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Bourbon County Brand Classic Cola Stout
Goose Island Beer Co.
- From:
- Goose Island Beer Co.
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 14.1%
- Score:
- 93
- Avg:
- 4.2 | pDev: 7.62%
- Reviews:
- 87
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Mar 10, 2024
- Added:
- Aug 10, 2021
- Wants:
- 6
- Gots:
- 15
Pushing the boundaries of barrel-aged stouts is in our DNA, and with that, we brought to life our first-ever cola-inspired variant. Brewers Paul Cade and Jason Krasowski bonded over their love for classic cola while creating the Classic Cola Stout. Combining the refreshing nature of classic cola and picking up the flavor profile from a whisky cola, we added lime and orange juice and zest, plus coriander, cassia bark, nutmeg, brown sugar, and vanilla to bring out the complex characters of the classic drink. This is the ultimate twist on a whiskey cola and a must-try for Bourbon County Stout, cola, or whiskey/cola lovers.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by SiepJones:
Rated by SiepJones from Pennsylvania
4.5/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Dec 20, 2021
4.5/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Dec 20, 2021
More User Ratings:
Rated by moysauce from Illinois
3.59/5 rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This one is near the bottom of my BCS list.
Mar 10, 2024Rated by Oktoberfest from Ohio
5/5 rDev +19%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +19%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
One of five BC variants on tap at a Sunoco/Ameristop. (!!!). I may never leave this place. Please tell my wife and child not to judge me too harshly.
Mar 05, 2024Reviewed by Thomas_Wikman from Texas
4.45/5 rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.45/5 rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
According to the label it is aged in bourbon barrels, brown sugar, citrus, coriander, spices and natural vanilla flavor.
Look: black with thick mocca colored head
Aroma: I think the aroma is caramel, cola, malty, and bourbon.
Flavor: The flavor is I think classic cola the way I remember it, brown sugar, caramel, maybe some orange, bourbon and then coffee at the end.
Body/Overall: full body, I think it is delicious.
Jan 04, 2024Look: black with thick mocca colored head
Aroma: I think the aroma is caramel, cola, malty, and bourbon.
Flavor: The flavor is I think classic cola the way I remember it, brown sugar, caramel, maybe some orange, bourbon and then coffee at the end.
Body/Overall: full body, I think it is delicious.
Reviewed by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut
3.85/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Received from @ozzylizard in a previous BIF.
Good looking beer, although stouts all look more or less the same to me, especially once in the glass. This had a nice reddish tinge on the pour, and it maintains a nice thin beige ring. The nose steps things up a notch. It's rich and boozy with some nice vanilla notes.
I'm not sure what I expected this to taste like, but it wasn't this. It didn't smell much different than base BCBS, but the flavor profile on this one is definitely different. My first impression was how smooth it was, with a really pleasant alcohol warming on the finish. As my palate has adjusted, this absolutely has some "cola" vibes, particularly on the finish. I taste the base stout, but the amalgamation of the other ingredients creates a unique taste. A little bit of lime is the only individual note I can pick out.
Overall, very enjoyable and unique beer.
Nov 26, 2023Good looking beer, although stouts all look more or less the same to me, especially once in the glass. This had a nice reddish tinge on the pour, and it maintains a nice thin beige ring. The nose steps things up a notch. It's rich and boozy with some nice vanilla notes.
I'm not sure what I expected this to taste like, but it wasn't this. It didn't smell much different than base BCBS, but the flavor profile on this one is definitely different. My first impression was how smooth it was, with a really pleasant alcohol warming on the finish. As my palate has adjusted, this absolutely has some "cola" vibes, particularly on the finish. I taste the base stout, but the amalgamation of the other ingredients creates a unique taste. A little bit of lime is the only individual note I can pick out.
Overall, very enjoyable and unique beer.
Reviewed by 94Sip from Texas
4.97/5 rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.97/5 rDev +18.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
It’s Nov ‘23 and I decided to crack open a ‘21 cola stout that I’ve had setting in my beer cellar. I had one when this first came out so I’m doing a bit of comparison from that period.
The most surprising thing to me was how smooth it was, especially the mouth feel. It had this really velvety mouth feel like a nitro. And it was crazy easy to drink, while still have that unique cola flavor.
One thing I’ve grown to dislike with all these barrel aged stouts is they just taste like woody bourbon.
However, this cola stout hid all the barrel flavors such that it seemed more like a RIS, which I really appreciated.
The only category I didn’t give a 5 in was the look - it just had little to no head on it and what it did have dissipated within a minute of pouring.
Nov 04, 2023The most surprising thing to me was how smooth it was, especially the mouth feel. It had this really velvety mouth feel like a nitro. And it was crazy easy to drink, while still have that unique cola flavor.
One thing I’ve grown to dislike with all these barrel aged stouts is they just taste like woody bourbon.
However, this cola stout hid all the barrel flavors such that it seemed more like a RIS, which I really appreciated.
The only category I didn’t give a 5 in was the look - it just had little to no head on it and what it did have dissipated within a minute of pouring.
Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri
4.13/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.13/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Black in color with no light penetration. There’s a fingernail of brown around three quarters of the rim. I do smell cola, but also vanilla and a bit of bourbon. I’m tasting citrus, brown sugar, bourbon, and a very light dose of coriander. The mouth is sticky and chewy.
Jul 15, 2023Reviewed by stortore from Illinois
4.34/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
500 ml bottle into a snifter. Bottled 8/11/21, had 6/10/22.
Pours a dark brown, mostly opaque, with no head and sparse lacing. Aromas of bourbon, roasted malt, oak, brown sugar, vanilla, some chocolate and char, light orange peel. Has a spicy aroma. Flavors of bourbon, malt, oak, spices, orange peel, vanilla, brown sugar- more as it warms, light chocolate. Smooth, a very good full body, appropriately carbonated.
This was better than expected. Don’t really get cola, but it has great flavors; the brown sugar and orange peel stand out. Terrific, prominent barrels, too. Very enjoyable.
Jun 12, 2023Pours a dark brown, mostly opaque, with no head and sparse lacing. Aromas of bourbon, roasted malt, oak, brown sugar, vanilla, some chocolate and char, light orange peel. Has a spicy aroma. Flavors of bourbon, malt, oak, spices, orange peel, vanilla, brown sugar- more as it warms, light chocolate. Smooth, a very good full body, appropriately carbonated.
This was better than expected. Don’t really get cola, but it has great flavors; the brown sugar and orange peel stand out. Terrific, prominent barrels, too. Very enjoyable.
Reviewed by Cylinsier from Pennsylvania
4.34/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottle
Pours opaque black, viscous looking with no head at all.
Aroma is similar to the base version, rich molasses and dark fruits over biscotti malts, but with a slightly sweeter and nuttier tilt.
Flavor is very rich up front, molasses and plum, giving way to sweet toasty malts and then going into a distinctly cola finish. Nutmeg, cinnamon, caramel, and even some citrus.
Full viscous body with tingling carbonation on the tongue.
It's kind of amazing how well this works, but it's really not a terrible idea to begin with when you think about it. There's already some shared elements between a big heavy stout and an overly syrupy fountain soda. This beer meets right in that zone, traveling from beer to cola as you taste it. Drinks very slow as such a rich beer, but goes down sneaky smooth. This is definitely more than a gimmick.
Jun 06, 2023Pours opaque black, viscous looking with no head at all.
Aroma is similar to the base version, rich molasses and dark fruits over biscotti malts, but with a slightly sweeter and nuttier tilt.
Flavor is very rich up front, molasses and plum, giving way to sweet toasty malts and then going into a distinctly cola finish. Nutmeg, cinnamon, caramel, and even some citrus.
Full viscous body with tingling carbonation on the tongue.
It's kind of amazing how well this works, but it's really not a terrible idea to begin with when you think about it. There's already some shared elements between a big heavy stout and an overly syrupy fountain soda. This beer meets right in that zone, traveling from beer to cola as you taste it. Drinks very slow as such a rich beer, but goes down sneaky smooth. This is definitely more than a gimmick.
Reviewed by Christianriveraaa
4.43/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L: Poured from a 2021 500ml bottle into a snifter - Jet black pour with very minimal lacing appearing. About a centimeter to be exact.
S: Getting aromas of chocolate, cola, spices such as nutmeg, dark fruits, vanilla. Also getting some of that brown sugar in the middle. Very interesting.
T: Chocolate heaven with a splash of cola, you definitely get the chocolate upfront along with cola following with a dash of sweet lime after with the vanilla backing it up followed by the nutmeg and brown sugar. I gotta say this took me by surprised and I really like this one.
F: Big bodied, thick, oily, easy to drink. ABV for me hides well due to the complexity of this beer.
O: If your into barrel aged beers, treat yourself to this. This beer is a great version of the bourbon county and I loved how they put the cola into the mix. Definitely would recommend this.
Mar 28, 2023S: Getting aromas of chocolate, cola, spices such as nutmeg, dark fruits, vanilla. Also getting some of that brown sugar in the middle. Very interesting.
T: Chocolate heaven with a splash of cola, you definitely get the chocolate upfront along with cola following with a dash of sweet lime after with the vanilla backing it up followed by the nutmeg and brown sugar. I gotta say this took me by surprised and I really like this one.
F: Big bodied, thick, oily, easy to drink. ABV for me hides well due to the complexity of this beer.
O: If your into barrel aged beers, treat yourself to this. This beer is a great version of the bourbon county and I loved how they put the cola into the mix. Definitely would recommend this.
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington
4.39/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.39/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Year old bottle, Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque black in the glass with a quarter finger, dark khaki head that dissipates to a thin film with light lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, boubon, chocolate, mild citrus, cinnamon and light vanilla. Flavor is dark toasted malt, bourbon, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa and licorice. Medium bodied with moderate creaminess. A year old bottle, stored in the fridge. Forgot to review this one (which reminds me to get cracking on last years). This is a pleasant surprise. It seemed a little gimmicky and wasn't sure how cola would mesh with the base stout (although it is a natural with bourbon). For me, this tasted more like a spice cake version of BCBS, with the spices being the more dominant of the adjunct flavors. I definitely can taste mild Coke syrup here, but might not have if I wasn't looking for it. The usual chocolate and bourbon of the base stout are present and as great as usual. There is a touch of spice bite in the finish, like a mild hot pepper and it works perfectly with the rest of the flavors, perhaps from the cinnamon or other spices. Unexpectedly, this is one of my favorites of the variants over the yeaers. Liked this a lot; I'd get it again if it was offered.
Feb 28, 2023Rated by howardnss from Pennsylvania
4.19/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Nice 2 finger head. Sweetness from cola but strong bourbon flavor.
Jan 15, 2023
Bourbon County Brand Classic Cola Stout from Goose Island Beer Co.
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
245 ratings
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