Vanilla Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout
Goose Island Beer Co.

 

Hot on the heels of that classic Bourbon County Brand Stout flavor and the need to reach new heights, Goose Island keeps the wholesome goodness coming with both vanilla and rye. Amplified creaminess, richness, and smoothness all come to the forefront for the most succulent of stouts.

The monsterous stout pours an oily-inky and truly viscous pour of blackness with brownish legging. Formitable early head formation falters underneath the enormous gravity and alcohol of the beer. Completely opaque, the beer draws you in with most seductive of intent. Mouthwatering aromas of bitter cocoa, espresso, burnt toffee, maple syrup, brown sugar, and unmistakable rye whisky. The warming beer emits scents reminiscent of dark fruit, licorice, stone fruit and wood spice.

Sultury flavors of chocolate wafers, creamy vanilla, molasses, and sweet barrel nuances blend together for a flavor that's quite like Bourbon Ball candies. Walnuts, robust coffees, and port-like fruitiness continue to contribute new layers of flavors with each and every sip, and all wrapped in a soft vanilla envelope. Incredibly powerful in flavor, the sweetness of malt is seemingly amplified by the vanilla and reduces the roast flavor to that of mocha latte and less like true espresso; helping with the harsh roast but allowing for a heavy, icing-like sweetness.

Ultimate fullness, richness, and oily- stouts don't get much bigger. The beer coats the mouth similarly to heavy sweetened fortified liquors like cognac, port, or honey liquors. Sweetness masks the alcohols, allowing for a high level of drinkability despite its alcohol content. Very warm, but never harsh, the beer is a true desert with each sip and gives a long bourbon/chocolate linger time after time. A long and savory aftertaste of roast and vanilla come with the woodsy, peppery and earthen grit that's special to rye barrels.

 

 

 

 

 

Vanilla is fading but this guy is my all time favorite. Sad to see it go.

 

 

thank you, Sam.

Nose s outrageous vanilla with rye, chocolate, caramel, light buckwheat honey, oxidized lending a light nut character. Full body, chocolate, cocoa, mild chocolate syrup. Hazelnut. Spicy, peppery rye. Beautifully integrated.

 

 

2014 vintage tasted in a snifter from draft at Consume on November 15, 2019. This vintage is aged in rye whiskey barrels with a mix of Mexican and Madagascar vanilla beans. Highly recommended.

 

 

Bottled 10/31/14; drank 10/3/15 @ the Yarchives.

Black appearance.

Minimal dark khaki head which quickly dissipated; no lace.

Vanilla, marshmallow & milk chocolate notes in the nose.

Creamy, medium thick mouthfeel.

Vanilla, marshmallow & milk chocolate flavors; sweet vanilla settled on my lips over the course of the session. Faint booze heat emerged as this warmed.

Sweet & rich but not cloying; dessert perfection!

Tasted from bottle aged 5 years. Pours black with beige head. Aroma is incredible with vanilla mixed with bourbon notes. Molasses and caramel notes. Flavors of strong vanilla along with caramel, brown sugar. Hides ABV ridiculously well. Awesome BCS variant but I’d like the vanilla component to be a little more subtle letting the bourbon and stout flavors come through more.

 

 

Pours like you're draining your oil pan. Just like a 20+ year marriage, there is little to no head. Oak, vanilla and toffee give me a tingle down yonder before the sip. Like sipping a fine bourbon, you wanna give this one the respect it deserves.

 

 

 

Thanks to my friends at Binny's I was able to score this whale for $50 bucks. Money well spent. Freaking World Class Amazing.
GI is still at the top of the BBA beer world. 2018 Vanilla, Regular, Coffee Barley wine were fantastic. Wheatwine was really good as well. GI often imitated, rarely duplicated.

 

DLD - bottle share (2014); 5/19/2018

2014 Vanilla Rye opened in Dec 2018

A: very smooth blend with loads of vanilla followed by chocolate, rasin, and a gentle boozy background. Likely fading a bit but still and wonderful light and balanced blend. Super smooth.

A: black with essentially no head. No visible carbonation after the initial pour

F: follows the nose perfectly. More vanilla with waves of chocolate, prune, rasin, oak, and boozy notes. Again, exceptional.

M: full body with silky mouthfeel. Lingering vanilla and chocolate with light booze. Neither sweet or bitter but nicely balanced

O: I seem to end up with similar flavor descriptors for many BCBS beers, but the 2014 series is indescribably better than any since (includes 2018). This was an amazing beer but I think it’s now past it’s prime with the nose starting to fade a bit. Still amazing though.