Bourbon County Brand Café de Olla Stout
Goose Island Beer Co.
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
Ranked #214 - ABV:
- 13.5%
- Score:
- 95
Ranked #1,088 - Avg:
- 4.35 | pDev: 7.13%
- Reviews:
- 46
- Ratings:
- From:
- Goose Island Beer Co.
- Illinois, United States
- Avail:
- One-off
- Wants
- 6
- Gots
- 35
SCORE
95
World-Class
95
World-Class
Notes:
Goose Island added Intelligentsia Coffee beans and cold brew to the beer but then also included cassia bark, orange peel, and panela sugar garnish.
Reviews: 46
| Ratings: 146
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Reviews by gatornation:
4.25/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a black color with a mocha head. Smell has cinnamon,orange,and coffee. Taste is spice and cinnamon first,mixed with oranges, sweet sugar and slight coffee with wood and bourbon. Cinnamon and orange stand out the most it is nicely balanced with all aforementioned taste. Was pleasantly surprised by the taste and creamy mothfeel.
334 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a black color with a mocha head. Smell has cinnamon,orange,and coffee. Taste is spice and cinnamon first,mixed with oranges, sweet sugar and slight coffee with wood and bourbon. Cinnamon and orange stand out the most it is nicely balanced with all aforementioned taste. Was pleasantly surprised by the taste and creamy mothfeel.
334 characters
More User Reviews:
4.69/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
500 ml bottle poured into a goblet
A- Black with a small fast fading mocha head.
S- Rich dark coffee, bourbon, cinnamon, orange peels, milk chocolate, oak, great balance.
T- Coffee, oranges, chocolate, cinnamon, bourbon, oak.
M- Smooth, full body.
O- I really enjoy this a lot. Reminds me a lot of Midnight Orange with coffee to balance everything. Goose Island did a great job with balancing all the flavors in this beer.
440 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
500 ml bottle poured into a goblet
A- Black with a small fast fading mocha head.
S- Rich dark coffee, bourbon, cinnamon, orange peels, milk chocolate, oak, great balance.
T- Coffee, oranges, chocolate, cinnamon, bourbon, oak.
M- Smooth, full body.
O- I really enjoy this a lot. Reminds me a lot of Midnight Orange with coffee to balance everything. Goose Island did a great job with balancing all the flavors in this beer.
440 characters
4.65/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.75/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.29/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
First impression - it’s an amped up version of central waters cassian sunset, bigger body, bigger flavors but really similar overall. The cassia is really present, orange is more of an aroma note. Glad to try it but not something I’d be clamoring to have again, especially at these prices (24$ for a 16.9oz bottle).
319 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
First impression - it’s an amped up version of central waters cassian sunset, bigger body, bigger flavors but really similar overall. The cassia is really present, orange is more of an aroma note. Glad to try it but not something I’d be clamoring to have again, especially at these prices (24$ for a 16.9oz bottle).
319 characters
4.13/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.4/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.37/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.6/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.26/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.43/5 rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
8 oz draft served at Gerst Haus Evansville in a half pint glass at fridge temp. The beer pours dense black with medium brown head. The head recedes to a pencil thin ring and a few microscopic bubbles. The aroma is pleasant with bourbon, coffee, chocolate and roast malt. The taste is rich bourbon, coffee, orange & chocolate all mixed together with a mild to moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is full bodied with less than medium carbonation and a semi dry finish. Overall, excellent. No trace of the high ABV here. Absolutely delicious and hard to keep from gulping. Bottled variants are nearly impossible to score here, but this restaurant gets everything on draft. They serve it cold and in the wrong glass, but I'm still great full for the chance to try it.
Note: As this warms I'm picking up a lot of cinnamon (cassia) and the orange is more pronounced. Take your time with this one BA.
906 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
8 oz draft served at Gerst Haus Evansville in a half pint glass at fridge temp. The beer pours dense black with medium brown head. The head recedes to a pencil thin ring and a few microscopic bubbles. The aroma is pleasant with bourbon, coffee, chocolate and roast malt. The taste is rich bourbon, coffee, orange & chocolate all mixed together with a mild to moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is full bodied with less than medium carbonation and a semi dry finish. Overall, excellent. No trace of the high ABV here. Absolutely delicious and hard to keep from gulping. Bottled variants are nearly impossible to score here, but this restaurant gets everything on draft. They serve it cold and in the wrong glass, but I'm still great full for the chance to try it.
Note: As this warms I'm picking up a lot of cinnamon (cassia) and the orange is more pronounced. Take your time with this one BA.
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4.46/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.35/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4/5 rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled 8/11/19; drank 11/29/19 @ the Yarchives.
Black appearance.
A violent pour yielded a big, noisy tan head; frothy lace.
Light roast coffee bean, orange & chocolate candy & cinnamon notes in the nose.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Light roast coffee bean & orange/chocolate candy flavors up front; mild cinnamon & faint bourbon heat notes on the
finish.
I'm not a cinnamon fan, so perhaps my defenses were down, but this was surprisingly drinkable. Not a mind-blower, but worth a quaff.
499 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled 8/11/19; drank 11/29/19 @ the Yarchives.
Black appearance.
A violent pour yielded a big, noisy tan head; frothy lace.
Light roast coffee bean, orange & chocolate candy & cinnamon notes in the nose.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Light roast coffee bean & orange/chocolate candy flavors up front; mild cinnamon & faint bourbon heat notes on the
finish.
I'm not a cinnamon fan, so perhaps my defenses were down, but this was surprisingly drinkable. Not a mind-blower, but worth a quaff.
499 characters
4.29/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.74/5 rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
This one is unique, but in a good way. I really enjoyed this beer. It was interesting to me as this beer seemed to change a lot based on temperature. I tried it first right out of the fridge and didn't get much, then left it for 20 minutes. When I tried it again, I really picked up the coffee and orange on the nose but not so much on the taste. Taste was spot on with dark dark chocolate/cinnamon/some vanilla and barrel. The more this beer warmed however the more orange I got when I drank it.
Overall, there were lots of flavors shinning through here, it reminded me of a dark chocolate covered espresso bean with cinnamon primarily. I'll probably hang on to a bottle for a while and see how it holds up. I would also say that this beer more than some others has a temperature sweet spot. 20 minutes on the counter out of the fridge should be about perfect.
872 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
This one is unique, but in a good way. I really enjoyed this beer. It was interesting to me as this beer seemed to change a lot based on temperature. I tried it first right out of the fridge and didn't get much, then left it for 20 minutes. When I tried it again, I really picked up the coffee and orange on the nose but not so much on the taste. Taste was spot on with dark dark chocolate/cinnamon/some vanilla and barrel. The more this beer warmed however the more orange I got when I drank it.
Overall, there were lots of flavors shinning through here, it reminded me of a dark chocolate covered espresso bean with cinnamon primarily. I'll probably hang on to a bottle for a while and see how it holds up. I would also say that this beer more than some others has a temperature sweet spot. 20 minutes on the counter out of the fridge should be about perfect.
872 characters
4.07/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
500ml bottle, drink by August 11, 2021 stamped on the reverse of the bottle, poured into a 2012 BCBS snifter glass.
The beer pours a dark, jet black color, thick and viscous with a finger of loose khaki head that offers no retention and just a few spots of lacing. The aroma is pleasant, lots of orange peel, rich coffee with strong chocolate, modest barrel, light char with a nice cinnamon and vanilla character. The flavors are nice, rich coffee with a great cinnamon character, the orange is much more subtle and offers a great addition to the bourbon barrel which has a nice charred oak flavor that plays well with the coffee and brings out an excellent amount of bittersweet dark chocolate while there is a nice caramel and toffee finish. The mouthfeel is good, coating and creamy heavier medium body that is super smooth and luscious and finishes with a light dryness.
Verdict: An interesting take on coffee BCBS from Goose Island. The cinnamon is an great combo with the coffee and the orange peel, while a bit dominant on the nose, is a great layer flavor wise. It's not a coffee bomb like the old BCBCS or even the coffee barleywine was but it's a rewarding and fun beer.
1,182 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
500ml bottle, drink by August 11, 2021 stamped on the reverse of the bottle, poured into a 2012 BCBS snifter glass.
The beer pours a dark, jet black color, thick and viscous with a finger of loose khaki head that offers no retention and just a few spots of lacing. The aroma is pleasant, lots of orange peel, rich coffee with strong chocolate, modest barrel, light char with a nice cinnamon and vanilla character. The flavors are nice, rich coffee with a great cinnamon character, the orange is much more subtle and offers a great addition to the bourbon barrel which has a nice charred oak flavor that plays well with the coffee and brings out an excellent amount of bittersweet dark chocolate while there is a nice caramel and toffee finish. The mouthfeel is good, coating and creamy heavier medium body that is super smooth and luscious and finishes with a light dryness.
Verdict: An interesting take on coffee BCBS from Goose Island. The cinnamon is an great combo with the coffee and the orange peel, while a bit dominant on the nose, is a great layer flavor wise. It's not a coffee bomb like the old BCBCS or even the coffee barleywine was but it's a rewarding and fun beer.
1,182 characters
4.85/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
A: Pours pitch black with a thin, short-lasting dark-khaki head.
S: The orange and chocolate are prominent here. I also get bourbon, but not much coffee.
T: Orange and cinnamon-chocolate dominate here. The orange is more of a Cointreau flavor and it's not over-powering at all, while the chocolate is dark but sweet. I'm not sure where the cinnamon comes from (maybe the cassia bark?), but it's not strong - just a faint spice in the background. The best part about this beer is the strong coffee taste that explodes just after it goes down the throat.
M: This beer has such a perfect thickness to it. It's oily yet smooth, and it fluffs up in your mouth like a marshmallow in fire. There's a long coffee-chocolate finish.
O: Contrary to popular opinion, I like this BCS variant the most (I don't count the wheatwine as a BCS). The orange flavor is unique and honestly something I was afraid of, but it turned out to work very well with the other flavors. The strong coffee finish is the shining star of this BCS variant. I think it'd be wonderful with ONLY coffee, but the orange and cinnamon make it all that much better in my opinion.
1,145 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
A: Pours pitch black with a thin, short-lasting dark-khaki head.
S: The orange and chocolate are prominent here. I also get bourbon, but not much coffee.
T: Orange and cinnamon-chocolate dominate here. The orange is more of a Cointreau flavor and it's not over-powering at all, while the chocolate is dark but sweet. I'm not sure where the cinnamon comes from (maybe the cassia bark?), but it's not strong - just a faint spice in the background. The best part about this beer is the strong coffee taste that explodes just after it goes down the throat.
M: This beer has such a perfect thickness to it. It's oily yet smooth, and it fluffs up in your mouth like a marshmallow in fire. There's a long coffee-chocolate finish.
O: Contrary to popular opinion, I like this BCS variant the most (I don't count the wheatwine as a BCS). The orange flavor is unique and honestly something I was afraid of, but it turned out to work very well with the other flavors. The strong coffee finish is the shining star of this BCS variant. I think it'd be wonderful with ONLY coffee, but the orange and cinnamon make it all that much better in my opinion.
1,145 characters
4.18/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 16.9 oz bottle into a stemmed tulip glass.
Pours a near pitch black color with a thin dark caramel head. The head leaves a few spots of lace before settling into a thin ring. Pretty standard appearance for a BBA stout.
The aroma brings notes of chocolate-covered oranges, cinnamon, dark chocolate, and coffee. There's plenty of oak and vanilla with a hint of roasted almonds.
The flavor starts with a wave of oranges before some roasted coffee, almonds, oak, vanilla and booze. Then comes a metric ton of chocolate and fudge with a hint of cinnamon on the finish.
The feel is full bodied with low carbonation. Thicc and chewy and smooth. Extremely boozy but that's to be expected.
Overall, a great BBA stout that is loaded with unique flavors and aromas. This beer is absolutely not worth the price tag but it's definitely worth trying if you can share with some friends. Unfortunately I don't have any friends so I have to drink this myself.
963 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 16.9 oz bottle into a stemmed tulip glass.
Pours a near pitch black color with a thin dark caramel head. The head leaves a few spots of lace before settling into a thin ring. Pretty standard appearance for a BBA stout.
The aroma brings notes of chocolate-covered oranges, cinnamon, dark chocolate, and coffee. There's plenty of oak and vanilla with a hint of roasted almonds.
The flavor starts with a wave of oranges before some roasted coffee, almonds, oak, vanilla and booze. Then comes a metric ton of chocolate and fudge with a hint of cinnamon on the finish.
The feel is full bodied with low carbonation. Thicc and chewy and smooth. Extremely boozy but that's to be expected.
Overall, a great BBA stout that is loaded with unique flavors and aromas. This beer is absolutely not worth the price tag but it's definitely worth trying if you can share with some friends. Unfortunately I don't have any friends so I have to drink this myself.
963 characters
3.77/5 rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bourbon County Brand Café de Olla Stout from Goose Island Beer Co.
Beer rating:
95 out of
100 with
146 ratings
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