Bourbon County Brand Stout - Goose Island Beer Co.

rowew

Colorado

3.13/5  rDev -31.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Presentation: 12 oz longneck, abv and bottled date are clearly marked. There is also the suggestion that this is a great cigar beer, which is appropriate considering I am pairing it with a cigar. I have no idea why Goose Island distributes this to Colorado and nothing else .. anybody know?

Appearance: As I would expect, it is super black, and very thick. Smallish head is also dark in color, fades to a bit of lacing.

Smell: Dominate aroma is definitely vanilla. Just a hint of some burnt sugar as well.

Taste: Fairly sweet, with tons of the same vanilla and burn sugar flavors. There is also a bit of coffee and chocolate, but I feel like they are over powered by the sweetness. Carbonation is very low.

Overall impression: I can't say I'm overly impressed - this has some definite burn, lots of oak and vanilla .. but the sweetness just overpowers everything else for me. I've had this both with and without the cigar .. its a bit more drinkable with the cigar, but the four pack I have will certainly be plenty for me.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2009 03:01:39 | More by rowew

PDXHops

South Carolina

3.13/5  rDev -31.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Re-review 5/13/2010. As with the original review, this is a 2008 vintage, 12 oz bottle poured into a snifter.

Pours thick, murky and just about black. Sadly, there's only a slight skim of foam that disappears within a few seconds. No lacing. Looks pretty boring, but I'm sure it will get more interesting in a hurry.

Yup, things just got a lot more interesting. A healthy punch of bourbon greets the nose from a foot away. Not quite as overpowering as it was fresh, but damned near it. In the background linger sweet oak, charred wood, fresh brewed coffee, cocoa, caramel, toffee and vanilla. It takes a lot of concentration to pick them out underneath the bourbon, though.

The bourbon avalanche continues in the mouth, and there's a whole lot of sweetness, too. It does stop just shy of being a sugar bomb (my least favorite kind of beer). Behind the bourbon are cocoa powder, strong woody flavors, black strap molasses, black campfire coffee with sweet vanilla and caramel after the swallow. A pleasant sting of bitterness along with that sweetness. Just too much bourbon right now, though.

Mouthfeel is thick and quite velvety. Bourbon, dark chocolate, caramel and molasses linger into the throat after swallowing.

Overall impression: I don't think I'll crack any more of this vintage for a year or 2. Hopefully the bourbon will have calmed down a bit by then.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2009 05:06:39 | More by PDXHops

Arbitrator

California

3.15/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

EDIT: In light of the comments below (reviewing a fresh bottle), I should add the following notes:

I drank a 2007 in 2010 and it was SUBLIME. The heat had largely cooled off, leaving a bourbon-forward bitter chocolate flavor with light vanilla and roast. This experience taught me: don't drink the beer fresh.

I repeated the experiment with a 2008 drank at the tail end of 2011, thanks to Nanoslug. That one was excellent, as well.

I am leaving up my score, as I feel a beer should always be ready to drink upon release. But it is worth noting that I would give aged versions of BCBS an A.

---

Original review:

Chilled bottle into a glass. 2009 vintage, an extra courtesy of chcfan. Thanks Chris! I just blue myself.

A re-review over the 2008 version. My palate has changed considerably since then.

A: Pours an oily black that is completely opaque to the light. It develops a dark mocha head that disappears quickly, leaving a very thin collar and absolutely no lacing down the glass. Just looks solid and imposing.

S: Bourbon -- very strong -- with lesser vanilla, oak, dark chocolate, roasted malt, and an alcohol singe. It's very pungent and captivating, but it's not subtle or balanced in the slightest. I don't like the booze burn and feel that other barrel-aged stouts avoid that problem, hence my score.

T: Bourbon. Wait for it... More bourbon. And some more bourbon. Then caramel, oak, and vanilla enter the palate next. The finish has hints of dark chocolate and roasted malt that produces a slight coffee character, but it's still very bourbon-dominated. And it's surprisingly hot; not quite burning, but I definitely notice the booze in the mouth, the throat, and the stomach.

M: Thick-bodied and oily, with low carbonation as is appropriate for the style. A strong warming effect is felt, as noted above. It's borderline solventy at times. I really don't get the love for this one; it's so brash and unrefined.

D: I have mixed feelings on this beer. Out of the gate, it's simply not ready to drink (IMO). I love the strong bourbon flavors, but it is too solventy for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2010 06:05:56 | More by Arbitrator

ejquin

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -30%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Count this as an "I don't get it" beer for me.

App: Totally black with nice thick brown head.

Smell: Definitely bourbon in the aroma. Also some alcohol, butterscotch and slight vanilla.

Taste: Tastes like bourbon really. A bit hot on the alcohol. some hops and vanilla. The blending of bourbon and beer just didn't do it for me.

Mouth: Heavy and very smooth. Good carbonation level.

Drink: couldn't get through a bottle due to not being a fan of the taste at all.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2005 15:31:11 | More by ejquin

jar2574

Missouri

3.18/5  rDev -30%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottled 10/9/09. Very little head. Pitch black beer, no light gets through. Not sure why, but I'm just not getting much head retention or lacing on the sides.

Smells sweet, boozy, a little malt but a lot of sugars. Smells like a great dessert drink.

This tastes like really good smooth Puerto Rican rum or a sweet Bourbon. It has about the same texture as a port. In other words, it reminds me more of rum/bourbon/port than beer. That's not necessarily a problem, this is a very unique beer.

Relatively low level of carbonation. Not terribly drinkable because it is overpoweringly sweet.

I give them props for taking the time to create something unique. Other than a lambic, this is probably the best example of a purely dessert beer, at least for me.

On the other hand, I'd rather not have it again unless it was for dessert. If I bought another bottle, I'd let it age for a while and see what happened. With this much alcohol and sugar I think it'd age well.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2011 23:04:01 | More by jar2574

timtheenchanta

South Carolina

3.2/5  rDev -29.5%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 5 | overall: 3

Pitch black syrupy liquid. Very small dark brown head. No lacing.

Smells of sugary candy, bourbon and wood. Really like a bourbon candy. Slight vanilla smell perhaps?

Huge thick malty feel with loads of sugary bourbon taste. This is not to far from being a julep gone horribly sugary. There's alcohol and oak flavors which completely hijack the finish and dry it out. I'm not really sure why this one tastes so over-the-top sugary. Other than that it's great. Maybe with a year or so on this bottle I would have enjoyed it more. It's close to being a big favorite of mine but it's too sweet and missing that extra nod of flavor. No denying this is a crazy big brew though.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2006 02:33:45 | More by timtheenchanta

BobZ

Massachusetts

3.2/5  rDev -29.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz. Bottle poured into my Duvel Tulip. This is the 2009 vintage.

Appearance: Pitch black with virtually no head, leaving the appearance of very little carbonation.

Smell: Bourbon, big and bold, traces of some roasted malt as well as coffee and chocolate, but mostly all bourbon on the nose.

Taste: All about the bourbon, some vanilla too, maybe a faint hint of licorice. When cold this is a fairly enjoyable beer; however, as it warmed in the glass it changed for the worse. Unlike any other Bourbon barrel aged stout I've had, the bourbon, chocolate, and coffee warmed to become a cloying mess. It is like drinking molasses with those three flavors. Should have "best enjoyed cold" on the label.

Mouth feel: Smooth and creamy when cold, cloying, mouth-coating, and sticky when warm.

Overall: Started with promise, ended poorly. Nowhere near on the same level as Hoppin Frog BA BORIS or KBS. I'll spend my money on better stouts.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 22:17:37 | More by BobZ

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

kingcrowing

Vermont

3.25/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2008 12oz bottle poured into an allagash snifter.

Pours black as motor oil, very thick looking with almost no head, just a tinge of dark brown lacing. Nose is very boozy and sweet, a bit unapproachable.

Wow, taste is very boozy and strong, this could sit in the cellar for a decade. Sweet and sharp on the palate. Finish is very smoky, bourbon and a bit earthy. Alcohol lingers, this is a real sipper.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2009 01:56:20 | More by kingcrowing

CashMoneyVagrant

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

2010 vintage, reviewed on 1-4-11

Little to no head in the glass. What's there is deep brown in color. Bourbon on the nose, with charred wood, vanilla. Sweet/ beet sugar aroma. Dark chocolate, a little boozy, some dark fruit.
Bourbon right up front in the mouth. Sweet, lots of vanilla, charred wood. Medium bodied not heavy, alcohol is not overpowering for the high abv. Dry, bitter, roasted malt in the finish, with dark chocolate, espresso coffee in there also. As the beers warms the vanilla & bourbon are the dominate flavors. Would pair nicely with a cigar. Low carbonation, with velvety mouthfeel, sticky upfront. It warms the belly as it reaches room temperature. I find this not really complex it's pretty straight forward. Bourbon, charred wood, vanilla, some dark fruits, with dark chocolate & espresso coffee not getting much else. The warmer it gets the more there's just vanilla & bourbon, and starts to get heavy in the mouth. Becoming hot & boozy, more bitter in the finish. For me it's just okay, I've had better examples of the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2011 02:45:28 | More by CashMoneyVagrant

tayner

Arizona

3.28/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

jet black with almost no head, just a slight ring of brown foam.

Bourbon smacks you in the face, and once past that you can smell some chocolate malt.

Taste: Bourbon, bourbon, bourbon, and then some coffee, and slight roasted flavor. the bourbon is up front with the coffee bitterness coming after swallowing. Very warming.

Mouthfeel is just okay, really hard to judge as this is definitely a sipper brew for me.

The abv is too high for drinkability to be too high, and this must be sipped as it is strong and powerful. A beer to nurse that gets better as it warms. I have a couple older bottlings from 06 that i am now anxious to try and see how they age... and a few more of these i am laying down to age for a year as well.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2008 01:00:40 | More by tayner

Soonami

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Shared Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout tonight with a friend while brewing, and I have to say, I am very disappointed with this beer. The beer looked nice, a thick motor oil black, but oddly, even though the beer hissed when opened, there was almost no carbonation. It was entirely way too sweet, it was like sucking a caramel candy while drinking a mocha. The bourbon flavor came on in the end, but it was a bit harsh and overwhelming. The alcohol we very present and the carbonation was too low making this a difficult beer to finish, which makes for a syrupy, boozy mess.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2010 03:59:47 | More by Soonami

bunnyhustle

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours black with small mocha head. Virtually no retention or lacing. Looks a bit like a glass of paint. Smell was very boozy, too bozy for me. I found it to be a little distracting. Beneath the alcohol there was some toffee and vanilla cream. The taste wasnt terrible, the best part about this beer. A complex blend of caramel, vanilla, expresso, alcohol, and sweet chocolate syrup. Very thick mouthfeel. Perhaps the thickest, most dense beer I've ever had. Not the most drinkable beer. While I did enjoy it, I certainly did not fall in love with it. The look was off, the smell was overpowering, the taste was very intense, and it was heavy as a brick. Not to mention the ABV which will kick your butt.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2009 01:43:30 | More by bunnyhustle

sevopie

Colorado

3.3/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 1.5

Appearance - Umm, black. Hardly even a hint of brown on the edges. Dark brown head that disappeared really quickly.

Smell - Interesting... I get a predominantly sweet flavor over the obvious bitter ones. The first smell that jumps out is maple syrup, followed by bourbon. I then get a bet of smoke as well as some wood and a bit of rum-like alcohol in there. Finally, you get a hint of chocolate and raisins in there.

Taste - Damn... its heavy on the smoke, heavy on the bourbon, and heavy on the wood. I taste a little chocolate and coffee and a hint of fruit, and then the alcohol kicks in. Previous reviewer is right... Subtlety is not a strong suit of this one.

Mouthfeel - Very, very thick and viscous. Somewhat light on the carbonation, but it kicks in after it is in your mouth for a bit.

Drinkability - This is going to be a total sipper, and a hard sell to finish the bottle. The flavors are crazy and in your face, and the viscous nature makes it even worse. I appreciate the extreme nature of the beer, but this will be the only time i have it.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2009 04:58:25 | More by sevopie

david18

New York

3.3/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I probably need to try this again as a late night sipper rather than my first beer when I arrived at the bar in the late afternoon. It's a very strong stout, which, in my opinion doesn't do a great job of balancing the alcohol. Color was great, good carbonation that was surprisingly light for how dark the color was. Aroma is also very good. Again, the only problem is the strong alcohol taste that needs more hops and malt to balance it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2010 19:06:06 | More by david18

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.33/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Bottle (courtesy of Dalaamar): Poured a pitch-black color stout with a large dark brown color foamy head with minimal retention. Aroma of bourbon is quite powering as well as some chocolate and vanilla. Taste is a mix between some chocolate malt with hints of vanilla, coffee and oak. Bourbon presence is interesting but a bit too powerful for my liking since it brings too much alcohol, which is not something that I necessarily enjoy. Body is full and has a creamy texture, which I quite enjoy. Overall, this is a very interesting creation, which I’m glad, got a chance to try but I feel I would probably prefer the non-barrel aged version more. Also, this is more of a sipper then anything else and half a bottle would probably be enough for one session.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2006 17:01:16 | More by Phyl21ca

bulletrain76

California

3.33/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle. Black with a bit of foam at first but no lasting head. The aroma is pretty much straight bourbon, with a light dark chocolate accompaniment. Thick and slick with low, fine carbonation. Lots of bourbon, wood, alcohol, and dark chocolate flavors. The alcohol is relatively smooth, but very present. I can dig this a little bit, but it seems to be intense just for intensity's sake. The bourbon runs the show for sure.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2009 19:23:53 | More by bulletrain76

WhiteOak

Connecticut

3.33/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

2009

A- Opaque deep black-brown color with a brown head, no lacing.

S- Aroma of prunes, figs, and black licorice.

T- Volatile ethanol simply overpowers and dominates the palate, throat and olfactory here. A lasting burn persists all the way down. Otherwise, black licorice, cafe´ au lait, and sweet chocolate covered raisins are evident. The hot finish is mostly of bourbon notes.

M, D- Besides the dominant ABV, this is smooth, sweet, and velvety. The big alcohol moderates (at least my) drinking pace.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 18:26:35 | More by WhiteOak

commis

Massachusetts

3.33/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

2008 bottle poured into a Tulip.
Very black. viscous. Massive legs. With a vigorous pour several inches above the glass I get a nice two finger head the color of weak chocolate milk.
Very chocolaty. More so than I remember from past vintages. Bourbon is up front and more subtle dark fruits and oak in the background. Very complex and well done aroma's.
Lots of Bourbon flavors. Heavy vanilla, oak and sweet bourbon. Much chocolate in the flavor of this beer as well. A bit sweet overall, I'm missing roasty character and the viscosity is making it slightly cloying. Strong alcoholic taste, like hot cocoa and Bourbon, it's great but I need some more bitterness from roasted barley.
Mouthfeel is thick but well carbonated. It's a bit to thick given the sweetness of the beer but that has to do with the taste. The mouthfeel is right on. I like it.
This is not something I can drink more than 8 oz of. It tastes good but not great and it's heavy and very hot.

Edit: Editing this to work with the 'drinkability/oreall switch. A bit higher now.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2011 02:28:38 | More by commis

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

marlinsfan4

Maryland

3.35/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Was surprised to see this on tap at a local dive-bar in downtown Baltimore... only $6 and they gave you at least a 12 oz. pour at least (this is compared to a pint of Yuengling going for $5)... quite a steal. Maybe not the best beer to start the night... this one is a doozy and one of the stronger beers I've tried. Yes I know it's 14.5% ABV, but DFH's offerings of this alcohol seem to go down a lot smoother. Anyways... a thick beer reeking of bourbon taste, with a strong alcohol bite. Packs a punch and had some good taste, but just too boozy for my own opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2012 22:37:51 | More by marlinsfan4

HopHobo

Michigan

3.38/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Received this beer as an extra from JoeyBeerBelly with many thanks.

Served in a beer tulipat ~40 degrees.

A-pours a jet black color with red undertones, no much of a head created during the pour and none was left after a few minutes

S-strong bourban smell, with a little bit of oak in the background

T-a powerful brew at 13% with the bourban dominating the flavor from start to finish.

M-almost no carbonation with kind of a weak mouthfeel for a stout.

D-I could see myself drinking this beer on the coldest night of the year. I have had better 13% stouts in my day, overall I didn't feel like this beer lived up to the hype surrounding it. I tried to let it warm up because I believe a good stout tasted better warm...but alas I did not feel this way about this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2008 15:10:45 | More by HopHobo

wmtxbb

Illinois

3.38/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottle poured into pint glass

Appearance: a deep black with a light layer of lacing at the top. Syrup like in movement.

Smell: Sweet chocolate malt and bourbon. No hop scent detectable.

Taste: Almost too many flavors to decipher. Chocolate malts, light coffee flavor, alcohol, vanilla, and coconut. I'm not even sure what I'm tasting half the time.

Drinkability: This is a nice beer, don't get me wrong, but it isn't very drinkable. The syrup like consistency and the scary high alcohol content make this brew a bit too much.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 22:56:00 | More by wmtxbb

psuKinger

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

What a treat, 2008 bottle acquired via trade with jchow79, many thanks for this unique find! My bottle doesn't look like what is pictured above, but I still believe this is the appropriate review for this beer.

A: Completely dark, poured like syrup, with virtually no head on the pour despite a vigorous splash for the last 3rd of a glass. A 2008 bottle might be a little low on Carbonation....

S: Wow. Huge smell of chocolate syrup and rich, sweet Bourbon. I've never smelled this particular combination in a beer before... I'm officially *intrigued*.

T: Another "wow". Huge flavors of sweet sweet chocolate... the high alcohol content (13%) gives this guy a *spice* that gives it similarities to a good, rich Brandy. Toffee like flavors and a hint of caramel on the finish. This guy is sweet, then roasty, then warm and syrupy as the taste moves through with each swallow.

M: Despite the age, I think the spice and alcohol still gives this beer a light tingle in the mouth. The finish is syrupy and thick.

D: I think drinkability is the most subjective of the 5 categories... For me, I always judge "drinkability" by how easily the bottle goes down, and if I'd like to have another one of the exact same thing right after it, the next day, ect.

That's where this guy really struggles for me. It had an amazing nose, and it just explodes with rich, sweet, and spicy flavors in your mouth. And for that it merited big scores for smell, taste, and mouthfeel. The first 3-4 ounces were awesome. But over time, as I worked through the glass, this just became a chore for me to finish. It's got a BIG sweet/spicy flavor... just so much so that it's not terribly drinkable. I really enjoyed trying it, but I would not want to have a 2nd one back-to-back or even another one later this week.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2010 19:24:47 | More by psuKinger

claspada

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

2008 bottle thanks to ericfb18.
Pours completely flat pitch black with no head which is upsetting. Probably the most lifeless beer I have ever seen to be honest.

Aromas of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, vanilla, dark caramels and a ton of oak and bourbon still after 3 years.

The taste is pretty damn serious. Huge doses of vanilla, bourbon and wood, this is definitely a sipper and it;s kicking my @$$. Really intense amounts of bourbon, more so than any beer I have had to date. I had this on tap a several months ago and it was much more balanced; maybe the hops falling out have made this a tad to thick for my liking. Becomes more booze and wood intense as well as it warms and the chocolate and sweet vanilla notes become less of a factor.

The mouthfeel is thick and heavy, no carbonation what-so-ever here. The alcohol is up front in your face as well; which I can tolerate as a bourbon drinker but this is pow in your face over the top. Becomes more oak and wood intense as well as it warms.

Overall I enjoyed this much more a few months back fresh and on tap. Maybe the vintages have become more mellow since 2008 or was just a heavy/new barrel they were using back then.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2011 15:13:40 | More by claspada