The Vintage Bourbon County Review Thread

Today is a new beer to me, so nothing to compare it to.

Goose Island Brewing – Bourbon County Brand Brunch Stout Test beer (2019)

12.5% ABV

This test beer is akin to the 2020 release titled “BCBS Special #4”, which is listed as an oatmeal stout aged in Bourbon barrels with intelligentsia coffee and Bissel Maple syrup” – and listed as “Stout - Oatmeal” on BA.

The beer was removed from a 50ish degree temp fridge after having been refrigerated for approximately 10 months. Beer poured into a 2012 B1 BCBS tulip snifter. Consumed across approximately 1 hours, across 2 separate pours with the beer kept refrigerated between pours.

First Impression: As soon as you pop and pour it, you know it’s BCBS – from it’s first hiss and pop of bourbon to its’ dark and thick (but not thicc as pudding) pour. 4.35

Appearance: Classic BCBS. Not much to say. As is always the case from bottles, a small very dark brown head forms which quickly dissipates to a light khaki ring around the class, lasting for as long as you let the beer exist. I love BCBS, so perhaps I am bias, but this gives me all the right feels, and I’m not sure one can ask for more from the appearance. The only way I think you can is if you’re looking for that thicc as hell pudding pour, or specifically wanting a thick head, or you’re not into that oily-slick coating on the glass. 4.8

Smell: Pretty much all coffee. Smelling this reminds me exactly of opening a BCBCS – it’s straight up BCBS with intelligentsia coffee. Very little if any barrel on the nose, and no maple on the nose (but, it is 2 years since bottling). 4.0

Taste: It’s actually incorporated better than I remember the coffee in 2017 BCBCS, and even after nearly 2 full years the coffee hasn’t turned to green pepper. I know that isn’t the case for everyone, but it happens to me sometimes, and 2017 was one of those. If I am being 100% honest, there’s perhaps a small amount of that here, but it’s hard. With coffee in a stout, it’s very hard when adding coldbrew for it to not have a certain astringent quality to it that is almost like coffee beans were ground directly into the coffee. That sounds like a negative, but it’s not something that bothers me here. Perhaps because the maple is offsetting anything too strong. I am really loving this. I only get a touch of maple – a kiss of it. Wish there was more, but it is 2years old. Lots more to say, but see ‘Overall’ below. 4.8

Mouthfeel: This is a little thinner than I’d prefer, but it’s a coffee stout, and coffee stouts are always thinner than their non-coffee counterparts. Also, this isn’t worlds thinner, it’s maybe 5-10% thinner than standard BCBS. Perhaps the use of an oatmeal recipe is what’s helping the thickness, because this feels thicker than I recall 2017 BCBCS. Or maybe it’s the maple Syrup. Either way, this is great, and totally doable for 12 – 16.9oz. 4.75

Overall: This is basically everything I want KBS/CBS to be, but better. I know KBS is supposed to have chocolate, but mostly I get coffee. -And, I know CBS has maple syrup, but no chocolate. This is nothing short of great and really enjoyable. Would I pay almost $30 for 16.9oz of this on the regular? Not a chance. It’s far better than CBS, but it’s not 5x the price better. I’m not normally someone to make that comparison, but it is true. This just isn’t special ‘enough’ to warrant the price. –Perhaps because it is so close to BCBCS, and that is ~$17, or about 33% less (although not brewed for several years). For me, this is one of the best coffee-forward BCBS variants.


One question that I have to ask myself is whether I would rather have this or Revolution’s Supermassive Café Deth. That’s tough. I think the coffee is actually better in Rev’s, but I prefer BCBS. Also, I feel like I detect more barrel in this than Rev’s, but I detected less barrel in BCBCS. Overall, I think I’d rather have this, but given prices, I’d rather buy Rev’s about 4 out of every 5 purchases, or perhaps even 6 out of every 7 purchases. 4.7

BA Review Score: 4.52

My review can be found here: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1146/503628/?ba=Beer_Economicus#review

 

Today it is time to revisit an old friend.

Goose Island – Bourbon County Brand Barleywine (BCBBW)

14.4% ABV

The beer was removed from a 40ish degree temp fridge after having been refrigerated for approximately …either 6, 8, or 12+ months. Beer poured into 2014 mini BCBS snifter.

First Impression: Pours just how I remember it with a dark mahogany in the glass. 4.35

Appearance: This has a viscosity that something like a Jackie Os BA BW just doesn’t have. It also has an oily slickness that is both visually pleasant and I think adds to the mouthfeel. Only opaque when at the edge of the glass. Not as deep/muddled looking as 2013/2014 varieties. 4.5

Smell: Real pleasant boozy alcohol burn on the nose as my nose fits in the snifter. Strong notes of granny smith apples, with a hint of berry and carmel. Underlying ‘must’ most often associated with common BW flavor descriptors. No distinctively bourbon barrel smells. 4.35

Taste: Slight bitterness up front and lasting. This is something I always get that is akin to having a mixed drink with ice, and your first sips taste like pure alcohol without any flavor. On the backend some bourbon. Somewhere inbetween, after the swallow, I get some fruits, especially green apple, followed quickly by the classic leather and tobacco notes, with a hint of that ‘must’ that I most associate with wanting to describe something as being “old”.

I suppose part of the taste might actually be what I’d called ‘alcohol filled raisins.’ If you’ve ever had rum-raisons, or boozy bread pudding, sometimes those raisins pack a punch, but it isn’t distinctively bourbon or rum flavored. Instead, it’s just…alcohol flavored. Well, with the flavor of that deep, dark, rich raisin. I get a bit of that here, but it took me awhile to pinpoint. I’m not a fan of ‘dark fruits’ in anything. Not knocking the rating for that – that is what it is – just a statement of how I feel. 4.35

Mouthfeel: It’s a bit crazy to say that mouthfeel is where this beer shines, but to me the mouthfeel is about as spot on as you can get for a barleywine, although admittedly I haven’t had any of the “chewy” barleywines, like Anabasis. It’s the right thickness, the oily texture is perfect, and it drinks beautifully. 4.85

Overall: This is a fantastic beer, as it always was. It’s everything you look for in a great BA BW. The one thing I would certainly change is that I think it could actually be a tad sweeter, and that bitter note has never gone away for me. 4.40

I remember this fresh – both in 2017 and every year since. It was a bit hot, boozy, and way more bitter. The hot and boozy aspects were definitely a hot alcohol burn rather than being a deep, rich bourbon burn like you might get with fresh BCBS. Over time this has really mellowed. I don’t think the bourbon has faded (much); to me, it never really was bourbon-forward. Honestly, neither was the 2013/14; they’ve always just been incredibly well done BWs. To me, this is a better BW in 2021 than any year prior. It’s had a chance to really form something new rather than just being a sum of its’ parts.

I certainly prefer 13/14, but to me they are a different beer than this. I don’t consider that a fair fight.

BA Review Score: 4.42

 

Goose Island – King Henry Barleywine Ale (2011)

13.4% ABV

The beer is listed as a “Barleywine – English” on BA.

The beer was removed from a 40ish degree temp fridge after having been refrigerated for approximately 3 years. Beer poured into 2012 BCBS Tulip.

First Impression: Bottle hissed, and an aroma of raisins rose to my nose. Beautiful color. Low carb. 4.5

Appearance: Poured beautifully. A wonderful, deep mahogany with a seemingly black backing. Limited head quickly disappeared. Murky (but it is 3rd use, so of course it is); only visible at the edges. 4.75

Smell: Rich and boozy. Alcohol heat up front followed by sugars (momentarily), before quickly giving way to granny smith apples, cotton candy, gummy candy, and finally raisins. Man is this complex. No barrel on the nose (but never is with BA barleywines compared to stouts). 5.0

Taste: This is heaven. There’s so much here. There’s layers. Heavy and prominent is the classic leather, with tobacco taking a back note (more so than in 2013/2014). The taste leads with vague sweet fruits, followed by sweetness and leather followed by a drying, oakiness. The booziness is subdued compared to a fresh Bourbon County, but the alcohol is warming and “soft”, starting in the chest and moving up.

How does this compare to 2013/2014? There’s a smoothness with more rounded corners compared to 13/14. The same way that a more refined whiskey has fewer harsh edges, the same thing here. In this case, there are no harsh edges. This is rich and decadent without an overemphasis on the raisin, which is where many barleywines suffer. (Yes, Raisin is a common and delicious flavor, but sometimes it becomes overpowering.) 4.80

Mouthfeel: It’s about perfect. It has just the right viscosity, but perhaps once warm – if anything – it comes off a tad syrupy. It feels wonderful in the mouth. (Yep, I said it.) 4.75

Overall: I’ve had this for probably 3 years, and I’ve been scared to open it. I looove 2013/2014, but particularly 2013. I’ve always dreamed of this, particularly after having rare and especially being a fan of wheated whiskies. I’ve built this up to be this monolith that I’ve worried it wouldn’t live up. Turns out, it does, but not at first. When I first opened the bottle, I was disappointed. I said, oh man, this must be past it’s prime. The flavor is every bit as good as MJK (which I had just 3 days ago), but there’s something about it – perhaps it not being as fresh – that just left it feeling like it was lacking. Well, first impressions aren’t everything. After a few ounces, these first impressions faded away. It’s a little low carb compared to what it should be from the age, but that hampers it only a little given that it’s a barleywine (and something like MJK is served still).

This is every bit as good as MJK. Really, the only thing that sets those two beers apart is the age (this is older now), and the ABV. That beer is 20%, and the booziness is noticeable. For some reason it works, though, and it works well. I’m getting a bit lost in this comparison, but the point is that this isn’t just world class, it’s at the pinnacle. I am very grateful that I got to experience this beer, and feel fortunate to have done so. 4.75

BA Review Score: 4.83

My Review Can be found here: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1146/61100/?ba=Beer_Economicus#review

 

Today is a new beer to me.

Goose Island – Bourbon County Brand Reserve Rye Stout (2019)

14.5% ABV

The beer is listed as “Stout – American Imperial” on BA.

The beer was removed from a 45ish degree temp fridge after having been refrigerated for approximately 4 months. Beer poured into 2012 BCBS snifter.

First Impression: Pours dark/thicker for BCBS. Beautiful as always. While I don’t like the new bottle size, I do love the way the bottles pour. 4.5

Appearance: Similar to (and not substantively different than) standard BCBS. It’s midnight black. You can’t see through the glass except when taking a sip, and then only at the edges. Decent head on an aggressive pour (much more than an older vintage with more age). Head disappears at a reasonable space, with a faint ring left around the glass for some time. 4.75

Smell: Boozy, but not like you poured yourself a nip of whiskey. There’s a faint rye spice thing going on similar to holiday spices in cookies. Hints of dark fruits and also berries, -in particular, blueberries. Faint cola. No discernable chocolate or rich malt on the nose. This is a real pleasure. 4.5

Taste: I think the rye integrates itself more with the base than bourbon, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I think it is better. It’s just that rye seems to mesh in a way that makes it feel more like it is one with the base, whereas bourbon feels like you have this bourbon…and then you have this base. The older the vintage, the more these mesh as one, and the younger the vintage, the more that bourbon reminds you, ‘HEY, I’M HERE FIRST.’

With the rye, you don’t really get that deep chocolate, fudge, bourbon soaked brownies note that so many people love, especially from 2014 BCBS. You still get a lot of chocolate, but it tends more towards cacao powder and bittersweet chocolate with perhaps only a hair of dark chocolate. The rye comes in two forms. On the front end, you notice there’s no bourbon. Because it is so well integrated, it’s almost like you miss it. But, then on the backend you get it. You start to get some of that rye spice. To me, there’s only the most mild of ‘spiciness’ associated, but you get many of those holiday baking flavors. For me, they aren’t distinguishable, they are just melding as one, but that is what it conjures up. Definitely not distinctively ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, honey, etc. There’s just a touch, a kiss of berry. I can see how Backyard Rye probably would have played well. Unfortunately, that was one I never got to try. 4.5

Mouthfeel: To me, this seems a tad thicker than the bourbon versions. It’s no thicc boi, but it’s classic BCBS. Thicker than most, but not pastry. It’s thick enough to slow you down, but thin enough to make it so you can drink a full 16.9oz in a night if you so choose, assuming you can handle the ABV. By comparison, pastry stouts for me are difficult to stomach that many ounces due to their viscosity. They are too much.

I sat here debating how to rate this. For the style, a non pastry, I think it’s pretty much spot on, so I’m going with a 4.85. Perhaps it could be just a tad thicker, but that’s a pretty minor complaint. 4.85

Overall: You know, I wasn’t sure about this one at the start. I wanted to be googoo and gaagaa all over it. So my expectations were high. Then I opened it, and man, it felt like a let down. I had built it up so much it was just a big let down. Then I took a long time to get to know this beer. I sipped on about 12 ounces last night for a few hours. Then tonight, after using a fancy champagne stopper, I consumed the last. The more I consumed, the more I enjoyed this. I think I may have even enjoyed it more on night 2 than night 1, and I attribute that to the small amount of oxidation difference between Day 1 and Day 2. -And, further, I’m going to attribute that additional amount of satisfaction due to the fact that, in general, I think 2-3 years is kind of the sweet spot for “base” Bourbon County. At least since 2016. I just don’t like it right out of the gate quite as much. The 2-3 year mark may come as a surprise to anyone that has seen my love for older vintages. Much as it pains me to say it, I do think there is a difference 2015 and earlier vs. post 2015, but I don’t necessarily attribute that specifically to the new process; partially I attribute that to the changing recipe for the base, which definitely has changed (and that's not an opinion, it's a note the brewers have mentioned and then been repeated on the Binny's podcast, for example). 4.65

In summary, this was a real pleasure to drink. And I think the BA review score of 4.58 gives a pretty accurate picture. There’s no way to not call this world class, in my opinion. I think the only turnoff for some is the rye.

BA Review Score: 4.58

My review can be found here: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1146/434223/?ba=Beer_Economicus#review

 

Goose Island – Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout (BCBCS – 2014)

12.6% ABV

The beer is listed as “Stout – American Imperial” on BA.

The beer was removed from a 40ish degree temp fridge after having been refrigerated for approximately 2 years. Beer poured into 2012 BCBS snifter.

First Impression: Pours dark, thinner than BCBS. 4.5

Appearance: Standard Bourbon County. An aggressive pour years only a small amount of khaki head that fades quickly, leaving only a small ring around the glass. 4.25

Smell: Coffee up front. Mostly this cold-brew smelling with a hint of grounds and also the dread ‘pepper’. Weak barrel on the nose. 4.25

Taste: 2014 and earlier BCBCS is what all coffee stouts should be judged on for me. As the kids say, ‘it fucks’. And after this many years, to still say that? Come on. Taste starts with the coffee, shifts to bourbon, pulls in some chocolate fudge brownies, shifts back to bourbon, finishes on coffee, and then a slow finish lasts for longer than most BA stouts, let alone BA coffee stouts. Impressive for 12.5% abv. 4.70

Mouthfeel: Coffee stouts are always thinner than their regular counterparts. They just are. While this is clearly thinner than the regular, not appreciably so. For judging this against other coffee stouts, this is still upper echelon. 4.75

Overall: This is a great beer, and I’m jamming on this. I debated about whether to have this tonight, because I have to get up in 4.5 hours to hit the BCBS release. Well, I’m glad I did, but only because I chose to drink this tonight. It’s really fantastic. It’s incredible how well this has held up. I did have this a few years back (just once), and while it was great, I don’t remember enjoying it quite this much. This is just singing tonight. It’s everything that I want. And the finish just keeps going. I’m in heaven. All this said – could it be better? Of course. I’d love to have even more barrel. I’d love to see how this shined at 15%. But for what it is, and compared to others, this is Heaven. 4.65

BA Review Score: 4.56

My review can be found here: https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1146/57747/?ba=Beer_Economicus#review