Rare Bourbon County Stout - Goose Island Beer Co.

kevanb

Illinois

4.83/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Finally opened this bottle up, shared with friends on 5/27/2012, poured into a snifter.

Pours a simple jet black color, not much if any head, a thin film appears around the rim of the glass, a faint amount on top of the beer. Like many huge stouts and the other BCBS variants, it really doesn't look like much. The aroma is incredible, smooth bourbon, rich toffee and caramel plays with dark chocolate, mild roasted coffee, some dark plumy fruits and some nice malt character. The balance in the nose is exceptional, every time I put my nose in the glass, I could smell something new, but no one aroma really overpowered the others, perfect harmony. The flavors are exceptional, much bigger barrel character, more wood, more char, the bourbon is a bit more pronounced and a lot smoother and finer than regular BCBS. The chocolate component is a bit richer and more interesting on the tongue, much less coffee, but some subtle roasted malts, the alcohol is hidden perfectly, no heat at all, but just a slight warming sensation as it goes down. A nice addition to the flavor profile is some noticeable vanilla, I didn't really detect this in the nose, but once it hit the tongue, I was pleasantly surprised. The body is spot on, nice and thick, medium/low carbonation as expected. It's about as smooth as possible, I kept thinking, how is this so much smoother than regular BCBS. It has no heat, just a great warming sensation.

Verdict: Exceptional stout and the hype around this is justified. I don't know if it's going to age any better than where it is right now, but as it stands, it has aged beautifully and is easily one of the best stouts, or beers for that matter, that I've ever had the pleasure of tasting.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 20:10:14 | More by kevanb

hey5hitgoose

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev -0.6%

05-23-2013 17:11:44 | More by hey5hitgoose

vic21234

Illinois

4.99/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

22oz bomber poured into a snifter from cellar temperature. Bottle number 618, bottled on 11/19/10. I've been saving this one for a special occasion.

A- Pours just like regular BCBS, pitch black with a small amount of brown colored head that quickly fades. No carbonation seen, sits calm and still in the glass. Tons of lacing along the sides of the glass also.

S- Great smelling beer as expected. Tons of bourbon and the sting of alcohol dominates the smell. I do notice a difference in the bourbon aroma notes in Rare with the PVW.

T- Fantastic beer. Initially the taste starts strong with the notes of bourbon. Then comes chocolate, coffee, and maybe some dark fruits as well. The bourbon gets smoother as the beer warms as well.

M- Heavy, boozy, dark, and flavorful. A great warming feeling with each sip.

Rare is a fantastic beer. Does it live up to the hype? I don't think so. I'd be just as happy sipping on a regular BCBS or BCBS Coffee that is much more obtainable than this. Still a great beer though and I'm happy I had the opportunity to have it.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 00:39:18 | More by vic21234

eyeenjoybeer

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev -0.6%

05-20-2013 20:19:14 | More by eyeenjoybeer

JellyJacket

Illinois

4/5  rDev -16.3%

05-20-2013 19:32:20 | More by JellyJacket

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.75/5  rDev -0.6%

05-20-2013 19:07:12 | More by mendvicdog

smartassboiler

Illinois

4/5  rDev -16.3%

05-20-2013 14:28:03 | More by smartassboiler

RhyminBelmont

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -5.9%

05-20-2013 13:58:09 | More by RhyminBelmont

sbxx

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

On tap at Goose 25th Anniversary block party.

Didn't have time for a full review but it's obvious that this beer is nearing the end of its life right now. That being said, it was still tasty. Fresh, I bet this was a 5 or damn close. Right now, it's not even a 4.

The PvW still shines through and is basically the only thing redeeming this beer at this point. If you have a bottle sitting around, drink it ASAP. If you see it on tap again, go for a fresh BCS variant first.

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2013 02:45:50 | More by sbxx

Ak555667

Illinois

5/5  rDev +4.6%

05-19-2013 23:05:19 | More by Ak555667

duceswild

Maryland

4.75/5  rDev -0.6%

05-19-2013 15:28:04 | More by duceswild

jakeox

Illinois

5/5  rDev +4.6%

05-19-2013 00:45:39 | More by jakeox

Photekut

Azerbaijan

5/5  rDev +4.6%

05-19-2013 00:43:46 | More by Photekut

Wade5614

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev -5.9%

05-18-2013 01:24:05 | More by Wade5614

baybassboy

California

4.5/5  rDev -5.9%

05-14-2013 04:22:57 | More by baybassboy

brian4beer

Indiana

5/5  rDev +4.6%

05-13-2013 18:32:31 | More by brian4beer

leftstagebrew

North Carolina

5/5  rDev +4.6%

05-13-2013 16:57:43 | More by leftstagebrew

phishphorce

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev -0.6%

05-12-2013 21:22:01 | More by phishphorce

tclang

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +4.6%

05-11-2013 14:29:11 | More by tclang

twenty5

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +4.6%

05-10-2013 19:47:03 | More by twenty5

DmanGTR

New York

5/5  rDev +4.6%

05-10-2013 18:09:02 | More by DmanGTR

majaqua

Texas

5/5  rDev +4.6%

05-07-2013 22:28:40 | More by majaqua

dvmky

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev -0.6%

05-05-2013 17:45:07 | More by dvmky

Bilco

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev -0.6%

05-05-2013 02:43:49 | More by Bilco

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4.24/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Split the bottle with angrybabboon and bilco.

Appearance: Deep black. Some rich browns when held to direct light. Clear. Pours like motor oil. Small tan collar with a quickly dissipating head. Thick and still. Very similar to straight BCBS.

Smell: A solid punch of smooth alcohol. Signature Bourbon County sweetness with a bit more depth. Marshmallow and coconut. Loads of vanilla, both from the barrel and the bean. Raisins and dark macerated cherry flesh. Nice solid oakiness through the back. Slightly burnt and roasted. Blends caramel and toffee with some rich cooked sugars. Sweet, a but too much for my taste.

Taste: Roasted marshmallow with some solid vanilla and caramel. Crazy smooth blend of bourbon barrels and Bourbon County. Toasted coconut flesh and sugar. Cooked and caramelized malts. Slight alcohol heat on the back. Raw sugar. Molasses and toffee. Sweet but not too sweet. A bit more balanced than the standard. Crazy smooth. Brown sugar and some oak. Almost delicate. Super complex, but that's expected.

Mouthfeel: Crazy smooth. Creamy. Light to medium carbonation with a slick and oily medium to full body. Surprisingly clean.

Overall: I can't taste the rare. Ahab is sad.

An improvement over BCBS but not quite the legend I expected. A smoother more polished version of the base beer. Nicely complex.

This is an orca among white whales. Big and smooth but not worth what it takes to track down. I'm glad I got a bottle when it was on the shelves. Check it off and move on.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 22:54:46 | More by Goblinmunkey7