Bourbon County Brand Barleywine Ale | Goose Island Beer Co.

4.52/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 9/24 2013. Apple butter red brown color which doesn't admit any light. Dark fruit on the nose. Getting some bourbon notes as it warms. Dark fruit on the tongue, reminiscent of the best Thomas Hardy's Ale or JW Lees Harvest Ales, Additional depth comes from the barrel aging. Three years of aging has moderated the heat from the alcohol. Mouthfeel is suitably syrupy. Barleywines are not my favorite thing, but this is really really good. Would like be to try one fresh,

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4.5/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a single of the 2014 edition at the Tops Liquors 2015 Black Friday event for $6.99. Bottled on 9-18-14.

Beer poured a deep reddish brown with a smallish off white head on the initial pour.

Nose is wonderful, toffee, vanilla, oaken barrel, and bourbon round very nicely together.

Taste has hints of bourbon, vanilla, a touch of leather, and toffee meld together very well.

Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied and very smooth.

Overall this is an awesome beer, definitely one worth seeking out. Unfortunately with the 2015 release disaster has left me questioning whether I should stand in line for two hours again in cold Phoenix weather for something that might be tainted. But this edition is swaying me to be one of the crazies out there on Black Friday!

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4.71/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

2014 Vintage
Look: Very Deep Ruby/Mahogany color. No head at all when pouring
Smell: Bourbon up front followed by a sweetness with hints of toffee and vanilla
Taste: Probably my favorite BW. Taste follows the nose. Also get overripe fruit
Feel: Velvety smooth with a slight carbonation
Overall: The used bourbon barrels add so much depth of flavor to this beer. BC excels in the mouthfeel compared to other BA beers to me

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4.39/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Let's just say that previous years of BCBBW were world class. I could tell something was up with the 2016 edition. It wasn't as smooth or balanced. But I'm not basing this rating on the latest release. Still love me some bourbon county, I just hope they can turn it around next year.

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4.35/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

2014 vintage enjoyed summer 2016.

Pours a murky translucent dark mahogany. Head is a bit foamy and disapates quickly. I found it a rather ugly beer. But the aroma was lovely -- bourbon forward, a bit of Sherry oxidation, smells sweet and boozy.

The tastes followed suit. Pretty much exactly what one would expect. Much like BCBS...but a bit less boozy perhaps, and definitely less roasty. There's a hint of cocoa powder in the taste, but it's far more raisin and plum forward. Sticky caramel. A bit of oak. Possibly a hint of vanilla and spice if I search for it. Mouthfeel is pretty sticky and lush. Still quite a bit of alcohol burn after 18 months in the bottle.

Enjoyable, if rather un-memorable. Maybe it's just too similar to what I would expect of a beer aged in BCBS barrels, exhibiting so many of the flavors i have enjoyed so many times in their stout. I guess i was secretly hoping for a more significant contrast. I would want to try some other BA Barleywines before I return to this one again.

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4.49/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2013 Vintage
Bottle

Appearance: Dark-brown root beer color with a small light beige head that slowly faded to a ring.

Smell: Bourbon, brown sugar/toffee, mild vanilla, and moderate dark fruit notes.

Taste: Upfront bourbon, brown sugar notes followed by toffee, vanilla, modest oak, , and some dark fruit notes. The beer is mildly sweet initially but the finish is reasonably dry with tannic oak notes present in the end. Very restrained alcohol presence

Mouth-feel: On the heavy side of medium bodied with a modest level of carbonation. Very nice.

Overall: 2013 Vintage but this one has held up well. A top notch English Barleywine.

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4.28/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Smell: sweet black cherry dark chocolate dark fruit rasin plums hint of vanilla and a slight booziness.
Taste: sweet black cherries hit the palate right upfront middle of the mouth dark fruits sugar coverd raisins plums figs sweet malt finishes with a hint of vanilla and cherry juice.
Feel: big body a defenite beer you wanna sip on.
Overall: cherry dominates the flavor profile. Really good but not as good as bcbs and bcbcs.

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4.59/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Finally got a proper 2015 BCBBW on tap after going thru 3 infected sour undrinkable bottles. Now that is a great barleywine that I have read about and finally having. Solid smooth, not boozy, great finish.

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3.87/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bourbon County Barley Wine 2014

Pours a dark brown color with glowing ember hints, woven into the beers appearance, which comes along with almost no head at all. It produces a small, bubbly ring of lacing, revealing alcohol legs after swirling.

Smells of bright, sugar coated malts and boozy, ripe plums. Bakers chocolate blends into molasses and a warming oak quality. Roasted walnut shell compliments dried, scented wood and sun burned earth.

Has a pleasantly low carbonation, while featuring a decadent huge, sweet body, defined by sweet malts together with a spicy, oaken dryness. Does not have the thick, creamy mouthfeel the regular version provides, although it offers a pleasant silkness on the tongue.

Tastes of soft earth, hazelnuts, toasted malts and melted caramel among dried, sweet plums. Creates a pleasant sweetness of milk chocolate, wild honey, rock sugar and licorice, finding its balance in the dry, spicy Boubon barrel. Finishes with caramel, fudge and more molasses and a pleasant, boozy dryness, with a nice, bubbly refreshment from the carbonation, preventing the beer from becoming cloyingly sweet.

Comes very well together, its prominent, taste defining sweeter qualities find their balance in the perfect nuanced Bourbon barrel, which provides enough body to the malts to make this interesting till the last sip.

★ 1,345 characters

5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

OK, first of all: this is the best BBA beer I've ever had.

Once you open the bottle, the aroma is intoxicating. Maple syrup, toasty bourbon, caramel, molasses, have mercy. Once of the best-smelling BBA beer's I've ever had, too.

Taste is...wow. So good. Thick, dense, formidable. I've had a lot of BBA's, and many times, the bourbon is simply ttoo overwhelming, taking away from other base ingredients. Not so with Goose Island's. The bourbon is smack-your-lips tasty, sweet, and residual. Aftertaste is very pleasant; I was going to smoke a cigar with this one, but I didn't want to do anything to change the flavor. Caramel chocolate, mocha, vanilla. Wow.

Very warming. I got shivers from drinking it.

Overall, I'm glad I picked it up. I love great beers, but I normally avoid going over $15 for a bottle - still, I'm very happy with this selection. A must-try. Definitely looking forward to trying the other Bourbon County's by Goose! (I stumbled upon this one in a janky, sketchy-looking liquor store on the way home. Can't judge a liquor store by the outside!)

★ 1,071 characters

4.81/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Sucaba 2014 vintage vs Bourbon County Brand Barleywine Ale 2014 vintage.
L: Sucaba <BCBBw. Pours a deep ruby, brownish. Cloudy, not much head, disappears quickly.
S: Sucaba >BCBBw.
T: Sucaba <BCBBw. Hides the alcohol, and is sweet but not cloying. Ultra smooth and balanced.
F: Sucaba >BCBBw.
O: Sucaba=BCBBw. Two outstanding barleywine. Balanced and well executed, overall.

★ 377 characters

4.85/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2013 vintage.

This beer is simply amazing. It has great thickness and feel, and the nose and flavors are phenomenal. Notes of vanilla, oak, and chocolate shine through. The bourbon heat is perfect. It was so good that I had trouble letting it warm up further to see how it changes.

Overall, an amazing beer and something I will look to attain at all costs.

★ 363 characters

5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer is stunning. Almost black and smells like heaven. Sweet aroma with vanilla, oak, chocolate notes, raisins. The taste is all of this with a silky mouthfeel. Giving this beer a 5. Can't see how it could be improved.

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4.96/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

2013 vintage growler enjoyed 5/16 Deep brown with slight khaki head. Aroma of rich molasses, dessert, frangelico, figs, raisin bread, oak, bourbon. Taste is rich molasses, bourbon, oak, toffee, dark fruits, figs, raisin, bread, coffee, chocolate, leather, tobacco, hints of bcbs stout. Mouthfeel is full and light carbonation. Overall, one of the best beers I've had. So rich and complex, but so smooth and enjoyable.

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5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2014 vintage, kept this in the cellar for a little over a year.
Poured into a snifter.
A - Pours a very dark brown, maybe black, with a small tan head that settles quickly to a very thin ring.
S - Aroma is molasses and raisins and bourbon.
T - There's a lot going on here. A lot of raisin or prune, vanilla and bourbon. If this beer was hot when new it has certainly mellowed over the year into warm perfection.
M - Carbonation is low. Mouth feel is creamy and a little sticky.
O - I like barleywines and this is the finest I have ever tasted. I don't know how anyone could do better.

★ 585 characters

4.61/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

2015 12 ounce bottle into a snifter. First review after a few years of enjoying.

Pours a deep ruby, brownish as well. Cloudy, not much head or lacing. Smell brings malt, plums, dates, prunes, figs, bourbon, some oak, some vanilla. Smells great. The taste is where this baby really kicks in. Malt, bourbon- more as it warms, vanilla, figs, dates, prunes, some oak, raisins, caramel, some cherries. The depth of the flavor is what I think sets it apart. Very smooth, great body, the taste lingers on the tongue.

This one is a Hall of Famer, for me. So well blended, such depth in both the flavor and aroma. Still not easy to get, but if you have the chance, and it's at the intended price, go for it.

★ 710 characters

4.37/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to JasonR1975 for the bottle.

This is just a great BA BW but what I really liked about it was the nose and mouthfeel. the big boozy bourbon nose and all that malt with a thick round mouthfeel was great.

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4.36/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown/burgundy with a medium-thin beige head. Not much head or lacing left behind. 8oz from the tap poured at 45 degree angle into a snifter. Aroma is ripe with sweet toffee and caramel notes with a blast of malts. Huge notes of caramel and toffee in the taste. Sublime, but a little sweet. As it warms up, the bourbon and oak start to show up at the finish of the beer. Medium-length finish. Mouth feel is bold, robust, filling, and full. Overall, amazing, but not a 100% for me. Definitely worth a try though.

Self-served from tap. 8oz pour. Snifter.

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4.55/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2015, with a bottled on date of 10.29.15. ABV of 12.9%
Consumed 3.22.16

L - Ruby red, 1 finger of head, molasses looking

S - Dried fruit, toffee, plums, raisons, oak, raisons, and bourbon. Alot going on here! Awesome.

T - Cherries, dried fruit, malty, and finishes with a warm boozy taste.

F - Full bodied, and rich. Wow

O - This bottled was clearly not infected. A very slow sipper, and amazing. Enjoy

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4.68/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

2014 vintage

L: Pours a near-black with minimal foam. Fairly clear, with tinges of mahogany around the edges and an off-white head.

S: Lots of oak, with big notes of vanilla, chocolate syrup and rich, smooth wheated bourbon. Very sweet and bready, with pastries and lots of caramel and a touch of grassy hops. Absolutely delicious on the nose.

T: Bread, dark fruits and vanilla right off the bat. Very deep and rich with lots of nuanced oak and sweet bourbon notes. Sweet, boozy oaky finish. Really well put-together.

F: Very full-bodied, with very moderate, creamy carbonation. Huge chewy mouthfeel, with a nice slickness and a pretty decent amount of heat in the finish.

Thoughts: A more delicious dessert beer I have difficulty conjuring up. So rich, nice balance of flavors and great bourbon and oak notes. Not sure why it took me this long to try this one, it’s superb. I would gladly take this over BCBS any day of the week.

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4.55/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I believe the 2013 release was the first and I shared it at Thanksgiving 2015.
As highly-rated as this offering is, I believe they are still figuring it out.
While the interplay of stout and whiskey flavors certainly are rich, they also seem difficult to predict and, hence, when to drink.

I have some form of notes on at least ten of the most popular 50 barleywines.
While I give preference to local brewers for my first review in a BA style, I'm guessing that when the dozen reviews are done, Bourbon County will be very, very close to the top.

★ 548 characters

4.65/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

2013.

Pitch black with no discernable head. Vanilla and bourbon on the nose. Sweet and syrupy with a plethora of flavours; burnt sugar, vanilla, toffee. Boozy but very pleasant. A real treat!

★ 196 characters

4.61/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2013 Bottle: 17SEP13 at 2043

Looks: It's a Bourbon County, with some ruby tints and a hair of transparency compared to BCBS.

Smell: Bourbon, incredibly stout like compared to some other barleywines, e.g. sucaba. Boozy, vanilla, leathery tobacco as described by others (love that "leathery tobacco" is a positive)

Taste: Booze is very disguised, big and sweet like a bourbon county. It keeps changing as I drink it.

Feel: Motor oil viscosity. Usually the thicker the better for me, I've never had a BA stout where I said to myself "this is too thick" or syrupy.

Overall: Like others have said this is a different barleywine, drinking more like a BA stout, which greatly appeals to me. 2+ years has done it good but I honestly don't think it tastes that different than the 2014, and 2015 BC Barleywine. Would enjoy again, again, and again, looking forward to how it tastes with another two years on it.

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4.88/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

I was planning on saving this for a special occasion but with all the talk of infection I decided to pop the cap and see if i got lucky or not. Fortunately for me I did not get an infected bottle!

Looks: Pours a dark crimson color which looks completely black in the glass. No light shines through and almost no head formation which I would expect from a 12.9% beer.

Smell: Bourbon, raisin, fig, cherry, tons of dark fruit if you can't tell already. Also a sweet almost leather aroma going for it. Really awesome smelling stuff.

Taste: The taste follows the aroma exactly with a huge dark fruit palate. Definitely has that sweet, vanilla, oak Bourbon County taste to it with is just out of this world.

Feel: Thick, full bodied feel on this beer. Mouthfeel perfectly compliments the taste, wouldn't ask for any thiner or thicker.

Overall: Its hard to pick out a negative from this beer. Everything just seems to work. I am not normally a barleywine kind of guy but this beer is just amazing. Perfect mouthfeel, huge bourbon notes, tons of dark fruit and vanilla. This beer hits on every mark!

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4.34/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

This reminds me of an old ale. Pours dark brownish red. Zero head. Smells of dark cherries and bourbon. Tastes slightly tangy with malty finish. Overall much more drinkable than other Bourbon Counties. I don't know if the tanginess was intentional but it really adds to the complexity and drinkability. Brew more like this.

★ 324 characters