Bourbon County Brand Midnight Orange Stout
Goose Island Beer Co.

 

03/18/23 bottle @ home

 

 

 

Poured from a 16.9 ounce bottle into a goblet. Bottle dated 19 September 2018.

Look - Pours an inky midnight black with the stillness of a calm twilight. No head, no carbonation, just oil. Has a mirror finish sitting there in the glass.

Smell - Brutally strong, really beats you over the nose. The usual roasty almost soy sauce smells I always associate with barrel aged stouts but with mild chocolate and orange tinting.

Taste - The usual suspects of toasted marshmallow, dark roast coffee, and alcohol, but also a rich flavor of orange and dark chocolate. Full bodied and well rounded, bold and brash, absolutely delicious.

Feel - Thick and creamy, no noticeable carbonation, very little alcohol burn surprisingly. Powerful and vigorous, this is an elixir to tussle with.

Overall - I wanted to try this in 2018 but could never find a bottle. Then I randomly stumbled upon this one at a liquor store in Chicago and needed to grab it. I was not disappointed at all. This was a complete experience, and I loved every bit of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoyed in a snifter glass from its 16.9 ounce bottle. Bottled on September 18,2018. Consumed on February 13, 2021.

Deep blackened brown liquid with a dirty white colored cap. Minimal retention and lacing.

Aromatic blend of orange, chocolate, roasted wooden malt, vanilla, and a bit of bourbon alcohol.

Fudge brownie with orange zest infusion. The chocolate, vanilla and roasted malts are subtle. The bourbon soaked oak shows nicely.

Full bodied all American stout. Sticky sipper. Lasting full flavored finish.

Standout flavors, an outstanding variant.

Bottle Date: 2018
Palate Contaminants: none

Stop me if you've heard this before: Dark brown, little light around the edge, minimal head, no lacing. Now for what are usually the critical parts.

The initial whiff is that of brownies. There's also some cinnamon sugar, which adds a spice kick. Nondescript candied fruit is in there, too. Dark rum mixes with it all.

First blush on the taste, it's one of those chocolate oranges in a stout. Coffee beans show up toward the end. It has much more smoke than the usual BCBS. There's still plenty of spiced sugar. Alcohol is definitely present, but it's an afterthought, mostly due to the intensity of everything else

Heavy weight, even for the type. Aftertaste is smoke and muted spiced rum. Carbonation is a little light, although present.

 

"Pig In A Poke"

Between Jan 16 & 18, 2021 I purchased & consumed a Goose Island 2015 Bourbon County stout & a 2018 Goose Island Bourbon County Stout aged with Cocoa Nibs & Orange Peel. I've been a fan of the regular brew for years.

The body & flavor of both was identical to the regular 2015 Bourbon County. There was no difference, except in the price The 2018 orange was $29.99 & the regular 2015 Bourbon County was $15.99. BUT THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE IN THE TASTE.

I understand you have no control over the retailer's price, but I bought this from a multi-outlet grocery chain that is competitively priced. Checking other outlets in the range for the Orange version is $22 to $35 (retailers & bars), so what I paid is mid-range. That's NOT my problem. When I tasted the 2015 Regular next to the 2018 orange, there was no difference, None.

As a big Bourbon County fan, this was a huge disappointment.

Bottom line: "Caveat emptor" Buyer beware. IMO the bottling doesn't do justice to the contents, SO DO NOT SPEND MORE FOR A BOTTLING MORE THAN 2 YEARS OLD from the brewer as they think it ages well in the bottle. IT DOES NOT.

An online check shows the retailer is ballpark with its price, but take it from me DO NOT PAY MORE FOR THE ORANGE/COCOA version.

CD
NYC

Orange flavors on draft much more upfront than in the bottle. Solid BCBS.