Bourbon County Templeton Rye | Goose Island Beer Co.
Brewed by:
Goose Island Beer Co.
Illinois, United States
gooseisland.com
Style: American Imperial Stout
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 13.00%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
None provided.
This beer is retired; no longer brewed.
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Reviews: 9
| Ratings: 154
4.51/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
11/14/18 (Chicago): $5 3 oz sample draft glass pour offered via "Epic Flight" at the Goose Island Taproom. 14.2% ABV. Dark black pour, thin tan bubbly lacing. Strong sweet bourbon aroma. Very sweet smooth taste, bourbon and malt well blended. Very smooth and creamy mouth feel, very enjoyable drinking. Overall excellent offering!
330 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
11/14/18 (Chicago): $5 3 oz sample draft glass pour offered via "Epic Flight" at the Goose Island Taproom. 14.2% ABV. Dark black pour, thin tan bubbly lacing. Strong sweet bourbon aroma. Very sweet smooth taste, bourbon and malt well blended. Very smooth and creamy mouth feel, very enjoyable drinking. Overall excellent offering!
330 characters
4.39/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On draft, 2013 vintage, sampled multiple times. Dark black body, standard BCBS appearance with a solid one finger brown head. A bit of spicy rye, big chocolate, slightly burnt marshmallow, whiskey, oak. Boozy. Big full body, good carbonation, boozy sweet finish that is standard BCBS.
284 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On draft, 2013 vintage, sampled multiple times. Dark black body, standard BCBS appearance with a solid one finger brown head. A bit of spicy rye, big chocolate, slightly burnt marshmallow, whiskey, oak. Boozy. Big full body, good carbonation, boozy sweet finish that is standard BCBS.
284 characters
4.48/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had on tap. Started off business as usual for one of, if not the best stout series out there. Poured jet black with murky bubbles, smooth and viscous. Smell was wonderful, all the base bcbs staple flavors, but with added punch of rye, more wood, booze, molasses, and licorice. The taste stumbled for me though, with the rye dethroning so much of the delicate complexity that sets bcbs over the top. Lots of rye and wood from start to finish, with some smoke on the finish. Not bad, but wanting more complexity, but not lacking depth
538 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had on tap. Started off business as usual for one of, if not the best stout series out there. Poured jet black with murky bubbles, smooth and viscous. Smell was wonderful, all the base bcbs staple flavors, but with added punch of rye, more wood, booze, molasses, and licorice. The taste stumbled for me though, with the rye dethroning so much of the delicate complexity that sets bcbs over the top. Lots of rye and wood from start to finish, with some smoke on the finish. Not bad, but wanting more complexity, but not lacking depth
538 characters
4.63/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Had this on draft at an event in early 2017. Believe this was released in 2013, so it's a little over 3 years old. I'm framing everything below from that aspect.
L - Pours dark, with a very thin head line
S - light chocolate less so than regular. a little rye barrel on the nose
T - chocolate similar to regular BCBS. This has obviously had a little time to age, which is nice because the whiskey portion has mixed in nicely. You can definitely tell it's a different liquor used.
F - A tad thinner than regular, but still about right.
O - Very nice. Wish I had time to do this side by side for the other BCBS that were on tap.
633 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Had this on draft at an event in early 2017. Believe this was released in 2013, so it's a little over 3 years old. I'm framing everything below from that aspect.
L - Pours dark, with a very thin head line
S - light chocolate less so than regular. a little rye barrel on the nose
T - chocolate similar to regular BCBS. This has obviously had a little time to age, which is nice because the whiskey portion has mixed in nicely. You can definitely tell it's a different liquor used.
F - A tad thinner than regular, but still about right.
O - Very nice. Wish I had time to do this side by side for the other BCBS that were on tap.
633 characters
4.75/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Unknown vintage; drank 5/14/15 on draft @ Fat Pour.
Black appearance.
Minimal khaki head; minimal lace.
Cherry, milk chocolate & mild wood notes in the nose.
Thick mouthfeel.
Maraschino cherry & mild milk chocolate flavors up front; a nice oak finish. Sweet but not cloying; delicious.
295 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Unknown vintage; drank 5/14/15 on draft @ Fat Pour.
Black appearance.
Minimal khaki head; minimal lace.
Cherry, milk chocolate & mild wood notes in the nose.
Thick mouthfeel.
Maraschino cherry & mild milk chocolate flavors up front; a nice oak finish. Sweet but not cloying; delicious.
295 characters
3.89/5 rDev -15.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25
16 oz. growler. Black body with no head. Smells of whiskey, brown sugar, and fudgy chocolate. Boozy. Tastes much like regular bourbon county up front. Whiskey and sweet chocolate. Boozy. The rye whiskey makes itself a little more apparent with a slight spice that lingers in the finish. Nutty malts and very sweet. Heavy. No carbonation, because of the source of the growler. Doesn't detract, though. Tingly alcohol. Very similar to regular Bourbon County. Just a bit different.
492 characters
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25
16 oz. growler. Black body with no head. Smells of whiskey, brown sugar, and fudgy chocolate. Boozy. Tastes much like regular bourbon county up front. Whiskey and sweet chocolate. Boozy. The rye whiskey makes itself a little more apparent with a slight spice that lingers in the finish. Nutty malts and very sweet. Heavy. No carbonation, because of the source of the growler. Doesn't detract, though. Tingly alcohol. Very similar to regular Bourbon County. Just a bit different.
492 characters
4.4/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
another fantastic taken on this great legendary brew, done in templeton rye barrels, which as a spirit i have always found just a little sweet for my whiskey palate, but in the beer it does wonderful things. hard to compare this to the rare, done in pappy 23 barrels in the same session, but its cool to do a little side by side with these. the same dark brown almost black heavyiy viscous beer in the glass, a little more head than others, maybe not quite as old in the barrel, more lively in look and indeed in feel than several other variations have been, which helps lighten it up just enough, but its still bourbon county, still a monster, no doubt about that. the rye is immediately noticiable in smell and taste. it starts with that sweet, slightly spicy, or more aggressive grain spirit character, and it carries through, bringing out bitterness in the malt and more of the dark chocolate flavors than others. it also helps the beer finish really sweet, more sugar than vanilla it seems in this one, and it is mellowed very well by the oak. i get some tobacco notes, dried fruits, cocoa, and the booze, its a complex beer, not as mature and luxurious i wouldnt say as the rare edition, but i love rye, and i love what it does to the beer in the absence of all the fruit that was in the other rye editions. did they package this one? i had it from a tap and it was delicious.
1,382 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
another fantastic taken on this great legendary brew, done in templeton rye barrels, which as a spirit i have always found just a little sweet for my whiskey palate, but in the beer it does wonderful things. hard to compare this to the rare, done in pappy 23 barrels in the same session, but its cool to do a little side by side with these. the same dark brown almost black heavyiy viscous beer in the glass, a little more head than others, maybe not quite as old in the barrel, more lively in look and indeed in feel than several other variations have been, which helps lighten it up just enough, but its still bourbon county, still a monster, no doubt about that. the rye is immediately noticiable in smell and taste. it starts with that sweet, slightly spicy, or more aggressive grain spirit character, and it carries through, bringing out bitterness in the malt and more of the dark chocolate flavors than others. it also helps the beer finish really sweet, more sugar than vanilla it seems in this one, and it is mellowed very well by the oak. i get some tobacco notes, dried fruits, cocoa, and the booze, its a complex beer, not as mature and luxurious i wouldnt say as the rare edition, but i love rye, and i love what it does to the beer in the absence of all the fruit that was in the other rye editions. did they package this one? i had it from a tap and it was delicious.
1,382 characters
4.81/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
A- Rapidly receding head covering a jet black stout that no light shines through.
S- This is the most interesting smell that I've ever experienced with a beer. This was all richness, dessert, and bourbon. Plenty of vanilla and oak are present.
T- This has me torn between 4.75 and 5. Stout and bourbon intermingle in a heavenly partnership. All of the vanilla and richness make this a legendary stout.
M- Sticky in a very good way, crisp in an impressive way, pleasant booze with none of the heat.
O- I wasn't sure that I was going to try this due to Goose Island being purchased by InBev. I reconciled it by telling myself that I spend the remainder of my beer money on microbrews. I am certainly glad that I broke down and went for it. This was an epic introduction for me to the world of bourbon stouts. I like bourbon , I like stout, and I love this bourbon stout.
872 characters
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
A- Rapidly receding head covering a jet black stout that no light shines through.
S- This is the most interesting smell that I've ever experienced with a beer. This was all richness, dessert, and bourbon. Plenty of vanilla and oak are present.
T- This has me torn between 4.75 and 5. Stout and bourbon intermingle in a heavenly partnership. All of the vanilla and richness make this a legendary stout.
M- Sticky in a very good way, crisp in an impressive way, pleasant booze with none of the heat.
O- I wasn't sure that I was going to try this due to Goose Island being purchased by InBev. I reconciled it by telling myself that I spend the remainder of my beer money on microbrews. I am certainly glad that I broke down and went for it. This was an epic introduction for me to the world of bourbon stouts. I like bourbon , I like stout, and I love this bourbon stout.
872 characters
4.59/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap during Black Friday at Clybourn
A- Looks like BCBS always does
S - Smells of soft rye whiskey that I expect from Templeton balanced with chocolate and vanilla. The rye has a strong presence that is stronger than I get in normal BCBS
T - Soft vanilla and caramel up front before the rye spiciness comes thru as well as some slight alcohol burn presence. Dark fudgy chocolate. The rye spiciness lingers on in the finish to give the beer some spice to it.
M - Creamy smooth up front with a light burn and astringency to it in the finish
O - This is like regular BCBS but has more bite and alcohol than regular does. The rye makes itself more than the bourbon does.
674 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap during Black Friday at Clybourn
A- Looks like BCBS always does
S - Smells of soft rye whiskey that I expect from Templeton balanced with chocolate and vanilla. The rye has a strong presence that is stronger than I get in normal BCBS
T - Soft vanilla and caramel up front before the rye spiciness comes thru as well as some slight alcohol burn presence. Dark fudgy chocolate. The rye spiciness lingers on in the finish to give the beer some spice to it.
M - Creamy smooth up front with a light burn and astringency to it in the finish
O - This is like regular BCBS but has more bite and alcohol than regular does. The rye makes itself more than the bourbon does.
674 characters
Bourbon County Templeton Rye from Goose Island Beer Co.
Beer rating:
4.59 out of
5 with
154 ratings
0 characters. We love reviews! Turn your rating into one with ≥ 150 characters.
Explain why you're giving this rating. Your review must discuss the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) and your overall impression in order to indicate that you have legitimately tried the beer. Nonconstructive reviews may be removed without notice and action may be taken on your account.