08:06 | More by crawfordcf

Kopfschuss

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%

06-16-2013 05:46:12 | More by Kopfschuss

stogirelli

Florida

4.25/5  rDev -6.4%

06-16-2013 01:07:49 | More by stogirelli

MNBeer1017

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%

06-15-2013 15:07:32 | More by MNBeer1017

Jeremy_H

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%

06-15-2013 12:23:18 | More by Jeremy_H

Michigan

Michigan

4.73/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

2012 Vintage. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a 22oz snifter.

A-Pours a deep, slick, oily black. Very small mocha head that fades quickly. No light passing through.

S-Smoke, oak, barrel, bourbon. Nicely balanced. I'm not sensing much alcohol on the nose. Dark chocolate covered espresso beans. Vanilla, tobacco, touch of leather. maybe a bit of maple?

T- Wowza! Big, bold, badass stout. It doesn't really punch you in the face like some of these "extreme beers". I'm impressed by how balanced it is. It's simply delicious. Lingering aftertaste. Full of dark chocolate, malt, bourbon. It tastes like America. Masterfully masked alcohol (like america)

M-Light carbonation that opens the taste buds. Full mouthfeel. Not greasy or oily. It sits in your mouth.

O-I agree. It's one of the best stouts in the world. I could do cases of this

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 02:26:35 | More by Michigan

jtladner

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%

06-15-2013 00:36:35 | More by jtladner

blt2646

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%

06-14-2013 21:47:18 | More by blt2646

ACB

California

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

I've had this beer twice now, and have a couple more in my refrigerator.

I have no idea what a "perfect beer" is, but I truly don't know what I can knock about it.

Out of the world of extremely potent Imperial Stouts, this is a giant.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2013 21:37:59 | More by ACB

VictorWisc

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +10.1%

06-14-2013 07:40:24 | More by VictorWisc

Ant4711

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%

06-14-2013 03:24:15 | More by Ant4711

Canada_Dan

Illinois

4/5  rDev -11.9%

06-14-2013 01:37:31 | More by Canada_Dan

LostInTheFlood

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -11.9%

06-13-2013 20:30:47 | More by LostInTheFlood

CaptPajamaShark

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +4.6%

06-13-2013 18:51:25 | More by CaptPajamaShark