Bourbon County Brand Stout - Goose Island Beer Co.

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

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

AdamF625

Massachusetts

4.69/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A- pours like spent motor oil, dark brown head

S-bourbon, cocoa, booze, oak, cherries

T- roasted malts, chocolate, melded with delicious bourbon, some vanilla

M- surprisingly smooth with about 6 months on it, thick, chewy, and minimal carbonation

O- Amazing beer, a lot of nice flavors, it is a bit boozy fresh off the press but it is to be expected. Smooth after 6 months, no burn, just bliss.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 13:30:55 | More by AdamF625

MrDave14

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sipped this over a few hours during a power outtage and it made the evening a delight. Imperial stouts are a favorite style of mine and this beer exceeded expectations. GIBCBS has deep rich flavor, jet-black color and a nice aroma. Yummy, yummy, yummy!

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 02:34:44 | More by MrDave14

Jacurdy60

Alabama

4.45/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Received in a trade from Florida9. Very grateful. Freshness date reads 11/07/12. Poured from the bottle into a snifter.

A-Pours a thick black, motor oil-esque liquid. Opaque, impermeable, blacker than Satan's butthole. Absolutely lovely. Medium width copper colored head that retains well. Very thick but leaves little lacing.

S-A bit phenolic. The booze is definitely present but it's not overwhelming. Notes of vanilla and charred oak are in the back of the nose. I'm also picking up on some dark fruits as well, however it's very faint.

T-Bourbon flavor hits you in the face at the front of the palate as does the alcohol, but I like it. A lot. As I swallow, the bourbon boozy flavor fades into a subtle vanilla flavor with a bit of zesty spiced dark fruit. I'm not getting any coffee notes in this stout which is unusual.

MF-Creamy, thick, smooth, chewy, fantastic. One of the better feels on a brew I've ever experienced. It's very thick, but the booziness in the back of the finish makes it a bit dry

O-A world-class brew, as al the other reviews show. Balanced to perfection. Complex as hell. Tastes good. Smells like heaven. Has a great feel. I love this beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 01:09:14 | More by Jacurdy60

weltywm

Pennsylvania

4.78/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Bottled in September, 2012. Poured into a snifter.

Appearance: Looks like used motor oil: jet black and very thick. Little to no head.

Smell: Wow. There is so much going on. Bourbon, vanilla, molasses, oak, and just a touch of hop bitterness. Can't wait to try a sip.

Taste: It follows the smell, but expands in every way. There is tons of bourbon, charred wood, molasses, bitter chocolate, and some boozy alcohol, though the ABV is fairly hidden. As I keep sipping, I taste plums and dates, in addition to more alcohol, char, vanilla, and bourbon. Despite the complexity, it is super balanced, with each flavor complementing each other.

Mouthfeel: Super thick and oily, with little carbonation. The finish is extra long, culminating in charred oak, hop bitterness,and yes, even more bourbon. It's good.

Overall: I know Goose Island isn't technically "craft" anymore, but if this isn't craft beer at its finest, I don't know what is. This is an amazing, huge beer with incredibly complexity and balance. Buy it. It's good.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2013 02:17:43 | More by weltywm

LambicPentameter

Kansas

4.61/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured out of a 12 oz bottle into a 16 oz pint glass. Got it from a local restaurant, so I didn't get a chance to inspect the bottle for a bottling or freshness date.

Appearance - A rich opaque black color that looks like cola. Chocolate colored foam appears about a half-finger thick before quickly dissipating, also similar to cola. I think the lack of head is pretty common for barrel-aged beers.

Smell - Notes of oak, bourbon and semi-sweet chocolate. Roasted malt and some play of dark, dried fruits, like raisins and dates.

Taste - Very heavy booze flavor, so I'm going to take a guess that this is a pretty recently-bottled batch. More whiskey and bittersweet chocolate. Burnt caramel and malt with a lingering, sweet finish.

Mouthfeel - Silky and smooth, with low carbonation and a medium body. Somehow manages to be rich without being chewy.

Overall a highly complex beer that lingers with you. Definitely a sipping beer, because at 15% abv, it will knock you back a notch or ten. I'd be curious to taste it with some more age and see how it mellows out.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 06:16:08 | More by LambicPentameter

TomTown

Texas

4.83/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into (2) Teku Glasses

Completely black with a very thin but very dark brown head.

Smelled of rich chocolate and alcohol with a great oaky bourbon character.

Taste followed smell with an incredibly long finish. Lots more chocolate and coffee with a the bourbon flavor extending past a full minute after the sip.

Mouthfeel was likely the best part of the beer with it's palate coating ability that lingers for a long time.

Outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 20:41:55 | More by TomTown

AltBock

Ohio

4.55/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12oz. bottle with a simple dark chocolate brown label. Smack dab in the middle is the name of the beer in big bold white letters with gold inlay. Above the name is a vintage year and below the name is a barrel and the ABV%. The black back label contains all the mandatory US info, proper serving glassware, and a bottled date and possible bottle number. This bottle was from 9/20/12 and 2101.

When poured into a Peg's Cantina Snifter, this barrel aged beer was a black beauty. Saying that this beer poured a pitch dark would be an under statement. It looks like I found this beer in an Alaskan oil field. Highlights? No way! This beer was so black and thick that our mighty sun would have trouble penetrating this beer with a powerful ray of light. I wasn't expecting much of a head of foam on this powerful beer and that's exactly what I got. I received a minimal beige head of foam. When I say minimal, I mean a few beige bubbles popped up and quickly faded away. I did see a tiny beige string of rings along the edge. This black ass appearance is a force to be reckoned with.

There's a lot going on in this aroma. I'm going to try to find a starting point. OK...let's start off with the beer's thick roasted malts aroma. Following the malts was a lot of dark chocolate, charred oak, roasted coffee beans, caramel, bourbon, roasted nuts, and dark fruits. These dark fruits consisted of rum raisins, plum, and black cherry. Following all of this was alcohol and a subtle whiff of vanilla. Everything except for the vanilla was in large amounts. This aroma loved the go big or go home theory.

You'd think a 15% ABV barrel aged stout would be overly boozy, but it really wasn't. Oh there was plenty of hot booze in the taste, but there was also plenty of flavor in this beer as well. Kicking off this barrel aged stout was the roasted coffee beans. Quickly following the coffee beans was the boozy roasted flavor punch that consisted of roasted malt, dark chocolate, bourbon, caramel, black cherry, charred oak, and roasted nuts. After this flavor punch, in comes a dry bitter taste and a pinch of vanilla. A full flavored beer!

This was a full bodied beer (that's no surprise) with low carbonation and a full flavored aftertaste. This aftertaste was boozy, but like the taste, there was plenty of flavor to counter all the booze. The aftertaste had more roasted coffee beans, roasted malt, caramel, dark chocolate, bourbon, charred oak, and black cherry. This beer didn't want to mess around. It showed its high proof percentage. This beer is a sipper. Take your time. It's not going anywhere.

Wow!! This is one really good bourbon barrel aged stout. I can see why it's a top beer on BA. This beer was packing in the flavor as well as the alcohol. I forgot who I traded to get this beer. OOPS! I would like to see what age will do to this beer....if it will last that long. I doubt father time will calm down the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 18:25:59 | More by AltBock

BBP

Ontario (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2009 vintage.

Pours pitch black with minimal head.

The aroma is a blast of bourbon. A bit of stout roastiness seeps through.

The flavor is perhaps the most blended hybrid of stout and bourbon. The more I drink, the more the base beer comes through. I imagine this would be superb fresh. At this age it's remarkably smooth, but I feel like it showcases the bourbon more than the base beer.

The beer is thick despite its age. The finish is very dry and sticky.

Overall this was a very smooth and remarkably balanced beer. I'd love to try the variants or to try this fresh. Right now it has become seamless, and while balanced, I would love a bit more character.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 03:30:16 | More by BBP

kylelenk

Michigan

4.46/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - Extremely dark, nothing unexpected from a big stout. Head vanishes quickly.

Smell - BIG bourbon notes up front that mute out a slightly fruity smell that mixes well which the chocolate.

Taste - Hot when fresh, best with a little age one it. Vanilla and Oak notes begin to come out in force after about 6 mos.

Mouthfeel - Most disappointing aspect of the beer. BCBS is a very thin stout to me as I tend to like heavier, maltier, more viscous brews. It's easy to drink if you let it warm up but fresh will be hot.

Overall - IMO, there are better bourbon aged beers out there. Where BCBS shines is that it is getting quite available for the type of beer it is.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2013 19:00:23 | More by kylelenk

scottmichaelland

Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance - Black as night. Brown head that dissipated extremely quickly. I drank it around 45 degrees, so a decent temp, but the high alcohol content is not going to hold head around very long. Just a super dark stout.

Smell - Best beer I've ever smelt. Hints of dark fruits, chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, coffee - just incredible. I almost feel like I could sit there for an hour and not pick out every smell in this thing.

Taste - Just wow. You taste everything you pick up in the smell, so that will tell you how complex this is. There's an aftertaste (breathing out), of this dark chocolate/bourbon/fruit mix that is just the best thing I ever have tasted in a beer, it's almost inexplicable. You have to try this beer if you haven't already. It's a bit strong, and that comes through. Easier to drink than a "World Wide Stout", but it's still a sipper. I'd split this with someone unless you have a decent tolerance.

Mouthfeel - Not as thick as you think in the beginning, but as it warms it gets thicker and super sticky. Good mouth-feel for the style. Definitely coats as it warms, which is the way it should be. Small carbonation, but obviously with the high alcohol content it's not going to be like a Pilsner.

Overall - Probably the best beer I have ever tried, and without a doubt the best Imperial Stout I've tried. You need to get one if you have the chance. I bought 2 and was thinking about aging one, so we'll see how that goes. They say you can age it for up to 5 years and it will develop.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2013 15:18:36 | More by scottmichaelland

jerridrants

Indiana

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

this is my favorite, highly recommended to any beer drinker, i had a 2007 bcbs in 2012 (five years aged) and it was significantly better than any bcbs ive had that was current, i also give a 5/5 on the bramble, cherry, and the rare. i havent had the opportunity to try the vanilla but im hoping the day comes soon

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2013 06:16:21 | More by jerridrants

MaltyMates

New York

4.68/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Grabbed a couple bottle of this at my local supermarket . I decided to split the bottle with my wife and was served from a glass.

Color: DARK - the color is as black as you can be as it should for this style.

Smell: The bourbon smell is apparent from the second you open the bottle, over the smell of the beer.

Taste: The taste is more balanced than the smell suggests and the bourbon becomes more of an afterthought. It is thick and the stout leans to the malty side.

Mouthfeel: The beer has a thick mouthfeel. The alcohol is there, but is much more masked then you would believe.

Overall a great beer - best paired with desserts.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 20:03:02 | More by MaltyMates

kevanb

Illinois

4.61/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle, 2012 dated, poured into a Goose Island Bourbon County snifter.

The beer pours a deep, jet black color, touches of cola brown when struck by the light with a short, tightly packed caramel colored head that vanishes almost immediately that leaves no lace behind. The aroma is lovely, strong oaky bourbon, rich chocolate, light roasted coffee and barrel char and potent alcohol with some stone fruit and marshmallow character. On the tongue, rich toffee and bourbon creep out ever so smoothly before vanilla, thick chocolate and chewy oak captivate the palate. Alcohol, pitted fruit, marshmallow and light coffee roast tickle the tongue at the finish. The body is so velvety and smooth, low carbonation, but just enough to prop up the flavors and coat the mouth perfectly. The finish is so silky and easy and has a nice warming sensation as it goes down.

Verdict: There is a reason why this is the benchmark for all bourbon barrel aged stouts. It has such depth of flavor and wonderful balance and the alcohol, while prominent is so tame for hovering around 15.00%. This really is a beer that holds its own against any competitor in the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 02:11:27 | More by kevanb

henskejk

California

4.45/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Served from bottle into Teku glass.

A - very dark, with a small amount of tan head that lingers arouns the glass

S - Mostly bourbon in the nose with a little bit of dark roasted malts and a little sweetness as well.

T - Lots of bourbon up front backed by good roasty flavors, coffee, chocolatte etc. Decent amount of alcohol burn, but with all the bourbon flavor this doesn't really seem like a bad thing.

M - thick and smooth mouthfeel, with a good amount of carbonation

O - Fantastic beer, really enjoyed this one, and at 15% enjoyed it slowly.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 02:51:33 | More by henskejk

RaulMondesi

California

4.88/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

What's that thing called? Cloud 9? Well, this bad boi just put Raul on cloud 11. I mean, Raul is feeling this thing like the "massage" that he just got down at the local parlor. Blacker than sin and as dangerous as a 2x4 with a nail in it; Raul was more into this thang than that one time your mama got bubble gum stick in her hair.

Sleek, sexy, and luxurious. This lil sucker is nothing but luxurious.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 19:29:20 | More by RaulMondesi

douginromeo

Michigan

4.49/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Wehler for the generous birthday present! Bottled 9/26/12 - poured aggressively into a snifter.

Appearance - Initial head is lighter than I thought it would be and dissipated quickly to nothing. Black as night with little to no light able to penetrate it; leaves no lacing on the glass whatsoever. It's a very impressive looking beer.

Smell - Sweet booziness pleasantly warms the nose, followed by hints of vanilla, bourbon, licorice, and some toffee. Underneath it all is a full maltiness from the grain.

Taste - Warm, boozy, and pleasant. It doesn't hide its booziness; instead, it embraces it in the best possible way. It has a lot of bourbon, but it also counteracts that with a decent malty fullness that takes you to a sweet finish. In my opinion, it shows great restraint by not letting anything take over; instead, all elements play well together and compliment each other.

Mouthfeel - Thick, yet not as thick as I thought it would be. Tingles the tongue on the finish.

Overall - This is a great beer. It is done well, and it has characteristics that make it stand out from other BB aged stouts. I would love to cellar some to see how it develops and changes. I'll be seeking this out next time it's released.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 15:31:10 | More by douginromeo

EigenBeer

Florida

4.8/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A- Very black with a half a centimeter dark tan head.

S- Very strong bourbon up front.

T- WOW! First sip is a nice warm heavy bourbon roasty flavor that completely shifts to an extremely delicious coffee flavor (not like any coffee I have ever tasted in a stout). The after taste is like a slight mist of mocha in the back of my mouth.

M- Thick and oily just as expected.

O- Very pleased with the taste of this beer. I am extremely interested in the vanilla version of this.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 18:00:09 | More by EigenBeer

martyl1000

Wisconsin

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

this is an aged 12-oz. bottle, ten-months-old. it's much smoother, sweeter, with much less astringency than it had last year. There's still almost no head speak of, poured into a snifter. It looks like soy sauce with some bubbles in it. I might have said it smelled like soy sauce, or at least chilled soy sauce. Then I realized the aroma was tart plum, fruitcake, and moist spice cake. Wow. The aroma is beyond imagining.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 09:36:33 | More by martyl1000

bmwats

Louisiana

4.48/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into my Goose Island hand glass.

A: Black. Pours a 1 finger, foamy, brown head. Settles fairly slowly. Slight beer ring lacing mostly retreats into the body of the brew.

S: Roasted coffee, molasses, dark chocolate.

T: Tastes like it smells. Coffee, molasses, and dark chocolate prominent. Just a bit of licorice, and bourbon.

M: Thick, hearty, and syrupy. High alcohol apparent, dry finish.

D: Sip and enjoy...and enjoy...and enjoy.

Atmosphere is pretty solid. Dark hue, decent head, but no real lacing. Nose is full and strong combination of roasted grains, accentuated with coffee, chocolate, and molasses. Tastes like it smells... roasted grains, espresso, chocolate, molasses. Overall, this is a ridiculous quaff.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 07:31:47 | More by bmwats

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

4.41/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

***2012 Vintage***

Thanks to mklever42 for this one.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle, bottled 9/20/12.

Appearance: Opaque, thick, deep brown 3 finger head, disappears within a minute as to be expected.

Smell: Rich, robust coffee mixs seamlessly with potent bourbon. Wafts of leather and wood shine as well.

Taste: Strong coffee; rich & full; heavy vanilla & oak; awesome blend of coffee flavors and bourbon.

Mouthfeel: Obvious low carbonation, slick & viscous; feel belies high ABV.

Overall: A most excellent and drinkable barrel-aged offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 00:37:19 | More by papat444

AndyP612

Illinois

4.49/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into Darkness tulip. 2012 vintage

A- Poured black and thick with a very small dark tan head.

S- Very rich malt nose with a huge punch of bourbon sweetness that sticks on the nose.

T- Very sweet and hot. The abv on this is not hidden by the malt at all as I can feel the burn and warm similar to whiskey but not as abrasive. Slight vanilla yet still a bit bitter at the end and oak this ale is just so rich and luscious.

M- Not as big and chewy as I was expecting. Not very much carbonation bite yet not flat pretty interesting sensation on the tongue slight dryness to the finish.

O- Very, Very nice barrel aged stout from Goose Island. I think it deserves the stunning reviews it has gotten on Beer Advocate. What a great welcome to Chicago as I found a 4 pack in mid May of BCBS bottled in August of 2012 for $25. I find myself looking for more on the flavor side of things as I did not sense any coffee overtones whatsoever. It is truly a bourbon stout though. Big and sweet and quite hot. Lovely. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 01:39:24 | More by AndyP612

justforrazors

Missouri

4.45/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 vintage consumed this evening. Poured into snifter glass.

A- Pours a jet black with a thick two-finger mocha head. It quickly recedes to a ring around the edge of the glass. Significant alcohol legs. Looks perfect for a beer of this style, very inviting.

S- Dominated by bourbon. There is some vanilla, roast malt, and a slight chocolate as well as coffee, but it is definitely minimal compared to the liquor aroma.

T- Up front there is more bourbon, vanilla, and some chocolate. As I swallow, there are some fruit esters, predominantly cherry with some fig, as well as a ton of alcohol. The finish is quite long, and the bitterness becomes present to help balance out the syrupy sweetness of the malts and bourbon.

M- This is a thick and viscous beer, almost syrup in consistency. Although the feeling of the beer coats your mouth for some time, it is silky smooth. The only downfall I can note is the alcohol sting that you can feel almost immediately after you take a sip.

O- This is a fantastic beer, but I think the 2012 still needs a few more months for the bourbon to calm down. It is an awesome beer, but I see improving in the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 01:25:39 | More by justforrazors

Claytonbrewsby

Virginia

4.98/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

This beer is without a doubt, incredible. It really is one of the best brews out there. I've tried two bottles of the 2012 now. Pours a thick, light brown head. Very dark in appearance. So sweet and so much bourbon, it can be little much for the mouth at first. It is for sure a slow drinker. 5/5

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 20:42:09 | More by Claytonbrewsby