Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

Pours pretty dark brown, close to zero head. Smells a little oxidized. A ton of bourbon and chocolate in there. Take a deep breath for that cleansing rush of alcohol through the nasal passages. Very rich flavor - stands up to the richest Expedition Stouts. A lot of bourbon, very sweet, and again that distinctive bourbon oak flavor. Extremely smooth and creamy. Low roast levels compared to some other RIS examples. It’s really rather amazing that this is a 13% beer because it really comes off far from boozy. Very tasty and a good example of how to make an extreme imperial stout without going overboard.

Thick, oily, headless pour of a seal brown beer. Intense dark chocolate and vanilla extract aroma with secondary notes of bourbon, roasted coffee, and salt liquorice and a strong undercurrent of baked raisins. Balance is firmly to the powerful sweetness, though followed by significant roast- and hop-derived bitterness with a constant round acidity and moderate saltiness. Powerful flavors mimic the aroma but are viciously overpowered by a hot alcohol and salted, smoked fish combination. Thick body, oily texture, faint carbonation. Wildly out of balance, harsh, and difficult to drink. Bottled on 10/08/2008.

Finally decided to review this after a number of years and many samplings, but was finally motivated by the 08 draft version now on tap at Lunar Brewing Co. Oil poured to a snifter, a dark black/brown with minimal foam and a few spots of lacing. The aroma was hints of dark fruit, chocolate, wood, smoke, and caramel, but were totally overwhelmed by the potent bourbon. The flavor exhibited it’s very warming qualities in addition to the blend of aroma notes. A syrupy, full bodied, kick-ass elixir!

2008. Very bourbon-y on the nose, it was evident without looking at the name. No head, just thick black liquid with bourbony, alcoholy fumes. Full rich Impy flavor, just doesn’t hide the alcohol or seem to make any attempt to. Seems I’ve had something very similar to this before - maybe Dogfish Head WWS except more bourbon-y?

Pitch black with almost no head produced from an aggressive pour. Aromas of wood, cigars, and chocolate. Taste is full bodied, oak vanilla, bourbon, chocolate, heavy alcoholic, very rich, with a long, sweet/creamy finish. There is a lot going on here, and this needs some time to mellow.

Bottle. Raisins, portwine, dates, nuts, vanilla and oats in aroma, what a mixture. Black colour with light brown head. Chocolate, Whisky, wood and nuts in flavour. Sweet with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Soft, velvety mouthfeel.

355 ml bottle. Black. Small off-white head. Bold bourbon aroma with lots of vanilla and oak. Fairly low carbonation level. Rounded and really complex. Smooth oily roasted malt flavours. Hints of licorice and ammonia. Dry hop bitterness balanced by sweet oily malty caramel. Could have used a little more carbonation. Alcohol is warming, but not at all in the way. An excellent and complex beer.

This is the beer is live to drink. 12oz bottle. Pours black as can be. with a thick 3 to 2 finger brown like leaves in late fall. Aroma is burnt wood, caramel has a sweet smell to it as well like a dark fruit. Very earthy nose. The taste was strong alcohol at first but it then turns strong coffee, chocolate and coconut with a small hint of vanilla. High malt beer. Thick, sticky and full of flavor. Best drank at room temp. I love this Bier.