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Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

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 Percentile 
100
overall
An Imperial Stout brewed by
Goose Island Beer Company

Chicago, Illinois USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in  Advanced 
7504.18/5.04.17/5.013%95.2Snifter P  Stats

Commercial Description:
"I really wanted to do something special for our 1000th batch at the original brewpub. Goose Island could have thrown a party. But we did something better. We brewed a beer. A really big batch of stout-so big the malt was coming out of the top of the mash tun. After fermentation we brought in some bourbon barrels to age the stout. One hundred and fifty days later, Bourbon County Stout was born-A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with a thick foam the color of bourbon barrels. The nose is a mix of charred oak, vanilla,carmel and smoke. One sip has more flavor than your average case of beer. It overpowers anything in the room. People have even said that it's a great cigar beer, but I haven't yet tried a cigar that would stand up to it." Brewmaster Greg Hall; IBU's 60-High Color - Midnight Was 11%, the 2007 is listed at 13%

Most RecentTop RatersHighest Ratings Who's Rated This?
 frankenkitty (1798), Oak Lawn, Illinois, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/59/104/518/20

Mar 16, 2007  
Rating #1500

Seriously pours like ink (or maybe thin tar?) and commands a staunch, mocha head after a small reverse-cascade. Powerful, whiskeyed aroma over sweet chocolate syrup and caramel. And that’s what gets delivered in the flavor... a dumptruck of chocolate/caramel candy over a heady, bourbon backdrop that heats the belly and singes the tongue. Over-roasted coffee joins the finish. Extremely full-bodied (almost chokingly so), and the flavor lasts and lasts. I like Greg Hall’s comment about there not being a cigar that could stand up to BCS, but I think an Acid Kuba Kuba would hold its own just fine. Oh, what a killer beer this is... totally worth its high price tag. And it really makes me wish I was back at FoBAB (sniffle)...

4 pack/12 oz. from Kenwood Liquors, Oak Lawn, IL 60453


 CaptBier (256), Birmingham, Alabama, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/105/518/20
Oct 9, 2008  
Bottle. Ill start by saying that I think my bottle had gone flat since Goose Island insists on using screw top caps for some reason. Nonetheless, the aroma and taste were very sweet and balanced. Strong flavor of alcohol as well. I really enjoyed it.


 CanIHave4Beers (208), Des Moines, Iowa, USA
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/510/105/519/20
Oct 8, 2008  
I was presented with the opportunity to try this one on tap last evening at El Bait Shop in Des Moines. I had a bottle of this a couple years ago, and I jumped at the opportunity to try it on tap. I was particularly surprised at how tasty this was considering how not long ago I thought it was a little bit "overdone". This beer pours a jet black and has a big tan head that settles to a swirl on the top of the beer and leaves some lace. The aromas are of vanilla, oak, whisky and alcohol. The flavor is remarkable it starts off fairly intensely of roasted, almost burnt malt, which gives way to what can only be described as a strong mocha character displaying plenty of the chocolate and vanilla malt sweetness balanced very nicely with nutty flavors of oak and whisky. This is indeed best when sipped slowly, but there is virtually no alcohol burn, and this is remarkably smooth for all of its character. The only complaint I have is that everything tastes like water after drinking this one.


flatmatt (98), Northville, Michigan, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/103/59/105/518/20
Oct 7, 2008  
12 oz bottle, 2007 vintage. Opened it up for the second presidential debate. Pours black with no head. First aroma is alcohol, but after that there are deep sweet aromas of dark chocolate, bourbon, dark fruits and cherries. Flavor is sweet chocolate with some roasty coffee, vanilla, bourbon, smoke. The alcohol is there as well, but it’s mostly a pleasant backup to the other flavors. Syrupy palate. This is a great beer with huge flavor.


Two_Dudes (25), Louisville, Kentucky, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/515/20
Oct 7, 2008  
Bottle dated 7/3/06 - Pours black as night with a motor oil type body. NO carbonation. Nose is all alcohol and some candied fruit. Palate is dominated by alcohol and some bourbon...still!!! Good, but had to share a 12 oz bottle with the wife. Couldn’t have had much more than that.


 Vac (2253), San Diego, California, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/516/20
Oct 1, 2008  
Pours with a black body topped by a thin, brown head wtih a little lacing. It’s sweet and full of vanilla and bourbon notes as well as a slight hint of roast. The bourbon notes are overpowering and take away from the stout flavor istead of complimenting it. Full bodied, smooth and warming.



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