Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

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

Black color with no head. Aroma was an intersting hit of bourbon. Most bourbon beers smell like they’ve been aged in the barrel, but this is more like it had bourbon added to it. The corn profile of the bourbon really comes through. Some vanilla traces from the barrel. The taste keeps up the game and smacks you upfront with straight bourbon. Large malt base with not as many hops as I’d expect. Different than what I was expecting, but tasty.

2005 bottle acquired in an awesome trade with Htsprint1. Thanks so much Noah! Shared with Eyedrinkale and Egajdzis on 8/27/2005.
Pours a thick, viscous deep black, opaque, heavy looking substance, with a small, thick tan head, that is not long retained, little bit of legs on the glass. Sediment on the bottom of the bottle. Aroma of coconuts, sweet molasses and rich toffee. Oaky and just very strong. Touches of charred wood smoke is very dry in the nose and gives some balance to the sweet coconut, chocolate fudge, vanilla and light alcohol. Being very underwhelmed by most Imperial Stouts I have tried lately, especially the barrel-aged ones, I’ve got to say, I was incredibly impressed and refreshed by this one. Granted this isnt a terribly refreshing beer, but it was just nice to see a unique imperial stout that dosent bludgeon you with hops or alcohol. Even the roast is fairly restrained here, relatively speaking. What you do get a lot of, is coconut, sweet vanilla beans and chocolate fudge, though a bit drier than all that sounds. Rich, thick mouthfeel is borderline syrupy, and significantly malty sweet, but for me, it works. Very viscous and oily, with a very low carbonation. It goes down easy, on my palate, though. The bourbon is somehow flavorul, moreso than it is drying or sharp. Sweet chocolate-vanilla sticks with you, as some late hops grows as it warms. Bourbony flavors are always present but don’t really bother me, even at the end of the glass. Very full body. Love to get more of this stuff.
Rerate Or rather, resample, I’m not changing my marks because this beer is maturing very nicely. At about a year old now, the bourbon is still under control, even moreso now, with a creamy/chocolatey texture without gobs of harsh roast or hops. Smokiness and ashiness are controlled and used to balance, not overwhelm. Awesome.

355 ml bottle thanks to ekstedt! On February 2, 2009. Bottled 08/01/08. Labelled 11% ABV
Pitch black color, dark brown small head. Alcohol and vanilla scent with some chocolate and also vinous. Vanilla, roasted, coffee, alcohol, chocolate taste. Dry coffee aftertaste. Warming alcohol. Smooth almost thick mouthfeel, medium bitterness.

Bottled on 08/16/05. Pours a deep dark slick black with almost no light escaping and a small but lasting orangey tan head and good lace. Aroma is intense with bourbon- oak vanill ahints, lots of chocolate and coffee with some burnt notes and syrupy molasses sweet. Flavor is also very sweet with lots of bourbon and barrel oakiness to it- tons of tacky sticky tar- licorice root- molasses. Very big full flavor - very sweet and full of bourbon but the alcohol is in check.

(Bottle) Courtesy of Blankboy. Pours a late foaming brown head atop an opaque body. Nose of intense smoked malt, soya sauce, bourbon, molasses and burnt brown sugar. Flavours of double malted bitter chocolate. Very flavourful, very yummy. Bitter, woody, vanilla extract. Great stuff.

355ml bottle (Kaisla, Helsinki)
Jet black, no head even when poured from a height. Big sweet vanilla aroma - clearly bourbon barrel aged. Soft sweet smooth sticky palate, but with a gentle tingle of carbonation. Vanilla sweet taste is now joined with a really rich roast - burnt, which in context comes over as a lovely dark chocolate. The alcohol is relatively constrained, but definitely there. Finish is again more of the vanilla and sweet roast, with a slightly ashy and stuffy feel to the burntness. Perhaps the best beer I’ve had from the US, even topping 10/50.

Bottle that was brought back from the states by Craig, I’m not sure whether this was from Craig himself or from Miketd but they’re both great chaps so thanks to you both. This was then consumed in a field at Towersey, Oxfordshire, 29-08-09 Pours shark eye black this stuff is in fact seemingly impenetrable to all forms of light. Thick heavy warm and sticky (and that’s just me after an hour in the dance tent dancing to Shoogenlifty) Yes this is a big beer, powerful, warming rich and creamy. There is vanilla, dark very bitter toffee, molasses, its all in there and with the bourbon barrels imparting their wonderful flavours to this truly marvellous beer it really is a corker. A7 A5 F8 P4 Ov16 4.0

[Bottled] Pitch black. Very brief head. Vinous aroma. Loads of oak, vanilla and some sweet berry. Thick and oily palate. Strong alco-feel. Pretty sweetish with fruity notes. Tar and licorice. Extremely many flavours.