Bourbon County Brand Reserve Stout (2025)
Goose Island Beer Co.

2/22/26 - (Home) (Chicago, IL) Bottle Notes: Purchased at store temperature from Jewel-Osco on clearance for $22.77 including tax, and refrigerated until opening this morning. 16.9 oz bottled June 25, 2025 at 4:39 PM. 15.2% ABV, imperial stout made with our friends at Parker's Heritage Collection. Aged for two years in Parker's Heritage collection 17th edition 10-year rye whiskey barrels. Contains wheat. Brewed, Bottled, & Barrel-Aged by Goose Island Beer Company, Chicago, Illinois.

Box Notes: 2025 Goose Island Bourbon County Reserve Brand Stout aged in Parker's Heritage Collection 10-ear-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Barrels. Made with our friends at Parker's Heritage Collection, Bardstown, Kentucky. One Bottle, 500 ML. Since 1992 The Original, Chicago, Illinois.

Parker Beam began his distilling career at Heaven Hill in 1960, working alongside his father before becoming a sixth-generation Master Distiller in 1975. Over five decades, he built a legacy of uncompromising quality and quiet innovation, which has been showcased in each release of The Parker’s Heritage Collection. The Collection is a benchmark of excellence within the whiskey industry and has delighted whiskey aficionados for nearly two decades.

The 17th edition - A 10-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Bottled at Cask Strength - brings unmistakable character and quality to this collaboration, imparting vibrant rye spice, and layered oak complexity - A fitting tribute to Parker's enduring legacy.

Barrel ageing is a beautifully intricate process - where even subtle shifts in recipe, barrel type, or time can yield dramatically different results. The 2025 Bourbon County Brand Reserve Stout is a testament to the depth that comes from extended aging in an exceptional single, exceptional lot of barrels. For this special release, Goose Island rested for two years in casks from one of the most respected names in American whiskey: Parker’s Heritage Collection.

This longer aging period goes beyond our traditional process, drawing out layers of cocoa, dried fruit, spice, and toasted oak. The result is a rich, contemplative expression of Bourbon County—one that rewards patience and reflects a legacy built slowly, barrel-by-barrel.

Appearance: Very dark near black chestnut brown base, brief tan bubbly head recedes to form a creamy bubbly ring around the rim, and a small island of fine bubbles above 10% of the base. 4.25

Aroma: Initial sniffs ten minutes upon opening yields a nice spicy rye, tobacco, dark roast malt, bakers chocolate. Flavors retained as this warms further, with the barrel increasing and retaining the wonderful rye flavor. 4.5

Taste: A very strong and harsh at the outset rye whiskey dominates the initial sips. As I get acclimated, the whiskey is still very strong, and grows decreasingly harsh, with the nice roast malt, milk and bakers chocolate. fudge and caramel emerge. This remains as I continue approaching the halfway pole. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Smooth rich creamy body, gentle sustained carbonation. Drinks very strong, harshness fades as this warms and or I grow more tolerance. Barrel and rye counter any attempts of the sweet flavors to hold the advantage. Rye, milk chocolate and caramel finish. 4.5

Overall: This is an really good variant by Goose Island. Perhaps I started in a little too early (15 minutes after pulling from the refrigerator. I'm enjoying more as this warms further. I also release this was aged for two years, so I expect a stronger whiskey taste and volume, but have enjoyed similar reserve and double/triple barrel treatments with smoother results and a more balanced result letting the excellent base shine more. All that said, this is a very good selection and one I'd recommend to rye and heavy barrel stout lovers. 4.25

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L - Deep black with a dark tan head that dissipates somewhat quickly, leaving behind no lacing
S - dark chocolate, caramel, molasses, vanilla, oak, slight nuttiness, some peat
T - follows the nose - dark chocolate up front and throughout intermixed with caramel, molasses, peat moss, oak, vanilla. Finished with slight rye spice. Caramel is pretty pronounced.
F - medium, leaning on full bodied, with light carbonation. Soft
O - Just a really well done, well rounded bourbon barrel stout that showcases how great bourbon and stouts become more than the sum of their parts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

500mL, bottled on 25JUN25, 15.2% ABV
L: near black body, thin khaki colored head
S: spicy rye oak barrel, cocoa, roasted barley, caramel
T: bold and boozy: earthy & spicy rye whiskey, oak, dark chocolate, caramel, toffee, vanilla, dried dark fruit
F: fuller body, a boozy sipper, ample carbonation, finishes remarkably smooth considering the 15.2% ABV
O: phenomenal beer.

 

 

Pours traditional BCBS black. Aroma is incredible dominated by spice, vanilla, milk chocolate & rye with complementary notes of oakiness & dark fruit. Tasted follows nose with rye being forward followed by the vanilla, chocolate, oak, spice & dark fruit. Full BCBS mouthfeel.

Incredible variant.