Bourbon County Brand Vanilla Stout - Goose Island Beer Co.

funkyaudio

Illinois

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

Pitch black with almost no head but no legs. The aroma has notes of vanilla (duh), chocolate, bourbon, prune, liquorice, molasses, hazelnut, espresso, and light spicy hop esters. The taste is quite sweet and vanilla toned where it is almost too much of a good thing. There is the base BCS as well with the chocolate, molasses, fruity, smoky, and spicy notes. The mouth feel is luxuriously smooth and little bite, a tad tannic and chalky on the finish

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 04:54:28 | More by funkyaudio

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.23/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Brandon for sharing your rare and vanilla...we probably should have opened them in reverse order though.

The beer pours a rich looking black with no head it lacing and a slightly oily inner residue. The nose is an intense caramel with some wood and a subtle vanilla. The taste is buttery bourbon, vanilla, and a lingering oak. Unfortunately the vanilla doesn't come out that much, definitely less than expected with only a slight lingering caramel-vanilla.
Overall I'd definitely drink this beer again, but won't fall prey to the hype.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 19:25:29 | More by ThePorterSorter

merc7186

New York

4.08/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this beer poured from a bomber into a snifter glass.

A: Dark Brown Hue, Passes Almost No Light, Thin Head Ring, Minimal Lacing

S: Vanilla, Bourbon

T: Sweet Vanilla, Bourbon

M: Mild Carbonation, Full Bodied, Sweet

Overall, after having rare, way too much vanilla...decent

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 01:26:05 | More by merc7186

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.7/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

A bottle opened on my birthday 8.22.12.
Bottled on 11/05/10

A - Pours a very dark brown with a few dark brown bubbles that are gone very quickly.

S - Lots of bourbon, oaky, woody and vanilla.

T - Lots of vanilla, bourbon, booze, chocolate, wood.

D - Lower carbonation with a heavier body. A sweet vanilla finish.

O - Happy Birthday to me! A true delight!

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2012 06:55:47 | More by HuskyinPDX

alexgash

Connecticut

4.8/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. bottle. Bottled on 11/05/10.

Inky, viscous, dark blackish brown body. Finger of gauzy, bubbly, bright peanut brown head. Some lacing. Bourbon reaches the nose first. Oak, tannins, and vanilla. Rich caramel and sugary dates. Dark chocolate, molasses, and more vanilla. Big, rich, impressive, and seductive.

Roasted coffee bitterness up front. Opens up to sweet, smooth caramel and dark chocolate malt flavors. Dates, prunes, and figs continue with the sweetness. Meanwhile, the Bourbon and its associated oakiness and warmth builds in the background until it nearly takes over the finish. Chocolate cake, fudge, and molasses malt sweetness also peaks before the finish. Vanilla, cocoa nibs, and coffee bitterness in the long, warming finish. Wow! This is one complex, rich, and delightful sipper. Full-bodied, viscous feel. Almost chewable. Outstanding!

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 01:25:49 | More by alexgash

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

4.43/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

22 oz bottle into tulip glass

A - Black as night with a wisp of brown head. HEad fades, leaving a ring about the circumference.

S - Maraschino cherry, dark fruits, vanilla, bourbon.

T - Vanilla is the key flavor. An incredible taste of vanilla, accompanied by chocolate, bourbon, dark fruits, and the other base BCBS flavors. Unreal.

M - Full bodied and chewy. Perfect.

O - Overall a brilliant variant of the beer. Vanilla ifs used perfectly and fits just so well. Enhances the vanilla flavors of the original and makes it just brilliant.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 02:10:26 | More by greenmonstah

UCLABrewN84

California

4.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle pour at the bottle share hosted by Adam Fine Wine & Liquor held at Sophie’s Place in Redondo Beach, CA.

2010 vintage. Bottled 11/5/10.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, tons of vanilla aromas, wood, and bourbon. Taste is much the same but really vanilla forward with an alcohol kick and woody finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with an absolutely fantastic smell and great flavor that make it dangerously drinkable for its ABV.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 03:31:46 | More by UCLABrewN84

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.08/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a CCB snifter. Bottle dated 11/5/10. Reviewed from notes.

Appearance - Inky black as it pours. No head. A ring of foam just masks a slight translucence at the edge.

Smell - As always, booze first. Then vanilla, oak, and bourbon. Vanilla is pretty intense. Not much stout is coming through the rest of those flavors.

Taste - Bourbon and a ton of tingly alcohol. Chocolate with an intense vanilla backdrop. No bitterness and oodles of booze. I will say that the vanilla really does improve the flavor. Maybe not improve it up to a 5, but it's better than regular BCBS.

Mouthfeel - So Goose Island makes some boozy-ass stouts. No exception here. The barrel doesn't tame it at all. Thick and not easy to drink. The alcohol really is too much.

Overall - It tastes way higher than 13% alcohol. Really tasty, at the expense of drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 19:37:53 | More by Alieniloquium

cradke

Texas

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: fantastic dark with brown head. finger thick head dissolves to just a rim.

Smell: very bourbon. sweet. not much in the way of malt or dryness. quite similar to bcs. maybe a bit too 1 dimensional.

Taste: Bourbon notes up front. Quite sweet and pretty hot. i would say less sweet/ more complex than he regular variant. There is certainly some vanilla leaf and more earth and fig. very strong caramel and brown sugar. Molasses in a good way.

Mouthful: A bit thin but nice corbonation. It works really well with the flavors and helps make a great vanilla bourbon aftertaste.

Overall: very nice. a more earthy and fig variant. less sweet but nice and true to its bourbon county heritage. excellent.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2012 23:56:36 | More by cradke

mgp2675

New Jersey

4.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Dark and thick, has that syrupy look to it like regular BCBS. I remember Rare being a little bit lighter, this is pretty dark.

S- Loads of vanilla at first, it really has that classic BCBS aroma to it but just with lots more vanilla. You can tell it was barrel aged, definitely some alcohol burn there and it's pretty sweet as well, probably from the aging. I really enjoyed the aroma.

T- Just like BCBS to me, but with a lot more vanilla. It's very bitter though, much more than the others, yet sweet at the same time. The beer got sweeter and sweeter as it warmed up. It had a great aftertaste as well, a hint of coffee and chocolate.

M- Surprisingly it had a lot of carbonation, so many bubbles on the first few sips. It was more than I was expecting and much more than the Rare.

O- It was great, worth trading for and from what I can tell it's worth aging for a little while too. I felt like Rare was past its prime but this was still going strong. I thought it wouldn't be that great cause it has a little time on it, a vanilla stout is something I'd ideally like to try fresh but it still held up most of those characteristics very well and it was a real treat.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 19:14:16 | More by mgp2675

harrymel

Washington

2.98/5  rDev -34.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottled 05NOV10

Pours BCBS inky black with little mocha foam. Smells of vanilla, bourbon, mostly vanilla, and some dark and sweet malts. Flavor is plenty of vanilla, cocoa, and roasted malts and some bourbon. The beer reminds me of a vanilla porter I brewed once, not a diss, it was nice, but the vanilla was too much, way too much. Medium bodied with subdued carb and a surprisingly dry finish. This beer is nice, but I really don't see myself drinking the other two bottles I have without motivation. Meh, not nearly close to the world class folks are pimping on this one. Then again, I can't speak to the fresh version.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 06:02:57 | More by harrymel

writerLJBerg

Oregon

4.55/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

22oz bottle courtesy of Oregonskibum at our BCS tasting. Thanks! Consumed 6-16-12, reviewed from notes.

A: In a day of black beer, this is, surprise, black. Great legs. Shocking developments here.

N: Vanilla, coconut, honey, chocolate, and raisins.

T: Plenty of vanilla left, though not nearly the extract bomb when this was fresh. I'd consider it a good development. More caramel, coconut, chocolate, and honey.

M: Thick oily mouthfeel. Alcohol's pretty well hidden.

O: This may be teetering on the point of no return, but it's still really holding its own. I preferred it to BCS Rare.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 02:44:51 | More by writerLJBerg

kscaldef

Oregon

4.55/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Goose Island BCS tasting, 6/16/2012

A: Very dark, with slight lightening on the edges.

S: Vanilla, vanilla, and more vanilla. Reports of this being faded are just wrong.

T: Modest bourbon, toasted marshmallow, light chocolate.

M: Rich body, but balanced, not overly sweet.

O: IMO, best beer of the lineup. Better than Rare by a significant margin.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 05:15:15 | More by kscaldef

BostonHops

Massachusetts

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

22oz bottle served in a snifter.

the pour is what you'd expect from any imperial stout worth its salt: impenetrable jet black. yields an expectedly short lived 1/2" mocha toned head. the nose on this is mouth-wateringly fantastic. really just no other way to put it. big, bold notes of vanilla, bourbon, roasted malt, and chocolate.

the sumptuous bouquet of the aroma is every bit matched by the truckload of flavor in the taste. the vanilla is a major player but integrates well with the other elements (bourbon, chocolate, roastiness) without overwhelming them. as usual i love the trademark strong bourbon presence from this series. secondary notes of molasses and maybe a hint of caramel. sweet but not cloyingly so; similarly, the alcohol is present but well-hidden at 13% ABV. full bodied mouthfeel with about average carbonation.

overall, so damned good. even better than i remember it from the american craft beer fest last year... super flavorful and nicely balanced. we're talking candidate for best beer i've had territory here. my biggest criticism is that it's not slated to be brewed again.

(originally reviewed: 02-25-2012)

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 04:56:37 | More by BostonHops

AJacob81

Illinois

4.9/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On-tap at Fountainhead on CCBW opening night. My two-year hunt for this whale finally ends. Served in a snifter.

Looks like any proper big stout, pitch black with a beige collar and basically no legs or lacing to speak of. I spend close to ten minutes just sniffing. Heavy bourbon and vanilla notes combine for a strong maple syrup bouquet. A caramel and brown sugar scent in strong support. Smells amazing.

Taste follows the nose, with the brown sugar and caramel blending harmoniously with the charred oak, booze, and vanilla. Age has been good to this brew. Reminds me of the smooth, almost buttery taste of the PVW 23 barrel brews, Rare BCBS and King Henry. I know this wasn't aged in those barrels, but it has that vibe nonetheless.

Mouthfeel is silky smooth, medium to thick in body. Not too chewy, not too thin, almost perfect. What a beer.

Well worth the wait, this only trails Rare in the BCBS series. Phenomenal work from Goose, and I sincerely hope the decision to never brew this again is revisited, and soon.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2012 04:48:48 | More by AJacob81

Holland

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: deep brown to black with decent head and a nice sized edge around the glass.

S:: huge bourbon smell, diminished vanilla is very slight, and quite a bit of roasted and sweet malt.

T: much the same as the smell. You can tell that the vanilla is past its prime. It turns into a chocolate like flavor.

M:: amazingly well carbonated for being a couple years old at this point. Just about perfect mouthfeel with the thickness and carbonation.

O: just an amazing beer that I was tyranny able to tick on Chicago craft beer week at fountainhead. Wish I had a chance to try in its prime since the vanilla its fading.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2012 02:32:49 | More by Holland

xenjoiii

New York

4.1/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 - Bottled 11/05/2010

A: Poured black with a dark tan head that quickly receded to a ring around the glass. The dissipation of the head left several spotty islands dark tan foam.

S: Big spicy bourbon notes fill the nose; a decent amount of dark chocolate and caramel also emerge along with a subtle roasted coffee character.

T: Smooth vanilla opens the taste up for this one; by the middle of the mouth the vanilla begins to subdue as sweet caramel-esque sweetness blooms; and the finish is a combination of strong bourbon character and roasted coffee beans.

M: Light to medium carbonation. Exceptionally smooth body. For 13% I am not picking up much heat.

O: Very interesting variant of the BCBS. Super excited that I got a chance to try this, though I have to say that I would take Coffee or Bramble over this variant.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 21:44:54 | More by xenjoiii

Dope

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2010 bottle (is there any other?) so approximately 2 years old.

A: Pitch black pour with a mid-sized fluffy light brown head. Fades pretty quickly, leaving only hints of lacing.

S: Strong and wonderful bourbon aroma. Loaded with caramel, toffee and oak. Some dark fruit like raisins, figs and maybe cherry? Honestly it smells just like regular bourbon county, I didn't pick up any additional vanilla. There are hints of roasted malt character but it's mostly buried beneath the bourbon and the booze burn.

T: As with regular BCS, the bourbon is strong but not nearly as strong as the nose, thankfully. Bourbon burn up front with lots of caramel, toffee and drying oak. Turns into an amazing roasted malt character with some char but mostly chocolate followed by a bit of coffee bean. Vanilla bean is noticeable in the middle and into the finish. Finishes with spicy alcohol burn mixed with the chocolate and vanilla combination. Strong sweetness amplifies the chocolate and vanilla flavors. One of the best aftertastes of any beer ever. Lingering dark chocolate and vanilla beans forever. Did I mention chocolate and vanilla yet?

M: Thick, creamy, mouthcoating goodness. Leaves a slick, almost oily residue behind.

O: Wow, this one is a stunner. I loved regular BCS, this adds further complexity with the complimentary vanilla bean flavors. It also adds sweetness which really amps up the chocolate and makes for a great combination. Coffee is hidden a little better than the normal version, probably due to the age of this as well. Overall I found it to be tastier, more complex, better balanced and sweeter. Basically improved it in every way - a tall order for a beer that's already amazing. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't a vanilla bomb or an artificial vanilla either. It's just a nice balanced addition to the flavors of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 02:38:22 | More by Dope

abrand

Illinois

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

23 ounce bomber shared with a friend. Poured in pint glasses

This pours a jet black with a very 1/2 finger tan head that quickly fades. The thickness of this can be seen from the pour. Smell is full of bourbon, coffee, and chocolate. Very subtle hints of sweetness from the vanilla are noticed as the beer warms. Taste is truly delicious. Even with the high ABV and viscosity this beer never gets old to me. Loads of chocolate, coffee and dark fruits up front. Even with the vanilla being faded with age it is still pronounced on the finish with a nice sticky sweetness left on the palate. Mouthfeel is thick. Overall one of the best stouts I have had. Great job GI.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 20:14:22 | More by abrand

4thelvofbeer

Virginia

4.85/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I spent 20 minutes writing a killer review of this outstanding beer and when I clicked "review" the awesome website went to the screen where I needed to enter my password. My review was totally deleted....THANKS BEERADVOCATE!!! Appreciate that one.

Anyway, I am not writing my entire review again. Bottom line, this was one of the best beers I have had the pleasure of enjoying. It is one of my favorite and one of the best. Pretty much maxes out some of the best attributes of beers...taste, appearance...all spot on.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 01:54:26 | More by 4thelvofbeer

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

pour is jet black, dark tan head, small tight fizzy bubbles. The nose is heavy of bourbon, light notes of vanilla, has the fudge like cake quality all bcb's have, strong roasted quality underneath. As it warms the wood and bourbon become stronger and make an almost magic marker type note. The taste is rich, drinking a lot like the 09 bcb bomber I cracked a little bit ago actually with a touch more heat in the back and more malt dark berry sweetness. The barrel, booze, and sugar do add a bit of an off flavor, almost olive like. Not quite as viscous but still big bodied. Gentle but full carbonation helps balance the body but the finish actually seems a hint thin. Still rich fudge, strong roasted quality, light wood and an assertive bourbon that lasts throughout. Not quite as good as bcbs, wish the vanilla was more present and judging by reviews it was.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 15:40:21 | More by cpetrone84

schmoopsbeer

California

4.43/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

bottle shared wit group
poured in to tulip

Light lacing is left behind with no head retention at all.

Nose: What else Vanilla! Caramel and a strong bourbon aroma float around. In the background hints of caramel and hazelnut appear. Coffee tons are apparent once the beer warms up. after awhile in the glass.

Palate: Big and full bodied. A tad boozy from the 13% abv, but its not a beer killer. The drinkability is damn good and the carbonation a bit low, but not a deal breaker. Vanilla assaults your tongue from the get go, then the bourbon influence washes it away leaving behind the taste of caramel, chocolate, and espresso. Some minor oak character comes through as the explosion of taste subsides.

Finish: Warm and long with a sweetness. A great combination of bourbon and vanilla linger as the beer slowly goes down the hatch. Definitely a winner and a super presentation of a barrel aged stout.

Rating: 95/100

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 07:27:44 | More by schmoopsbeer

siege06nd

Virginia

4.9/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Just another in a long line of awesome beers that were cracked this night. We had this after RareR DOS, one of the most perfect beers ever, and we were all still very impressed by it, which speaks volumes.

A: Jet black, light brown head. Spotty lacing. About a half finger of head that settles quickly to a ring. Really nice consistent color.

S: Loads of chocolate, molasses, vanilla, and oak. Some dark fruit in the background. Chocolate and vanilla balanced perfectly. Spectacular.

T: Follows the nose. Drinks like liquid chocolate vanilla cake. Some dark fruit and some definite bourbon and wood characteristics. Hints of dark sherry and oak char. At its core, though, this is simply a divine marriage of brownie and vanilla. What's most impressive here is the vanilla, which doesn't just taste like cheap extract but has a really satisfying, cloying, full bodied character. MMMmmmm GREAT! Bravo.

M: Super creamy and coating. Still a little bit hot as well. Balance, however, is damn near perfect. Full bodied and delicious.

O: The rumors are true, GI Vanilla is at its peak right now. I cannot imagine this getting any better than it already is. Absolutely spectacular, and easily the best vanilla influence I have seen in a stout. GI definitely knows how to use the wood.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 15:33:35 | More by siege06nd

billab914

Virginia

4.55/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by siege06nd. 22oz bottle poured into a tasting glass. It poured pitch black with a thin, creamy, tan colored head sticking to the edges of the glass.

The aroma is rich with vanilla, dark chocolate, oak and bourbon. The vanilla is really nice in it, not overpowering and well integrated. Very smooth, slightly hot but overall very nice range of flavors.

The taste shows a great mix of chocolate and vanilla throughout. Some brown sugar and bourbon compliment it very nicely. Still a little hot but the vanilla an chocolate mix feels about perfect at this point. I loved how well the vanilla complimented it.

The mouthfeel is thick and a little syrupy with low carbonation. I love the mouthfeel of all of the BCS variations. Overall I thought it was a fantastic beer and I really loved what the vanilla added. Everything really came together exceptionally well in it and the flavors all complimented each other very well. Awesome beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 16:08:19 | More by billab914

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

From 22oz bomber to Portsmouth glass on 3/24/12
*From notes

-- Yet another round of applause for siege06nd --

A: Dark, but there's a really vibrant earth tone to it. a straight pour yields a minimal head and a soilent green, slightly off-white looking collar.

S: It just kinda smells like BCBS. Which is awesome, mind you. I'm not really able to detect much vanilla at first, though as it warms, it really become much more pronounced.

T: As I drink this, I feel like a kid again - standing in Dairy Queen with my chocolate & vanilla swirled cone. Because that's exactly how this drinks. Now I've not had this fresh, but I can tell you that a year+ in, the balance here is spot-on. Sure the bourbon is still hot and boozy, and yeah the chocolate malts overwhelm the vanilla ever so slightly. But I'll be damned if this isn't delicous. The best part is the vanilla: it doesn't come off as some type of syrup or extract, rather it really tastes like a handful of toasted vanilla beans are swimming happily at the bottom of the bottle.

M: Motor oil consistancy. Coats my mouth like oil to the Gulf of Mexico.

O: How Goose Island continually pumps out so many amazing BCBS one-offs astounds me. Like their Bramble Rye and Coffee, this is a real treat, and something I'd highly recommend getting into ASAP, as the vanilla seems to be at peak. Holding it any longer will do this beer a greeat disservice, as it's currently drinking like a million bucks.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 19:15:49 | More by Rhettroactive