Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout
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Tasting Notes
The aroma opens with deep vanilla, oak, and dark chocolate, layered over bourbon-soaked wood and a hint of dark dried fruit. On the palate, flavors of roasted malt, caramel, and bittersweet cocoa are wrapped in a thick, almost syrupy body that carries the bourbon character without letting the alcohol feel raw or harsh. The finish lingers long, with warming whiskey heat, faint tannins from the barrel, and a trailing note of espresso. At 14.5% ABV, it's one of the heavier examples in the barrel-aged stout category, yet the integration of spirit and malt is notably cohesive.
About the Brewery
Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery founded in 1988 by John Hall, widely credited with helping establish craft beer culture in the Midwest. The brewery was acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2011, a move that drew significant controversy in the craft beer community, though the Bourbon County lineup has continued to be produced and aged in Chicago. They're particularly known for pioneering the barrel-aged stout category in the United States, with Bourbon County Brand Stout first brewed in 1992 and now released annually each Black Friday to considerable fanfare.
Food Pairings
Rich, fatty cheeses like aged Gouda or Stilton match well because the beer's roasted bitterness cuts through the fat while the barrel sweetness complements the cheese's depth. Chocolate-forward desserts — flourless chocolate cake or dark chocolate truffles — reinforce the cocoa notes already present in the glass. Braised short ribs or beef brisket pair naturally because the malt body stands up to the richness of the meat while the bourbon character mirrors a classic barbecue glaze. Pecan pie works particularly well, with the caramel and nut flavors echoing the vanilla and oak from the barrel.
Style Guide
American Imperial Stouts are big, assertive dark beers built on a foundation of heavily roasted malts that produce flavors of chocolate, coffee, and dark fruit, typically with an ABV ranging from roughly 9% to well above 12%. The style evolved from English imperial stouts but the American interpretation tends to push roast intensity higher and is frequently aged in spirit barrels — most commonly bourbon — which adds layers of vanilla, oak, and residual whiskey character. What separates it from a standard stout is largely scale: more malt, more bitterness, more alcohol, and a fuller, denser body. Barrel aging, while not required by the style definition, has become so common in top-tier examples that it's practically expected at the upper end of the category.