Goose Island – Bourbon County Brand Stout 2020

What are we doing…?!

Well, we couldn’t pass this up and that’s why we’re posting it on our blog. Normally we wouldn’t post anything about beer because we really focus on whiskey. (despite the fact that we regularly drink a Barrel Aged beer)
We’ve heard so much good about Goose Island and their annual Bourbon County releases that we went to experience it for ourselves, despite the pretty solid price of +/- €30,- for 50cl (in the Netherlands).
But first we tell you a little bit about Goose Island for those who don’t know it yet.

A small brew pub was established in Chicago in 1988 by founder John Hall. After his journey through Europe where he was inspired by Craft brewing, he also wanted to introduce America to quality and specialty beers. As his popularity grew, he decided to open a larger brewery in 1995.
It has since grown into an empire with worldwide distribution. Fortunately, their 143,000 square foot barrel warehouse is helping to meet the demand and especially time for maturation.

In 2004 their first Barrel Aged was released, a Bourbon County Stout. And today they have the Bourbon County the Original Brand Stout and various Bourbon County releases on other casks, including wine casks. So plenty to discover!
But this time we focus on the Bourbon County Brand Stout 2020. According to enthusiasts, this is “it”, the best Barrel Aged beer you can find. And given the quick sale everywhere, that might just be the case!

Bourbon County Stout 2020

by Goose Island:
“This year’s Bourbon County Stout is aged in a mix of bourbon barrels from a variety of whiskey distilleries. Barrel-aged for a year to develop the complexity that only time can provide.”

Nose : Dark chocolate, coffee, fudge, vanilla and caramel.
Palate : Really creamy mouthfeel, dark fruits (cherries and blackberries),
Finish : A little bitterness (which I like) and it lingers oily…

Great beer that you can enjoy all night with, and so I did… just great stuff!

Nose : Dark coffee roast, creamy caramel fudge, dark chocolate notes and and some tobacco whiffs.
Palate : Slightly sweeter than the nose with a very creamy mouthfeel. Again coffee, chocolate (more milk than dark), toffee, dark red fruits.
Finish : This really sticks like oil… so creamy and tasty! A little bitterness in it but mostly vanilla fudge.

Genuinely one of (if not the best) the best barrel aged beers I’ve ever had.

The barrels have definitely had a fantastic influence on the stout beer. It added so many layers of flavor and creaminess.The Bourbon County Stout is truly a fantastic beer and therefore, in our view, really worth its money. So if you are an enthusiast, just like us, and you have the chance to discover one… do it!

We were able to get some extra bottles ourselves thanks to our friends at “Proost“. They even managed to conjure up some old releases! (only available in store, not online)
In any case, we would like to thank Proost for their service and the great package we received to make our Goose Island discovery even more amazing.