Bourbon County Double Barrel Toasted Barrel Stout
Goose Island Beer Co.

4.75/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by firesidewithphil from Illinois

Bourbon County Stout variants; the great surprise of any stout season and we are getting into a big one here with Toasted Barrel from Goose Island. There was a lot of hype with this specific beer and I’m glad to say it lived up to that hype. The beer was aged in two different barrels, each for a year and both from Elijah Craig. The first rests in their small batch bourbon barrels. The second rests in their newly developed toasted barrels, which they don’t char. Now for the beer. It is the most barrel focused BCBS I have had. It is dry on the tongue, has amazing carbonation for a 2 year aging, and really bridges the gap between beer and spirit. The flavor has a “S’mores” feel but without actual “S’mores” additions, it is fantastic. What a way to start off the year.

Saturday at 05:19 PM

4.56/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by heysuz from Indiana

Brew: Goose Island Beer Co. – Bourbon County Double Barrel Toasted Barrel Stout

Intro: 16.9 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass. Shared with a friend.

Appearance: Pitch black, Nominal head maybe 1.5 inches. Good lacing as I drank

Smell: Typical Bourbon County with the barrel front and center .

Taste: Follows the smell. Definite barrel character from the toasted barrel.

Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel, good carbonation.

Drink: Easy drinker. A real treat, well balanced and went down smooth. Left me wanting more

Conclusion: This was perhaps one of the best (and one of my favorite) Bourbon County brews I can remember. I just happened to stumble across an Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel this weekend so we had the brew and then sample the bourbon. Was very easy to discern the barrel in the brew. Very, Very enjoyable. Only a shame I couldn’t find more than one. Get all you can find.

Jan 01, 2022

4.48/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by Sabtos from Ohio

Glossy black with a tall dark tan foam head slowly settling to a creamy ridge.

As a toasty char glides into a lingering rich cacao that even hints at brownie batter, bourbon mocha tones nearly emulate Irish coffee, yet remain overall bitter of an oaky constitution.

The medium body is fairly crisp, finishing semi-dry but rather warm, and a little sticky on the lips.

Now that's nice, and a hugely redeeming step from this year's 150.

Dec 28, 2021

4.56/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by BEERchitect from Kentucky

What to do with a world class stout and multiple award winning barrels from Elijah Craig? The obvious answer is to age and then blend. But everyone can do that. In an attempt to add to its mystique of the Bourbon County Brand Stout series, Goose Island pulls out the most complexity possible in its traditional taste, texture and aroma with by first aging the stout in "small batch" bourbon barrels and then transferring that barrel aged beer to yet another series of "toasted barrel" bourbon barrels to bring out a once-in-a-lifetime uniqueness in depth and flavor.

Bourbon County Brand Double Barrel-Toasted Barrel Stout kicks off with the a slightly more bleached onyx color with the viscosity of pure maple, and with the calmness of matured sherries. Captivated in its lavish and roasty perfume, the nose is stricken with espresso, vanilla, whisky spice, dark chocolate, rum and the strong oaken nuance of char and boldly fortified bourbons. Its flavors bring a decadent maltiness of dark and roasted malt sugars redolent of molasses, cocoa, toasted marshmallow and a spicy gingersnaps robustness to the tastebuds early and often on the tongue.

As those decadent malt flavors reach full saturation of the tastebuds, its sweetness complex, bold and robust, weaving in the Elijah Craig house flavors that begin to share their secrets from caramel, nuttiness, char, vanilla, whisky spice, coconut and wonderfully burnt sugars. As nuanced flavors of sherry, madeira, port wine and brandy begin to bring a savory and saucy sense of oxidation to a leathery and acidic twinge before the sweet roast turns the corner with a strong whisky impression and spicy rum cake. Woodsy, bourbon drenched and a spicy heat leads to a piquant but spicy-sweet finish that exits the palate like walnut, pepper and bourbon, in greater intensity, dryness and spice than previous "Reserve" releases.

Confidently full, rich and unrelenting in its power, the beer's strong digestif character lingers deep into the next sip as the bourbon spice, vinous, peppercorn, powdery leather and fruity tobacco flavores 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.

Dec 26, 2021

4.43/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
by mothman from Minnesota

Bottle. Tan head that fades. Black color.

First thoughts was that this was nothing special. As it warmed and opened up, things got much better. Not sure about $50 good, but noticeably different than regular Bcbs.

Toasted marshmallow and vanilla. Fudge, cocoa, chocolate. Warming barrels and bourbon. Brown sugar with faint vanilla. Oaky. Light char.

Nice body and feel. As it warms it gets much better.

Dec 26, 2021

4.35/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by highdesertdrinker from Arizona

Pours dark brown with some head, smells of bourbon, oak, alcohol. The taste is hot with that 16% very prominent, bourbon, vanilla, charred oak, it’s a monster with deep flavor but not 55 bucks worth. The regular is a much better option at this price point, and the 14 is the variant to get IMO. It was fun to try a super pricey, exclusive beer once, but will stick to the variants that are 25 or less for future purchases.

Dec 25, 2021

4.84/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
by mschrei from Illinois

Going to age my second bottle, but this is excellent fresh. Cola like appearance, quickly dissipating head, mild lacing. Smell is barrel, booze, dark roasted malt. Taste is boozy bourbon. Not big bodied, slightly oily and thick. Like another BA stout I had this week, this tastes like a bourbon aged in beer barrels, as opposed to a beer aged in bourbon barrels.

Dec 24, 2021

4.52/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
by mwilbur from Minnesota

2021. Poured from 16.9 oz bottle into snifter.
A: Pours an extremely dark brown hue with 1/4 inch dark mocha head that quickly recedes.
S: Wow! Loads of sweet bourbon and oak char. Smooth dark chocolate, molasses, and subtle tobacco and leather. So good.
T: Sweet bourbon hits first, quickly followed by a quick twist of dark fruit, then proceeds to oak char, molasses, and more supporting notes of soft tobacco, smooth bittersweet chocolate, and almond nuttiness.
M: Medium-heavy body, drinking lighter than expected. Strong layers of super dark and boozy notes. Lingers forever on the palate.
D: Super potent brew! You can definitely tell the impact of the second barrel aging—strong aroma and taste elements with a big dose of oak char. The fruit element was an interesting surprise…when it showed up and how relatively transient it was. Excellent brew, just not sure it justifies the big price.

Dec 18, 2021

4.25/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by GuyFawkes from Illinois

2021 vintage; drank 12/11/21 @ Hannah & Kenser's.

Black appearance.

No head; no lace.

Caramel, oak & bourbon heat notes in the nose.

Thick, sticky mouthfeel.

A sweet, caramel-forward expression of BCS; big oak and bourbon notes follow.

Interesting, but not really worth the dough, in my opinion.

Dec 13, 2021

4.63/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75
by Vixie from Illinois

Has the classic BCS look, pitch black with no real head, just some lacing across the top.

I can really smell the bourbon, as well as chocolate and vanilla. Little bit of a toasted oak smell as well.

Tastes exactly as described, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, little bit of fruit, toasted marshmallow, and a hint of oak. Very complex, but all blend together nicely, they all complement each other.

This is actually a bit thinner than the classic BCS, but still no doubt it is a big beer. Fairly silky on the tongue.

This is the most expensive beer I have ever bought, and I don't regret it. This may be the best stout I have ever had, it is so complex, but a bit unique, There is a smokiness to it that I don't recall every experiencing in a beer before that makes it stand out. Well worth trying if you can find a bottle.

Dec 03, 2021

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
by vette2006c5r from Minnesota

Bourbon County Double Barrel Toasted Barrel Stout pours an almost black color, with a very small, tan lacing head. Aroma is sharp, lots of oak and lots of bourbon. Flavor is sharp, quite sweet, thick, with notes of oak, and a bourbon burn to finish. Good body and feel. Overall, it is a very sweet and rich beer, lots of the barrel comes through.

Dec 03, 2021