Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout - The Original - Review and Tasting Notes

So, I decided to play the Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout game this year.

You know... frantically drive to every grocery or liquor store in the area Black Friday morning.  Cope with bottle limits.  Call ahead to ask if the stores farther from town had any stock left.

I made off with a grand total of four bottles after about 2 hours of work.

Yeah.  I know.

To my credit, I worked an overnight shift (yes, I worked overnight Thanksgiving into Black Friday...) and didn't get off until about 9:30 in the morning.  At least I had my priorities in order: beer over bed.



I made off with three of the Original and one Barleywine.  I never managed to find a single bottle of any of the other varieties.

Naturally, I couldn't wait to sink into an Original, since I have a few spares to treasure over the coming months.

To the uninitiated, the Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout line is one of America's most treasured cult beers.  People wait in line for HOURS to get bottles of this beer which essentially sells out across the country in a single day.

I discovered the legend of GIBCBS this past year and decided I just HAD to join the game.  Dark beer lover?  Check.  Bourbon lover?  Check.  Match made in heaven?  Sounds like it.


Tasting Notes

Nose: Sweet malt and hints of vanilla bourbon with a grainy base.  Deep and rich chocolate.

Palate: Holy shit.  Yeah, that's what I thought on my first sip.  Holy.  Shit.  This is HUGE.  Rich and sweet and malty with all the layered dark flavors you want in a big stout: coffee, dark chocolate, malted grains, vanilla.  Woah.  All layered with a thick, creamy mouth feel.

Finish: Long and full.  There is some vague sourness that comes in at the tail end that I don't love.


Review

Wow.  This is a beautiful beer.

This might take the crown for me as the standard by which all other beers are judged.  Founder's Breakfast Stout (draft, it's merely good bottled) was the previous king in my eyes, but this... this changes the game.

If you like dark beers and BIG beers, this is a beer for you.  It's huge and rich and full.  If you have a chance to snag a bottle, jump on it, then grab an extra one to store away for that special occasion.

You won't regret it.

Be forewarned, though, these puppies are expensive, running you $10-13 per 16 oz bottle, depending where you buy them, and I'm sure they'll be inflated on the secondary market.

Scotch Dreams Score: 99/100