For a history of how Bourbon county began click here
This year Goose Island Brewery released Bourbon County Stout with five variants this year. They are:
Original Stout (ABV 14.6)- Aged for 16 months in a combo of bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses and Wild Turkey.
Vanilla Rye Stout (ABV 14) - last released 6 years ago, they put rye imperial stout in rye whiskey barrels for a year then finished with Madagascar Vanilla beans.
Macaroon Stout (ABV 14.6)- imperial stout aged for a year in unnamed bourbon barrels then finished with cocoa nibs, sweet candied ginger, and toasted coconut.
Bardstown Cask Finish Stout (ABV 16)- cooperative effort with Bardstown bourbon company - aged in Bardstown straight rye whiskey barrels then transferred to finish in hybrid oak and cherry wood barrels
Proprietors Barley Wine Ale - (ABV 14.7) annual Proprietors variant is a Chicago-only release - barley wine aged in bourbon barrels with tamarind, lime, guajillo peppers and piloncillo sugar
Here are our reviews.
2024 Bourbon County Original Stout - ABV - 14.7%
Appearance: Almost Black
Clarity: Opaque
Head: Thick, dark Brown, dissipates quickly.
Aroma: Aroma is mixture of classic bourbon aged stout with cherry or stone fruit
Carbonation: Mild
Mouthfeel: Very smooth mouth feel medium thickness
First sip is classic bourbon stout with a background taste of stone fruit or cherry. Mid beer bourbon flavor increases with perhaps some hints of butterscotch and cherry. Begins to impart warmness on the tongue and mouth but not any alcohol bite.
Sweetness: Mild to Medium
Alcohol: Noticeable but not dominant
Finishes: It finishes with cherry/stone fruit becoming more dominant with even a mild bit of tartness, and blends perectly with bourbon stout flavors.
Overall: This is an excellent classic bourbon aged stout bringing together the flavors of the bourbon barrel, with imperial stout and some stone fruit to enhance the drinking experience. This is a smooth beer, not to thick and an excellent version of this classic beer.
RATING: 4 out of 5 mugs
2024 Bourbon County Vanilla Rye Stout - ABV 14%
Appearance: Pitch Black
Clarity: Opaque
Head: Thick, dark Brown, thick lacing that dissipates quickly to a thin head surround the snifter edges.
Aroma: Aroma is strong, punch of rye whiskey up front. Vanilla secondary with sweet biscuit malt nose.
Carbonation: Mild
Mouthfeel: Thick, Creamy, a bit syrupy
Flavors: Starts with a strong hit of rye whiskey, slightly off putting at first. Becomes milder after warming closer to room temperature. Midway you get strong roasted, bready malt with vanilla and some toffee sweetness. Continues with strong vanilla and a bit of bitterness from the high amount of roast. Finishes with boozy heat, then sweet vanilla oak
Sweetness: Medium/sweet
Alcohol: Dominant
Finishes: First vanilla sweetness, then boozy with some hot spice bite
Overall: Overall it’s good, but not great. Nowhere near as tasty as the original vanilla BCS variant from 2010. The rye whiskey barrel adds a harshness that conflicts with the vanilla sweetness in a way that doesn’t suit my palate. Worth about a 6oz pour, but nothing beyond in my opinion.
RATING: 3.5 out of 5 mugs
2024 Bourbon County Macaroon Stout - ABV: 14.6%
Appearance: Black
Clarity: Opaque
Head: Thick, dark Brown, dissipates quickly.
Aroma: Aroma is mixture of bourbon, caramel, and some biscuity notes
Carbonation: Mild
Mouthfeel: Thick and Creamy
First sip nice blend of woodford barrel flavors with caramel background mild carbonation and almost buttery finish. As it progresses you begin to notice some coconut flavor which blends in nicely. As it progresses you notices a mild booziness but only slight. Finishes with caramel and coconut creating a buttery mouthfeel, and mild boozy bite.
Sweetness: Medium
Alcohol: Mild
Overall: Good to Excellent Bourbon County but certainly short of world class. Flavors work together but are mild and it would be hard to identify if you did not know what flavors they were shooting for.
RATING: 4 out of 5 mugs
2024 Bourbon County Proprietor’s Stout - ABV 14.7%
Appearance: Deep Ruby Brown
Clarity: Almost transparent very clear
Head: Quick very fizzy head that dissipates quickly
Aroma: Classic barley wine with that malty butterscotch like nose
Carbonation: Mild but different in your mouth
Mouthfeel: Not thick actually nice and smooth but heavier carbonation in your mouth that actually finished a little buttery (wild)
First sip its so complex it hard to identify flavors but definitely sweet with hints of lime and bourbon. As you get to mid beer the candy sweetness begins to assert itself, and the heat from the pepper finishes in the back of your throat which gives balance to the sweetness. Finishes with nice balance of bourbon and candy sweetness with hints of lime and pepper finish providing balance at finish.
Overall: This is the best Bourbon county in the 2024 batch, very good but not world class. I give it a bump because of the totally unique flavor profile.
RATING: 4.5 out of 5 mugs
Bardstown (still to be reviewed)
Hey Goose I have not found this on tap anywhere. Send us a location
