301. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 2009

Our third beer from Goose Island, although this one rates far far better than Summertime, which was featured as a part of our Summer Beer Leftover Trifecta. Well, at least according to me it does. The other Goose Island beer was the Honker’s Ale.

Bourbon County Stout pours an inky black that is thick and dark with a minimal light brown head. Add any other appropriate descriptors that you feel you need to convey the darkness of the beer—Greg Hall, Goose Island Brewmaster, chooses “black hole,” which is good. And since we can’t top that, we’ll stick with thick and dark. The nose is full of creamy oak and bourbon, with vanilla and caramel sweetness jockeying for position behind the first two. Bourbon County Stout starts thick and sweet; the dark caramel and roastiness build a solid front before giving way to vanilla and oaky bourbon flavors in the middle, and finishing with burnt sugar and charred wood flavors plus a decent amount of alcohol warmth that lingers on the mouth, throat, and chest. Bourbon County Stout has a thick, rich, and creamy mouthfeel. It’s also hella chewy. Elli says it is too sticky and cloying; I agree it is a bit much currently, but I like this beer a lot more than she does. There is also a good amount of alcohol heat and burn—the alcohol does taste a bit young, so we’re guessing that a bit more aging (“up to 5 years in the bottle” as indicated on the label) would certainly help lessen the young alcohol flavor. We’re also guessing that further aging might smooth out the body, both in terms of thickness and marrying of flavors. Nonetheless, a delicious and excellent beer. Elli is less forgiving, but I do like me some Bourbon County Stout. I do wish we could find it in bottles smaller than a 22 oz. size, as powering through that much 13% beer does take some doing. And as you can guess, Elli is not so interested in helping me out with this beer in the future.

From the bottle: “A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with thick foam the color of a bourbon barrel. The nose is an intense mix of charred oak, vanilla, caramel and smoke. One sip more flavor than your average case of beer. Cheers!” Greg Hall, Brewmaster

From the Goose Island website: “Brewed in honor of the 1000th batch at our original Clybourn brewpub. A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with thick foam the color of a bourbon barrel. The nose is an intense mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoke. One sip has more flavor than your average case of beer. A great cigar beer.”

ABV: 13%
IBU: 60
Malts: 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Roast Barley, Debittered Black
Hops: Willamette
Bottled on 10/09/09

(4/27/2010)