Bourbon County Brand Barleywine Ale
Goose Island Beer Co.

Bourbon County Brand Barleywine AleBourbon County Brand Barleywine Ale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Goose Island Beer Co.
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
English Barleywine
ABV:
14.4%
Score:
100
Avg:
4.51 | pDev: 8.65%
Reviews:
705
Ratings:
5,545
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 17, 2024
Added:
Oct 04, 2013
Wants:
  756
Gots:
  2,617
Aged in the third-use barrels that were once home to Kentucky bourbon and then our renowned Bourbon County Stout, this traditional English-style barleywine possesses the subtlety of flavor that only comes from a barrel that’s gone through many seasons of ritual care. The intricacies of the previous barrel denizens – oak, charcoal, hints of tobacco and vanilla, and that signature bourbon heat – are all present in this beer. Hearty and complex, Bourbon County Brand Barleywine is a titan and a timeline; a bold, flavorful journey through the craft of barrel aging.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jk3:
Photo of jk3
Rated by jk3 from New York

4.5/5  rDev -0.2%

Sep 25, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of Tsar_Riga
Reviewed by Tsar_Riga from Minnesota

4.41/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A 2016 bottle - on 10/19/2016 - that finally surfaced from my cellar because it is time (well past time) and on a Saturday night I can tackle it safely.

A - Pours out essentially opaque, a dark brown with red highlights. Head is light tan, appearing briefly before rapidly disappearing. No lacing.

S - The booze and barrel are strong. Alcohol is pungent, primarily bourbon as one would expect, with vanilla and chocolaty roasted malt notes. Some dried dark fruit, a la prunes and raisins, presents as the beer warms a bit.

T - Following the nose, the open is wood and alcohol warmth, with dark fruit of plum and prune breaking through, a hint of minerality through the middle, and a sweet, warm bite of tannins in the finish.

M - Not surprising, but this big boy presents with huge alcohol, a blanket on the tongue that the boozy warmth, coupled with some carbonated prickliness, helps clear off in the finish.

O - I got this one at the end of 2016, as an impulse buy when I saw it sitting beside the standard issue BCBS. I'm not a huge barleywine drinker, but this is certainly well built. That you can definitely recognize the signature BCBS flavor profile is interesting, but this has to be one of the better barleywines I've had the chance to drink. Glad I let this one sit in my cellar for years, as this is still plenty boozy hot at 7 years, but quite enjoyable nevertheless.
Feb 17, 2024
 
Rated: 4.5 by bigred89 from Maryland

Nov 18, 2023
 
Rated: 3.74 by jecro from Illinois

Nov 15, 2023
Photo of Roy_Hobbs
Reviewed by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut

4.27/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Bottled October 6th, 2017.

While once settled in the glass it's a pretty straight-forward dark brown / black, this was really attractive on the pour with a bright, caramel color and a decent amount of beige head. Nice legs as well.

Aroma is fantastic. Rich caramel and molasses notes come bursting from the glass. Even from a couple feet away this beer beckons me to taste it.

When I first taste the beer, I'm greeted by alcohol and barrels, but not a ton of depth or nuance. That changes completely in the aftertaste, which reveals all sorts of lovely flavors that emerge over 20-30 seconds post-sip. Fig, caramel and bourbon notes all emerge and combine wonderfully.

Overall, very nice beer.
Nov 11, 2023
 
Rated: 4.36 by ummswimmin from New Jersey

Aug 07, 2023
 
Rated: 5 by Thecalmdrinker from Montana

May 16, 2023
 
Rated: 4.69 by nyrblue2 from New York

Feb 06, 2023
 
Rated: 5 by RoyalKaiju from Kentucky

Jan 23, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by rare_bird from Michigan

Jan 10, 2023
Photo of patre_tim
Reviewed by patre_tim from Thailand

4.61/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Dark brown with a slightly orange tinge when head to held to the light. A light foamy carbonation with no real head per se. The smell is of caramel, toffee, a hint of stinky foot, molasses, and that’s about it. You can smell the alcohol as well. The taste follows the nose in perfect tandem. Moderate carbonation which lightens the brew and makes it very palatable. Very typical to Bourbon County- like others by goose island of this same kind of bottle as far as mouth feel. Medium body with very light due to the carbonation. I got this several years ago and it was sitting in a cabinet in my parents basement since 2017 in Canada. I brought it back to Phuket Thailand where I am drinking it December 27, 2022.
Dec 27, 2022
Photo of puck1225
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas

4.49/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Found this on tap at a brewery in Chattanooga, 2018 vintage. Dark brown color with little head or lacing but rich looking. The smell is sweet and malty. Caramel and toffee. Taste is rich and elegant. Oak, earthy, sweet caramel apple, pears,dark raisins, warm spices. Excellent beer to sip and savor. Glad to have found it.
Dec 20, 2022
Photo of Rug
Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottled 10/11/17

Moving right along with the BCBS vintages I picked up from Goose Island’s brewpub while I was in Chicago, we have rheir legendary Barleywine! I’ve been wanting to try this one for years, so I have decently high hopes for it. Hopefully I’m not setting myself up for disappointment but let’s crack it open and find out

Pours a cloudy deep reddish brown with a finger of tan head that slowly fades to a ring and leaves minimal lacing

Maybe it’s showing its age a bit in the nose, it’s a bit sweet but still has presence. I’m picking up on aromas of booze soaked raisin, earthy bourbon, toasted oak, brown sugar, rye, black cherry, toffee, light vanilla, and dates

It’s got more of a fruity bite in taste which I really appreciate. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting black cherry, toffee, red wine, molasses, brown sugar, dark bread, toasted nuts, dates, light vanilla, and cocoa powder. The swallow brings notes of black cherry, earthy bourbon, dates, port wine, toasted oak, vanilla, sweet caramel, brown sugar, rye, and a touch of peat smoke

A medium full body pairs with gentle tingling carbonation, resulting in a smooth and slick beer. Finishes mostly dry with a nice tang

Damn, this is awesome. Goose Island absolutely needs to bring this one back soon, I’d love to try it fresh
Sep 22, 2022
Photo of fujindemon74
Reviewed by fujindemon74 from Pennsylvania

4.99/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
L- deep mahogany

S- dark fruits/sweetness

T- sweet molasses, deep dark fruits, vanilla barrel characteristic

F- full

O- a most astounding attempt at an English Barleywine, would purchase upon sight
May 13, 2022
Photo of drdiesel9483
Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio

4.43/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2017 in 2022
Look - super dark brown with slight head
Smell - ton of barrel plumb brown sugar
Taste - sweet candied slight plumb caramel toffee
Feel - medium full body light carb
Overall - tasty bw but I’m wondering if it would have been better a year or two earlier
Mar 26, 2022
Photo of trevormajor
Reviewed by trevormajor from Ohio

4.95/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
12 oz bottle, born on 9/24/14, poured into a snifter at 55 degrees F:
L - dark, coffee like with almost no head
S - bourbon, toffee, chocolate
T - great blend of bourbon, caramel, toffee, chocolate flavors
F - thick mouthfeel with almost no carbonation
O - great beer, now over 7 years old but tastes fantastic
Dec 24, 2021
 
Rated: 3.99 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Dec 09, 2021
Photo of mschrei
Reviewed by mschrei from Illinois

5/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
2017 vintage. Dark brown, healthy head and lacing. Shit ton of particulates. Dark fruit, dark malt, barrel scents. Taste is dark fruit, roasted malt, barrel. Well balanced. Full bodied, full mouth finish, boozy. I hear Bourbon County, I love it. I hear Bourbon Aged Barleywine, I hopefully love it. This one... yeah, I love it .
Nov 25, 2021
Photo of 1BrewBacca
Reviewed by 1BrewBacca from Georgia

4.71/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Look: Poured a slightly transparent brown with a tan head.
Smell and Taste: Very malty and sweet with notes of plums and dates. Quite boozy as one would expect with a 14.4% ABV.
Feel: Heavy with a nice amount of carbonation.
Overall: I will never pass this one up. Dated 2017 on the label. Sad to see it's retired.
Nov 25, 2021
Photo of jcoleMA66
Reviewed by jcoleMA66 from Massachusetts

4.96/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
2013 bottle picked up at Fulton Street Taproom in October 2021.

A: dark mahogany brown. Minimal head when poured that quickly dissipated. Should have been a little more careful pouring - there are a few floaters from bottom of the bottle.

S: sweet bourbon, caramel and char on the nose. Faint vanilla sweetness.

T: raisins, over ripe plums, caramel, dark cherries, milk chocolate, smooth bourbon undertones. Oak and char lingers in aftertaste.

F: smooth with minimal carbonation, thick mouthfeel

O: Tastes tremendous for an 8 year old beer! Very happy to have the opportunity to finally try this beer, and looking forward to trying other vintages I picked up.
Oct 10, 2021
Bourbon County Brand Barleywine Ale from Goose Island Beer Co.
Beer rating: 100 out of 100 with 5545 ratings