The brewery: Goose Island Beer Company, Chicago, Illinois
Description (from the website): "After crafting the very first bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout, we've learned that to have the best beer, you start with the best possible ingredients. Barrels are such an important ingredient and we continue to use only the best our friends on the bourbon trail have to offer. 2024 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout is aged in a mix of freshly emptied bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses and Wild Turkey distilleries. Barrel-aged for an average of 12 months, Bourbon County Original Stout boasts deeply developed flavors of fudge, vanilla and caramelized sugar with a rich, decadent mouthfeel."
Would I buy it again? This is an interesting question, because come on, of course this beer is going to be amazing. Goose Island was the first brewery to do bourbon barrel–aged beer; they've got over 20 years of experience doing it. It's a sweet, chocolatey, thick stout that is a pleasure to drink from start to finish. However, it's $25 for a bottle, and this isn't a big bottle. $25 for a pint of beer, even one as excellent and as strong as this one, is an awful lot to ask.
And you know what? I do think it's good enough to justify the price tag. Not regularly, of course not. But one a year, or once every couple years? Sure, I don't think that's unreasonable. This is a very, very good beer.
