2 Year Special Reserve Bourbon County Stout
Goose Island Beer Co.

 

 

 

 

 

Near black with three fingers of fizzy mocha head that quickly settle into a modest wisp and crown. Very little lacing.

Not as chocolatey-sweet smelling as most BCBS. The malts seem roastier and there are hints of leather and wood, along with some dry chocolate, booze and just a ghost of umami or soy.

The taste follows: lots of roasted malts, hints of bitter coffee and chocolate, some wood, touches of light umami and dark fruit, and plenty of heat in the finish. Probably the hottest beer I’ve had from Goose Island.

Full bodied and smooth feeling with enough carbonation to keep it lively.

The luxuriant chocolate and vanilla qualities in most BCBS are replaced here with drier flavors that I also enjoy and that are fun to experience in this one-off. It’s also hard to say whether oxidation is peaking into this beer. I poured it room-temperature from an exactly two-week-old, well-filled crowler that made it to my hands within a vacuum-sealed little pouch.

Continuing to add to its mystique, the Bourbon County Brand Stout's legacy of outlandish complexity in taste, texture and aroma, but this (2020) year with the select 10-year Weller Reserve bourbon barrels to bring a truly "once-in-a-lifetime" uniqueness in boozy flavor.

The 2020 edition of Bourbon County Reserve Brand Stout pours with the familiar color of onyx, with the viscosity of motor oil, and with the stillness of matured madeira. Mesmerizing in its lavish scent, the nose is stricken with espresso, whisky spice, dark chocolate, oaken nuance of char and boldly fortified aged wines. Its flavors bring a decadent maltiness of dark and roasted malt sugars redolent of blackstrap molasses, chocolate covered espresso bean, candied hazelnuts and burnt marshmallows to the tastebuds early and often on the tongue.

As those devilish malt flavors reach full saturation of the middle palate, its sweetness is unrelenting, weaving in the bourbon soaked oak flavors that begin to share their secrets from caramel, vanilla, strong whisky spice, coconut and stone fruit. As robust flavors of sherry, madeira, port wine and brandy begin to bring a savory, saucy sense of oxidation to a leathery acidity twinge before the sweet roast turns the corner with a strong fudgy suggestion and light cherry chocolate. Woodsy, bourbony and a spicy tanginess leads to a piquant but sweet finish that exits the palate like death by chocolate cake, tiramisu and port wine, in a somewhat simpler and spicier vein as previous versions.

Absurdly full once more, rich and unforgiving on the sweet tooth, the beer's strong dessert-like character lingers indefinitely into the next sip as the bourbon spice, wine must, peppercorn, powdery leather and fruity tobacco nuances continue to develop sip after sip, as the palate acclimates to the stout's power and the warming beer reveals more secrets with every return to the snifter.