Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

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

Poured into a snifter. As close to black as it can be without actually being black. 1 finger of espresso head. Extremely aromatic. The roasted malts are huge here, evoking coffee, chocolate, and a slight nuttiness. One of the most intensely chocolatey beers I’ve ever had, or that I could even imagine. Fierce dark chocolate and bourbon, coffee and maybe vanilla. Really smooth despite the slight booziness. Great carbonation and full body.

This stuff pours like syrup and is ultra dark. It sort of smells like dark chocolate and a little whiskey warmed up together. WOW! it tastes like it smells. I will have one of these instead of dessert, please. Awesome.

BCS Rating #1000 Bottle 2008. A ultra dark thick black color body with a very thin chocolate colored head,little to no carbonation,lots of sticky sheeting and lace. Aroma of Vanilla, chocolate covered cherries, oak, tobacco,and brown sugar.Flavor is HUGE dark toasted malt ,chocolate, coffee, licorice, raisin, smoke, vanilla, and molasis, a full body with a thick creamy mouthfeel,slightly boozy ,burbony but in a very good way,long milk chocolate,and alcohol finish. This is the bomb !

’08 Bottle from Crown#6, poured into ’W’ brandy snifter (thanks Dan, 1st use). Nose is very nice strong bourbon with molasses, licorice, dark chocolate, roasted malt, brown sugar and some faint figs, very inviting. Taste is WOW! Loads of some of the best bourbon flavor a beer can contain. You’re gonna have to love bourbon to like this beer. I love bourbon and I LOVE this beer. The bourbon loads up so much, I don’t really get much beyond that other than a slight roasted malt backing and some brown sugar. Mouthfeel is smooth and slimy once it warms. Let this one warm for sure, it opens up into an amazing sipable delight. The ’W’ on the side of my glass must stand for ’Winner’, ’cause that’s what this beer is.

Dark and rich and will knock you over in a good way with your first smell and taste. The aging process with bourbon barrels creates a perfect blend of stout and bourbon. It is a combination I hope to see more of in the future. The taste is sweet in a good way, yet still holds a nice malty coffee like edge to it. Even though the first drink is a burst of awesomeness, almost too much awesomeness in your mouth,I found the more I drink this beer the easier it is to drink unlike some stouts. The only complaint I have to knock it down a couple ticks was I almost would like to try this beer aged for less time in the barrel. I found the bourbon taste to come through a bit more than the beer and overpowered it. Some may like this and I dont blame them, but personally I would like the beer to come through a bit more. But overall it is a great combination of flavors to make one of the most rich, savory, intense stouts out there.

This beer is amazing. Pours really thick. I thought I messed up the pour, since I didn’t have a ton of head, but it sounds like it doesn’t really have a lot. The taste was amazing. For some people, I could see the significant bourbon taste puttting some people off, esp. because of the alcohol floavor that comes along with a bourbon taste. But I love bourbon and beer with a significant bourbon essence. That caramel, vanilla, and woody flavor that comes from bourbon is ever-present with this beer. It’s amazing. Love it. Can’t wait to buy more and just let it sit in my beer cooler for a few years.

2008 Bottle. Pours deep black with a small reddish head. Aroma of dark chocolate, bourbon, oak, and tar. Flavor begins very sweet and creamy... ends with a nice lasting alcohol burn. As much as I hate bourbon, I love this beer. It is fantastic! I could sip on this all night.

This one is a wow. It’s almost like drinking a peaty, single-malt scotch. Great with cigars.