Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout
June 3, 2009
I have two people to thank for this Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout I am about to review ,so I want to get that addressed first, and also why its taken me so long to try this very special beer!
First, I’d like to thank Sally from either Goose Island or whoever promotes their beer for a sample. That was way back in November 2008! I was going to try the beer, but then I started reading more and more online about how this beer gets even better with age! What to do?
Here I had a 2008 bottle of Bourbon County Brand Stout, but then I wanted to hang on to it until say 2013 – I’d never cellared a beer before, so the novelty factor of doing it was quite high.
Having only one bottle and no place nearby to get another, it was going to be a now or later situation – not both. What to do? Also, how would I compare? If I only had one bottle I could only have an ‘experimental group’ and not a ‘control group’ to compare the beer’s taste over time. (Is that right science-nerds?) Anyway, I needed two samples!
The second person I’d like to thank is Michael over at Thank Heaven for Beer. I was explaining to him my situation how I wanted to try this beer now, but I also wanted to save it for later. He offered to hook me up with a second sample which solved my problem! Now, I’m able to have one now, and provided we all still exist in 2013, I’ll have the other one then!
So, thanks Mike and Sally for making this happen for me!
On with the beer!
The Goose Island Bourbon County Stout is really a different brew than anything I ever tried before. I can tell this even before taking my first sip! Looking at the plain-jane label, the first thing I notice is that this massive Imperial stout weighs in at 13% ABV. For a beer, that’s seriously strong.
Pouring this beer, it looks like black ink. The label describes it as ‘dark and dense as a black hole’ and I would fully agree. This stuff is BLACK. The label said there would be a thick foam head, but as you’ll see in the picture above that I took immediately after the pour, there was hardly a head at all to speak of.
Further reading of the label indicated that after fermentation, the beer is aged in 16 year old bourbon barrels for 100 days where I imagine it probably picks up much of its complex smell and flavors.
Regarding the aroma, this beer again is quite bold. You can smell the stuff while pouring it into the glass, and you can still smell it when its in the glass any you are several feet away from it taking a picture! It isn’t bad like a bum you smell from across the room, but rather interesting and is forces you to come in closer for further inspection.
What’s it smell like? Well I think the label is again – spot on. “An intense mix of charred oak, vanilla, caramel and smoke.” I couldn’t do better myself, so there ya go. Trying to figure out which of the ingredients is most apparent, its hard to say but it is indeed a blend of the aforementioned parts. The only thing left out of the list is the smell of alcohol which is indeed present but that’s not a surprise now is it?
Now the good part. How’s this insane brew taste? Many people claim that this beer makes a good cigar beer and that ‘only the most decadent chocolate dessert can stand up to it.’ So far, I’m inclined to believe it!
All I can say is holy crap. This beer is definitely not designed for the average beer drinker. If you go back and reread my notes on the aroma, multiply that by a factor of three when it comes to the taste! This is a serious beer. You get a taste of the smoked wood, some vanilla and caramel – and the alcohol I mentioned in the nose is in there too. It’s not masked, and I don’t think it was intended to be. Its bold and up front, and brings about a nice warming sensation the whole way down.
The mouthfeel is very thick, this is a dense, ‘chewy’ beer, the aftertaste is really quite nice and it lingers and dare I say, ‘ages’ quite well? If I wait five minutes between sips (you might have to) its still there, and I thought I got some chocolate flavors at that stage too. Neat.
So, what can I say to wrap up this review of the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout? Its a big beer that probably would go nicely with a cigar, but as I’m not a smoker, I would think it would go well with some rich chocolate dessert of some kind. I’m thinking a serious French dessert would make a great paring.
Having this beer solo, one must be mindful of the 13% ABV. Take your time and savor it. This is a beer for sipping, not for session drinking and definitely not for chugging or funneling! It doesn’t taste like beer at all really – at least not in the typical incarnations. Its a special beer and should be tried by anyone looking to push their beer experience envelope to the limits! I’ve never had anything like it. Thanks again to Michael and Sally!
Rating: 
Have you ever had the Bourbon County Stout? What do you think of it? How does it compare to other beers you might have cellared for a few or more years?
Scott-TheBrewClub
Posted in 4 Star Reviews, Ales, All Brews Reviewed, American Beers, Bocks, Porters and Stouts
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June 3rd, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Over Memorial Day weekend, a friend and I had a vertical tasting of GIBCS, we started with 2008, then went 2007, then 2006. The beer continually got better.
Even before the aging, 2006 was my favorite vintage. When 2007 first came out last year, the whiskey flavor was extremely upfront, same with the 2008. The longer the beers sit, the better the flavors mingle and the harshness of the liquor disipates, leaving a much smoother brew.
If you are looking to purchase some GIBCS, there are several retailers in Illinois that will ship.
West Lakeview Liquors.
http://www.wlvliquors.com/index.php?target=categories&category_id=123
Archer Liquors.
http://web.mac.com/archerliquors/Goose_Island/Goose_Island_Bourbon_County_Stout.html
those are two of my favorite beer stores in the Chicago area.
V
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June 3rd, 2009 at 4:12 pm
@virgil g, thanks for the tips! I think its great you were able to do a side by side by side comparison, and its also interesting to hear that you think it got better with age.
Scott-TheBrewClub’s last blog post..Beer Review – Michelob Brewing Hop Hound
June 3rd, 2009 at 5:53 pm
You are welcome for the beer, Scott. I did drink a bottle of 2006 a while back and it was good. It’s good that you have notes on this beer now because the beer is variable. For instance, the 2006 was 11% ABV and this one is 13%. I’m guess this is mostly due to the strength of the Bourbon in the barrels. I don’t know that they actually change the recipe. I guess that all I am saying is that this beer might be a rediscovery and cellar beer every year. I’m planning a putting back a bottle or two every time. I’m glad you liked it.
Michael Reinhardt’s last blog post..Beer It Forward – Beer Trading (part 4 of 5)
June 4th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
I didn’t notice the first time, but get that Bourbon County out of that Guinness glass.
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June 4th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Damn!!! 13% sounds like my type of beer!
Great review… Looking forward to the review in 2013!
Liz – The Sports Bra Reports’s last blog post..Lebron James Buzzer Beater vs. The Magic (Game 2)… He’s Amazing.. So Amazing!
June 4th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
That beer sounds wonderful. I haven’t seen it in any six pack store in my area of PA but I will be on the lookout
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June 5th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Michael, if I didn’t sample all my beers in my unlicensed Guinness glass, it would be in an iced-tea glass! (I think that’s what Liz uses when she’s not chugging right from the bottle) Using the incorrect glass is all part of The Brew Club culture!
Scott-TheBrewClub’s last blog post..Blue Moon Wheat Beer Review
June 5th, 2009 at 11:28 am
I’ve never even heard of this brew, but now I am really wanting one. I may have to try and see if I can get some ordered.
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June 6th, 2009 at 7:54 am
I wasn’t actually chiding you on the glass. I just thought it was funny that you used a Guinness glass.
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June 9th, 2009 at 11:12 am
This beer looks and sounds intense. I have seen it in my local liquor stores here in Chicago and I assume it is all quite fresh. Apparently, I want the older bottles? I recently acquired the taste for good stouts, you have inspired me to give it a try this weekend…
Doug @ All Beer Blog’s last blog post..Beer Review: Barley Island Brass Knuckles Oatmeal Stout
June 9th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Doug, just get yourself a couple of bottles. Try one now and keep some for later! If you get some older ones, some of the aging had been done for you already! Please let us know what you think once you have it. Its really a different brew!
June 29th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
I finally went to get it (was a long couple of weeks). All I can say is, wow. First of all, I have never seen a beer with this type of viscosity. It was thick, didn’t drip, it leaked (if you know what I am trying to say). The smell is pretty indescribable. The taste is indescribable. All I can say is that it is different from every other beer, ever. I will post a review on my blog when I get around to drinking another one. Regards!
Doug @ All Beer Blog’s last blog post..Beer News @ All Beer Blog
June 29th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Amazing stuff, right? Doug, please stop back and let us know when the review is up!
Scott – TBC’s last blog post..Budweiser Dark Lager – A Beer Review
July 17th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Definitely love this beer! It’s delicious stuff, but a real sipper. I pick it up whenever I’m in the Chicago area and it’s on shelves. About 6 months of aging really helps this stout and at a year it’s great!
As for the change in alcohol over the years, I believe it is a change in recipe. There are certain rules regarding how much alcohol you can get from barrel aging before it’s taxed differently (and much more expensively), and the threshold is well below 2% points.
If you like this beer, you should give Kentucky Breakfast Stout from Founders a shot!
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