Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

Brewed by Goose Island Beer Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Chicago, Illinois USA

Dark pour with small brown head. Big nose of bourbon, wood and dried fruit. Flavor is rich with roast, vanilla, dried prunes, hints of chocolate and alcohol. Body is heavy with big hit of heat from the 13%. Very complex and very smooth.

First turned onto it at Uber, and now in bottles all over town. This beer blows me away. Fruity yet the coffee/charred flavor comes throug as well. I always try to open a night of drinking with this one, as there is no way I’m doing one at the end of the night.

Bottle. A fantastic beer! I love the heavy, black oil thats in the bottle. So much flavor in the bottle, chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, oak, caramel, roasted malts. Very well balanced beer. Great body and a fantastic mouth feel.

What a gem. stumble across this one by luck. Pours heavy short of syrupy. almost no head but the little that it displays is of translucent black.(is it possible). Aromas remind me of walking into a chocolate store. slight vanilla and the wonderful bourbon. taste are tremendous hints of bourbon and toffee. No chocolate flavoring which was disappointing. leaves a cote of sweetness that is always welcome by such a high gravity beer. found a new style to love. highly recommended it for those that are looking to explore something unique.

Wow! Thanks to AJ! Black color with no head. Aroma of bourbon, oak,vanilla, caramel, and roasted malts. Flavor of bourbon, vanilla, roasted malts, and caramel. Liquid heaven.

Before I put in the details.... WOW!! Bottle served at near-room temperature into a snifter. Minimal light-brown head that quickly rings to the side of the glass. Almost pure-black in color. Oil-like and reflects your mug from the top after the head has settled. Sweet, intense aromas of caramel, chocolate, wood, vanilla, alcohol, and roasted nuts. The flavor and palate have the dial turned up to 11. The fact that there is so much creamy, robust flavor in just a little sip is utterly spellbinding. The alcohol is there on the finish, but in a good way, prickling over your tongue and warming into your limbs. Again... Wow!!

Bottle bought @ Whole Foods NY, pours dark opaque and sticky with no head, aroma of scotch, raisins, chocolate, nuts and cherry, strong flavors of chocolate, raisins, smoked malt, hash, scotch, cherry liquor and bitter sweet long aftertaste, pretty amazing body. Outstanding @Freaktoberfest 2008 bottle, pours total black with a small deep chocolate head, cream like aroma with some maple, toffee, caramel, vanilla, chocolate and cherry liquor, flavors of brandy, cherry, scotch, wood, caramel, liqurice and soy sauce, supreme brew with complex flavors and aroma, and great mouthfeel. WOW

This review pertains to the 2005 vintage. Pours pitch black and completely opaque without even the slightest of lighter colored edges when held to a light source. Completely still with no head at all. This looks like a goblet of oil. Aroma is dominated by a ton of oaky bourbon with hints of vanilla. Also, I’m picking up a lot of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee bean, burnt toast and bourbon, bourbon, bourbon! Heavy full chewy viscous mouthfeel with such a smooth creamy body that I can’t believe this beer is 11%. The alcohol heat is excellently masked. Lots of wooden earthy oak notes and bourbon flavor with hints of subtle vanilla. Also a good bit of roasted chocolate malt, burnt toast, coffee, oatmeal and Bourbon! So creamy, smooth and well balanced. This beer is incredibly mellow afte the three years of aging. Nice alcohol warmth in the finish with some subtle hops. This beer is absolutely fantastic. I want to get a few more bottles so I can try it fresh and age a few for a decade or so. ISO more bottle!