Goose Island Bourbon County Stout - Proprietor's 2013
Proprietor’s Bourbon County Brand Stout is meant to show our immense gratitude to our neighbors here in Chicago – the loyal and adventurous fans whose support helped bring Bourbon County Brand Stout to towering new heights. Each year this release will differ from the previous year; a special variant created for Chicago and unique to the year it was released. Whether your first sip is today or was from that first batch in 1992, thank you for lifting us up on your big shoulders and joining us every year to celebrate the original bourbon barrel aged stout.
2013 - Bourbon County Stout aged in Templeton Rye barrels with toasted coconut.
2013 - Bourbon County Stout aged in Templeton Rye barrels with toasted coconut.
4.3
233 reviews
Chicago, United States
Community reviews
December 4, 2015. Bottle at home, received in a trade with craftbeer1over, thanks!
Black with a quickly dissipating minimal head, leaving no trace. Aroma is sweet with toffee, vanilla, prunes, hints of figs, toasted coconut, spicy rye whiskey notes and dark chocolate. Taste is sweet malts and dried fruits, roasted bitterness. Finish is sweet with figs, prunes, caramel, vanilla, hints of warming bourbon with some peppery notes, dry bitter cocoa. Full bodied, oily sticky texture, soft carbonation.
Great renditio of bourbon county stout.
Black still pour. No head. A few tan bubbles. No lacing. Chocolate vand bourbon aroma. Taste is chocolate and bourbon. Some malt and vanilla. Slight bit boozy, but not overwhelming. Finishes silky and sweet. Warming.
Pour is like the darkness itself, with no head of course. Nose is all bourbon county with a hint of coconut rum. Molasses, cacao, dark chocolate, bourbon, slight graininess. Rich, subtle complex palate. My favorite bourbon county to date. Taste is all the best parts of a mellowed bourbon county with a nice hint of coconut rum.
Bottle. Aromas are rich chocolate fudge, coconut husk, maple syrup, and some dark fruit. Tastes moderately sweet. Light booze and so smooth. Loads of melted chocolate and light coconut and oak. Slightly spicy in the finish. Awesome.
Smells like stout and toasted coconut. Taste is heavy coconut, heavy bourbon, alcohol, and a bit of bittersweet dark chocolate. Very thick oily mouthfeel with some alcohol heat.
Bottle. Black beer with an brownish head. Roasted chocolate, caramell licorice, vanilla coconut, figs and raisins aroma. Roasted chocolate, vanilla, caramell, licorice, figs, cocnuts, Woody flavour with some dark bread notes. Love this nice beer :-)
Black. Smooth, boozy, sweet coconut. German chocolate cake. Very nice beer.
Draft. Very, very similar to the standard BCS. I almost couldn’t tell at first -- had to double check. Appearance is the same. Nose is richer and rounder, with a certain umami-like richness. A little toasted coconut edges into metallic territory. In the flavor, coconut is most noticeable after the swallow as toasty fumes rise. As good as BCS (which is really good), but not much better. Needs to be very warm before the coconut shows up in a substantial manner.
Flakey coconut dark pour, melassis oily, roasty flavour with a subtle bourbon flavour. For me too flat and mellowed out flavours. Taste fresh, too late!
One of the most sought after versions of BCBS, vintage of 2013; my bottle says 14.1% ABV instead of the 13.9% ABV given above. I taste this special treat from an old port wine snifter at near room temperature. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, near to black but not entirely so; only in the last remnants of the liquid, a cloudy brown appearance reveals itself, with tiny bits of dead yeast and proteins lining the glass wall. The head is thin, beautifully deep beige and a bit coarse, but is sadly reduced to an irregular, wafer-thin rim around the glass in instants. I passionately fall in love with the aroma: what a divine bouquet rises up from the bottle... I could sniff this for hours on end: deep dark chocolate sauce, raisins, candied figs, vanilla-like oaky tannins, Islay whisky, liquorice, old sherry, soy sauce, candied orange, eucalyptus syrup, espresso, cocoa powder, cedar wood, pear syrup, Worcestershire sauce, some cooked meat or fried eggs far away but not disturbing at all, and indeed a faint hint of coconut, though I suspect this volatile aroma has faded considerably in the course of almost two years. The taste amazes me even more: a complex and baffling experience indeed, starting off with a very dense, pointy, refined, concentrated, candied sweetness, cloying a bit to the lips, candied oranges, pear, dried dates and indeed a hint of dry coconut meat; a tinge of carbonation pierces through, as well as subtle sourish and salty accents (red berries and soy sauce). Then a profound chocolate maltiness unfolds in all its glory, bitter chocolate with caramel and cashew nuts, spreading over the tongue and mouth cavity, with a fat, oily mouthfeel; a wonderful symphony of sweet versus bitter, with a lively, almost faintly clove- and cinnamon-like spiciness to it (perhaps the rye whisky already speaking?). Bitter wins in the end, as - almost unexpectedly - a tangy yet still mellow roasted coffee ’blackness’ appears, almost cappuccino-like in combination with the bittersweet chocolate, warming and filling the back of the mouth. Even before I swallow the first sip, it is clear to me that this beer increases in complexity as it makes its way through the palate; the finish beautifully recaptures the whole taste trail from beginning to end, blending the candied sweetness, the bittersweet chocolate malts and the softly roasted coffee bitterness into one concentrated ’ball’ of taste, which is finally confronted with a big wave of warming, whisky-like alcohol which also remains on the tip of the tongue after swallowing but somehow manages to remain gentle in all its force; a clear, drying, tannin-like woodiness ensues, as well as a background hint of peppery, leafy, noble hops adding a subtle, double bass-like structure to the whole. The complexity and richness of the malts, including a warm sense of high quality, aromatic coffee and again the woody tannins, linger for hours after swallowing and the alcohol warms the heart... Things just keep happening here, no matter how many sips you’ve taken. Though I have to admit I expected more coconut presence, this is still one of the most noble stouts I ever had the pleasure to enjoy. I particularly appreciate the follow-up of tastes in this one, sweet and bitter and bitter and sweet all make their appearance one by one only to lead to a resolving climax, as in a classical drama, though I did find the alcohol and the cloying sweetness perhaps a tad over the top - I had the same experience with AleSmith’s Speedway Bourbon Barrel Aged, and like in the case of the latter, this is the only thing keeping me from giving both stouts a perfect score. Obviously, in view of this beer’s complexity and greatness, this is only the slightest form of criticism, if any; both remain unforgettable and both surely belong to the best beers I ever tasted. This one, too, is a slow sipper for sure, to be treated with graciousness, dignity and respect. It is obvious that a lot of thought went into this beer; it is as if the malts were selected especially to fit in with the spirit of the barrel in which it has aged (and frankly, I would not be surprised if this is indeed deliberate). Fantastic example of the style, definitely worth the money (which was quite considerable, needless to say...). A world-class masterpiece, that is beyond doubt. I will remember this for the rest of my existence and I will keep the empty bottle in my cellar, only to look at it every now and then with a feeling of nostalgia...
Black oily pour with a fading mocha brown head. Aroma is dark fruit, coconut, and bourbon. Taste is smooth, too smooth for 14.1%. Chewy, thick, delicious. Dark fruit, coconut, rye. Easy to drink but it was one beer to drink as slow as you can since it was a beer you never wanted to finish. The beer clung to the side of the glass.
Rating #500! Bottle 22oz thanks to Aaron! Pours a pitch black with tiny to no head. Aroma has huuge bourbon, vanilla, cocoa, fresh coconut meat, roasty, fudgy, toffee, caramel malts. Taste is sweet up front with vanilla, coconut, chocolate, prunes, banana, bourbon and some oaky dryness. Much more smooth than the regular BCBS. Low carb, big oily body. What a treat!
I loved this beer. The coconut balanced out the flavor of base BCS, not too strong, but great aroma and then subtle coconut at the end. Wish that wasn't the only time I had this
Bottle @ bourbon County tasting. Aroma is big chocolate, some roast and light coconut. Flavour is creamy chocolate, liquorice, roast and faint coconut. Very nice.
Bottle at Bourbon County tasting. Black pour with very thin brown foam. Aroma is not as coconut forward as I expected, light coconut, lots of chocolate. Taste has much more coconut, great coconut taste, lots of chocolate,light booze. Palate is rich, decadent, vintage bourbon county style. Tasty.
Bottle at home with my wife. Bottle has about a year on it. Pour is pitch black with a big brown head and sticky lacing. Big toasted coconut, dark chocolate, brown sugar, deep espresso, somewhat earthy, vanilla, bourbon, and raisins in the aroma. Taste is still huge coconut, cocoa nibs, woody, some coffee, maple syrup, German chocolate cake, some spice, and vanilla with a smooth finish. Thick mouthfeel with soft carbonation. Still very complex - chocolatey with spices, coffee and rum cake. Really delicious stuff and has cellared extremely well.
Thanks for the bottle uncle buck. Nice aroma of coconut, bourbon, and charcoal. Pure ebony color. Rich sweet molasses up front. Overtones of charcoal, mellow bourbon, and some hints of coffee. Finishes with some dry bitterness and a nice alcohol burn. Worth the wait.
Bomber shared with ck1 at Timothy O’Tooles Bourbon County release party on Spit Cup weekend. Black pour no head. Aroma is almost all bourbon, with touches of chocolate and carmel. Taste is significantly different from the nose. It is sweet coconut, chocolate, caramel and of course vanilla. Seems to cut through the bourbon. Finishes quite sweet, but not cloying. 5.8, ck1 says 15
Bottle from Dan, thank you very much!
Pours a viscous, jet black color with no head, while some chunks of coconut float in the brew.
Sweet aromas of cane sugar, toffee, molasses, and burned coconut. These blend well into wooden, slightly boozy, hot barrel qualities, among bakers chocolate.
Has an incredible smooth mouthfeel, super creamy, drinks like chocolate with loads of cocoa nibs and glazed, slightly burned coconut. The bourbon acts as an intriguing counterpart to that, providing wood and earthy maltiness without revealing any booziness, less intense than the sweeter parts of the stout, still easily balancing the beer. Instead of a noteable carbonation, there is smooth creaminess, heading into a mousse au chocolate direction. The Bourbon in this beer is by no means dominant on its own, but blends perfectly into the chocolate qualities. Finishes with dark chocolate, as well as an appealing, lingering bourbon note.
Delicious beer. Not worth the hype over the standard BCS. But still an awesome beer.
2013 bottle->snifter. Black with hint of tan head. Coffee, oak, bourbon, vanilla, roast, cocoa, touch of coconut. Complex. Smooth and damn tasty.
Bottle thanks to Aron. Pours lack with almost no head. Aroma got some fresh and subtle coconut, dark sweet fruits, sweet bourbon, dark chocolate and the recognizable Bourbon county characteristics. Big and bold ya! Taste is big, smooth and slick. I get the cocoons, some wood, dark sweet fruits, melted chocolate, molasses and a big full body! What a treat! I guess the coconut has been more extreme in a younger state than when I got this. But this beer was still the BOMB!
22 oz bottle split 5 ways. Pours almost pitch black with a tiny head and some sediment in there. Nose is much like the regular BCBS, light fresh coconut in there as well. Taste has dries fruits, lots of bourbon, vanilla, booze and some licorice. As it warms up the coconut really comes through. Good stuff!
Bottle. Been waiting for this for a long time. Pours pitch black with no head. Aromas of the characterestic bourbon county barrels, coconut flesh, coffee beans, slight roast, vanilla, caramel. Taste is straight up coconut flesh, bourbon, vanilla, dark melted chocolate and butter, roasted coffee beans, dark dried fruits. Body as smooth as... something very smooth. So goddamn good!
On tap at GTMW 2014 - Pours black with a tan ring of head. Nose is lots of bourbon, dark roast, and maybe a little coconut Lots of sweet bourbon in the taste, with some coconut, sweet molasses, and roast. Thick and slick. Pretty decent.
On tap 2014 GTMW, just so you know, I freaking hate coconut, hate it with a passion, if I see you with an almond joy mounds bar I will turn around immediately, now back to the beer, it’s pretty freaking awesome. Pours pitch black with a thin brown head and a little bit of lacing in the glass, the aroma is full of dark chocolate and roast with a bit of vanilla coming through, no coconut though, the flavor has a nice sweet front end with a kick of bourbon and chocolate and fudge in the finish, again no real coconut around, probably why I enjoyed it so much. Nice.
Wow. Very nice mix of caramel, vanilla, coconut, slice cinnamon, almond, and roasted barley. Sweet and surprisingly smooth.
On tap at GTMW 2014
Making a beeline for the Goose Island tent as soon as the gates opened I was able to get two pours of this amazing imperial stout. A world class release, this version of Bourbon County Stout made the ticket worthwhile on its own. While I am unlikely to pick up a bottle because of the cost I look forward to trying a few more at festivals and other special tappings.
Aroma / Appearance - An inky black base with long legs creeps from the pitcher into the glass. Anise, coffee, chocolate, and heavy booze rise into the air like dense smoke. Vanilla accents add even more depth. The Templeton Rye peeks out from time to time but due to the general heaviness does not stand out on its own.
Flavor / Palate - Strong malt, coffee, smoke, and Templeton Rye stick to the tongue and throat. Chewy after just a few seconds, the mouthfeel offers something for everybody as it crawls to a bitter warm finish. Despite all that it never feels suffocating. Six to eight ounces would be a perfect pour as I’m not sure I could finish much more on my own in one sitting without having a whole evening.
Bottle @ Dedollewaitors 14.000 celebration tasting. Black body with a small light brown head. Chocolate, coffee, coconut, vanilla, rye, wood, sweet. Flavour is Bounty bar with dark chocolate, coconut, rye, wood. This is like drinking motoroil with coconut flavours. Yummi.
Bottle @ 14.000th celebration tasting. Denmark - Albania. Shared with Hallinghansen (The man). Pours black with a collapsing beige head. Intense nose of coconut, roast and vanilla. Bourbon bounty bar - red bounty. Holy Shit!!! Smooth, slick and oily. This is another world!