Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

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

Black beer with a small brown head. Roasted malty aroma with notes of oak, fruit, some alcohol sweetness and hints of coffee bitterness and chocolate sweetness. Warming alcohol sweet flavor with a light roasted maltyness, lots of oak notes. Dry finish with notes of whiskey. Thank you so much Rene (sk8viking) for sharing this wonderfull beer with me.

Almost black coloured. Heavy aroma of soy sauce, raisins and prunes. Very much liquorice in the flavour. Slightly salty finish. Well brewed but too much soy sauce and prunes for me.

(1st batch, with a 3-7-4 indicated on the white label with typewriter inscription):
Loads of bourbon greet the nostrils upon approach, surrounded by black grapes, roasted malts, and nagging soy...Thick molasses engulf the fruitiness and roastiness, giving you a lip-smacking sweet mouthfeel...Alcohol heat is definitely felt, but doesn’t bother much...This is classy, well-brewed, yet nothing sets it apart from all those barrel-aged imperials...This was apparently the precursor though, you can’t forget that...3.6/5

(Versions bottled on 010505 and 101207 were quite similar):
A lot less soy sauce thankfully, thus roastier and more dessert-y that its ancestor...Alcohol is better controlled in the aroma, the bourbon being not as expressive, and less oppressive...Tons of residual sugar make a hefty mouthfeel presenting decadent molasses, toffee and vanilla...Alcohol burns in the end though, a firm reminder of its size...Overall, I have to say this is an intense sipper, and thus not very drinkable, but it remains quite harmonious despite its potency...3.9/5

Bottled: Pitch black coloured. Brownish medium sized head. Medical, fruity (raisins, prunes) and some sweet spices in the nose. Flavour is full of alcahol, liqourice and is heavyly smoked. Has a very warming and alcaholtense end. I find this beer a bit unbalanced.

While some beers really benefit from bourbon aging, especially fruity beers, I don;t think Imperial Stouts share that benefit. At least I didn’t notice any bourbon or woody aromas or tastes in this one. It was nevertheless a good beer with some yogurt, coffee chocolate on the nose and more chocolate and coffee along with figs, and other dark fruit on the tongue. Mouthfeel was chewy and the finish was bittersweet.

Even though I balked at paying 7.50 for this in a store, I had no problem forking over 12 in a bar… go figure. Thick pitch black beer with dark brown head fading to lace. Aroma is very sweet and malty, dark heavy salty roastiness. Soy character along with all of the sweetness. Warming brings out the sweet bourbon and vanilla character. Dried plums and prunes. Charcoal smokiness and lots of heavy bitter dark chocolate. Soft tobacco herbal character as well. Very complex nose. Flavour is just as impressive, dominated by dark chocolate and heavy roast, there are also notes of smoke, soy, charred oak, followed by soft vanilla and bourbon on the finish. Bitterness is quite herbal and quite assertive, combining with all of the roast to keep the sweetness in check. Lovely brew, bourbon doesn’t dominate, but just adds background complexity to a beer that would have been excellent anyway. Didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did.

GABF 2003: They called this an imperial stout, and at 9.0% I would agree. Beautiful glowing caramel head on top of pitch black. Bourbon flavor and aroma is clearly evident. Espresso and sugar flavors. Wow... this stuff is thick and potent. Doesn’t hide the alcohol at all, but has a good mouthfeel with flavors of ginger and potatoes, oddly.

Need to update with notes from the current 2006/7/8 13% ABV bottles. Score still in the low 4s.

A syrupy dark brown with a thin,m thin brown head, I thought I was pouring out motor oil! The aroma is a thing to behold (besmell?), vanilla, chocolate, roasted malts, aniseed, some smokiness, and a sour mash alcohol smell. The mouthfeel is thick and rich, and the stuff gets sticky on whatever it touches. (I’m still combing out my moustach.) The taste is a complex blending of malts, chocolate, a very slight hop bitterness, and bourbon. The only downside I see to this is its overwhelmingly bourbon-alcohol finish which buries every other taste. But this is definitely a fine cigar ale.