Bourbon County Brand Stout
Goose Island Beer Co.

Has the 2017, 2022, 2021 versions..
All very similar.

Dense dark black, syrupy but also fizzy.

Smell is a tad sharp, dark chocolate, bourbon and ashy wood.

Taste is the same, tad too sharp.

Feel is smooth and rich.

Rich malt, roasty aroma, full body.

A lot off bourbon and cacao taste. Boozy. Very well-balanced. Cacao, hazelnuts, bourbon, raisins, figs. Creamy. Balanced bitterness. Full-bodied. A lot of taste, but yet smooth. Amazing! 2025 version.

 

 

2022 1 pint .9 oz bottle.
Purchased 4/2026 for just $7.99 in a totally podunk location in PNW.
Wow this is superb.
Smoothest extra-high ABV beer I’ve ever encountered.
Bourbon outweighs all other flavor notes, but absolutely no alcohol bite.
Glad that between my spouse and I that we bought a few bottles.

Rich malt, roasty aroma, full body.

 

2024 vintage, 16.9oz bottle, bought from Total Wine. This is a perfectly good stout, unfortunately pushed beyond what I find to be enjoyable. Perhaps the most viscous beer I have ever tasted. Jet black, syrupy and extremely sweet. Could almost be confused for used motor oil. Vivid notes of dark chocolate, oak and toffee fight your palette during each sip. Ultimately we found it to be very akin to soy sauce, which may be a sign of improper storage.

Ultimately it was worth the $11 to share with a couple friends and converse over.

 

 

 

Reviewing the 2025 version at 14.8% ABV, from the new 10 oz bottle (a big improvement serving-wise, as the 16.9 oz bottle was a bit much).

Pours a pitch black color with about 3/4 inch of brown head that settles to a firm cap for a while but eventually disappears.

Aromas of dark chocolate, some coffee, molasses, bourbon notes, a bit of vanilla perhaps. Alcohol notes are also prominent on the nose.

Flavors of chocolate, molasses, coffee, and bourbon. It's a bit boozy but not to the beer's detriment. The alcohol note hits up-front with a warming on the finish. Perhaps a bit sweeter than I remember from previous years. There is some good roasted bitterness here but the alcohol may be contributing to the sweetness a bit.

Full-on body, with the liquid coating the palate for several minutes.

Although not my favorite bourbon barrel aged stout, this is still one of the classics.

Pours deep, glossy brown with a very thin, mocha-colored head. Nose is deeply chocolatey with undertones of molasses & maple. Taste follows suit - immediately hit with chocolate & cream almost reminiscent of chocolate milk. That's followed up with molasses. Unfortunately I usually find these high-abv stouts to be a bit too caramel & praline-forward; while I still detect some of that here it's a bit more subdued. The booze is definitely well-masked considering how wickedly high the ABV is on this one. Finishes very smooth & creamy, hard to knock this one even if it's a little out of my comfort zone.

 

 

2025 release. Black with minimal head and light carbonation. Smell is chocolate and bourbon, and taste is very chocolate forward. A solid stout, but not Goose Island’s best.

 

Bottle into a snifter. 2025.
Very dark. Small head.
Dissipates quickly to a tan ring.
Nose is complicated - Bourbon, chocolate, molasses, a hint of coffee.
Wow, tastes great - kind of boozy, with all the same tastes as in the nose.
Smooth with just the right amount of carbonation!
Overall a real winner!

On draught. A dark pour with a khaki head and no lacing.
Dark roasted, caramelized rich malt flavor dominates. Coffee, chocolate, molasses, and bourbon infused flavors permeate the viscosity. Mouthfeel is thick, creamy, smooth, reminiscent of pudding or custard before it sets.
Surprisingly more cloying than boozy.