Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

12 oz bottle, 2007 vintage. Opened it up for the second presidential debate. Pours black with no head. First aroma is alcohol, but after that there are deep sweet aromas of dark chocolate, bourbon, dark fruits and cherries. Flavor is sweet chocolate with some roasty coffee, vanilla, bourbon, smoke. The alcohol is there as well, but it’s mostly a pleasant backup to the other flavors. Syrupy palate. This is a great beer with huge flavor.

Bottle dated 7/3/06 - Pours black as night with a motor oil type body. NO carbonation. Nose is all alcohol and some candied fruit. Palate is dominated by alcohol and some bourbon...still!!! Good, but had to share a 12 oz bottle with the wife. Couldn’t have had much more than that.

Pours with a black body topped by a thin, brown head wtih a little lacing. It’s sweet and full of vanilla and bourbon notes as well as a slight hint of roast. The bourbon notes are overpowering and take away from the stout flavor istead of complimenting it. Full bodied, smooth and warming.

2007 12oz bottle. Pours a very oily looking, jet black. A dark and runny lacing after a minimal chocolate head disappears very quickly. A very strong aroma, I can smell it from at least an arms length away. Lots of vanilla and bourbon. More sweet than roasty although its still present. Woody/oak, dark chocolate caramel, and a mellow fruit background. Fantastic. Mouthfeel is very slick, oily, and smooth with a medium feel. Taste is incredible. Immediate abundance of flavor including chocolate, sweet caramel malts, oak and bourbon casting, and a vanilla backing. The middle kicks in with a very balancing bitterness and a sweet, mellow fruitiness resembling prunes. It finishes incredibly balanced and easy, drying very slowly throughout the aftertaste. Leaves a nice lingering bitterness and a delightful alcohol warmth unlike any beer I’ve had. VERY warming. Overall, this is a fantastic imp. stout. I would love to compare this to Bells Expedition. Great balance, love the bourbon oak smell/taste, fantastic finishing quality. Its a real temptress.

Bottle pours pitch black with a thin chocolate looking head. Aroma is amazing. Bourbon, chocolate, bourbon, roasted malts, vanilla, and did I mention bourbon? Has a very dense and heavy mouthfeel with some carbonation. Flavor is just what the doctor ordered. Hot bourbon, roasted malt, chocolate, caramel, dark roasted coffee, and alcohol. Overall, this is one of my favorite beers. This is an over the top, bourbon in your face brew. This is what makes it one of my favorites. Its also its biggest weakness. I really like the over the top bourbon, but enjoy a more balanced bourbon flavor even more.

Pours black with a small dark tan head. Aroma is malty with dark chocolate and oak coming through. There is a big malt vanilla flavor as well with a big warming finish. Good stuff.

Black with tiny beige head. Sweet aroma with roasted malt, bourbon, chocolate and vanilla notes. Sweet flavour with roasted malt, chocolate, bourbon, coffee nougat and warming alcohol towards the end.

Aromatherapy. And if that doesn’t help, there’s always self-medication... Aroma: Wow. Booze, dark fruits, vanilla, caramel. It’s all here, distinguishable and enjoyable separately. Appearance: Dark, dark brown, opaque except at its thinnest points. Essentially no head, some tan bubbles. Flavor: Caramel, booze, and vanilla, the roast malts and occasional dark fruit sweetness sparkling though. Finishes bittersweet like port. Palate: Thick and smooth, with plenty of alcohol warming. Sips better than most whiskey, but not at all drinkable.