Review: Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout (2013)

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout (2013)
14.2% ABV

Goose Island Brewing Co.,Chicago, IL
12 oz btl

Served in Dogfish Head signature glass
Date on bottle: Bottled on 8/20/13
Reviewed on 12/12/13

This imperial stout pours a thick dark brown color with a bubbly toasty beige head that has decent retention. Nice lacing.

Smell consists of bitter chocolate, coffee, malt, oak, whiskey, slight hops, alcohol, slight soy, touch of spice.

Taste consists of bitter dark chocolate, malt, smooth coffee, alcohol, some hops, oak, whiskey notes, slight soy, touch of spice.

Mouthfeel is bitter with some dryness, yet quite thick and even velvety on the palate.  Some alcohol harshness, yet relatively muted given the ABV.

Overall, this is a strong tasting imperial stout with strong flavors of chocolate, coffee, and malt, with ample accents of alcohol, oak, whiskey, and even a bit of spiciness. As it warms up, the flavors come together even more, bringing out prominent bitterness and alcohol taste, but they never take over and seem to be balanced out, bringing together a good flavor harmony. This can be a difficult seasonal to find, but it's worth seeking out and paying the somewhat expensive price if you're into bold flavored stouts.

My score: 98