Goose Island Beer Co. Announces 2019 Bourbon County Stout Variants
More than twenty years ago Greg Hall wanted to brew something truly unique for the brewpub’s 1,000th batch, he just needed inspiration. Then a chance encounter between Greg and Jim Beam’s Booker Noe led to Goose Island acquiring the barrels for what was to become the world’s first bourbon barrel-aged beer, Bourbon County Stout.
“Our goal every year is to make the best Bourbon County Stout we’ve ever made, so it means raising our game with each release. It’s one of the most important beers we make as we continue to build on the legacy Greg Hall laid out over 20 years ago.”
Mike Siegel, R&D Manager
Today, Bourbon County Stout is not only a local favorite but globally known for setting the standard of barrel-aged stouts. This year’s lineup is unique as Goose Island through its partnership with Heaven Hill Distillery will be able to release a more barrel-forward lineup of variants.
“In 2015, we partnered with Heaven Hill Distillery for our Rare Bourbon County Stout release, and again last year with Reserve Bourbon County Stout. This year we are lucky enough to partner with them on three different releases. They share our love of bringing together beer and bourbon, and they make outstanding whiskey across the board. We are fortunate to call them partners.”
Mike Siegel, R&D Manager
2019 Bourbon County Stout Variants
Goose Island will release 8 variants this year.
- Bourbon County Stout
- Bourbon County Double Barrel Stout
- 2-year Reserve Bourbon County Stout
- Reserve Rye Bourbon County Stout
- Proprietor’s Bourbon County Stout
- Bourbon County Wheatwine Ale
- Bourbon County Café de Olla Stout
- Bourbon County Mon Chéri Stout
In addition to the above lineup, Goose Island will release a Vertical Collection inclusive of 2017, 2018, and 2019 Bourbon County Stout.
The variants will go on sale this Black Friday, November 29th, 2019.
Variant Descriptions
Bourbon County Stout
This year’s Bourbon County Stout, aged in a mix of Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace, and Wild Turkey barrels, yields a rich, complex mouthfeel. Flavors of cocoa, fudge, vanilla, caramel, almond, plus leather and tobacco, permeate this beer and deepen with each sip. We’ve bottled Bourbon County Stout for 15 years and this year’s vintage is one that you will want to hold on to for years to come.
Tasting Notes: Cocoa, Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, Rich Chocolate, Almond
“We’re really excited for this year’s release; Bourbon County Stout Original is one of the best yet with lots of rich chocolate and fudge notes. We’ve pushed our own expectations of what a BCS variant can be, which has resulted in some fantastic versions.”
Keith Gabbett, Brewmaster
Bourbon County Double Barrel Stout
Bourbon County Double Barrel Stout has a depth and flavor that can only be achieved through time, patience, and partnership. This stout was first aged 12 months in 11-year-old Elijah Craig barrels from our friends at Heaven Hill Distillery. We then emptied the beer from those barrels and filled fresh 12-year-old Elijah Craig barrels, the same barrels that housed the Whisky Advocate 2017 Whisky Of The Year. We let it age for another year in those barrels and the result is a stout like no other. Incredibly intense, this beer will be a true gem for the faithful fans that seek it out and get to try it.
Tasting Notes: Barrel-Forward
“I’m extremely proud of Bourbon County Double Barrel Stout. We
Keith Gabbett, Brewmaster
aged Bourbon County for a year in 11-year old Elijah Craig barrels before we decided to up the ante and age it for another year, this time in 12-year old Elijah Craig barrels. The layering of two coveted barrels from the same distillery and the extended aging time allows us to really showcase what’s possible with Bourbon County Stout.”
2-year Reserve Bourbon County Stout
2-Year Reserve Bourbon County Stout was aged 24 months in 11-year-old 25th Anniversary Knob Creek barrels. The barrels of this once in a lifetime bourbon delivered an oak-forward intensity accented with subtle hazelnut and chocolate notes that complimented the flavors inherent in Original Bourbon County Stout.
Tasting Notes: Oak-Forward, Maple Syrup, Nutty (Almond or Hazelnut /Nutella), Chocolate
Reserve Rye Bourbon County Stout
Our Reserve Bourbon County Stout releases showcase how a premium single source bourbon barrel can influence the nuances and flavors of our original BCS. The 2019 Reserve Rye is aged in 100% Rittenhouse Rye barrels – lovingly referred to as “the bartender’s favorite” rye. Rittenhouse’s Barrels had a unique effect on the original imperial stout, imparting flavors of fruit and spice. Reserve Rye accentuates all that makes Rittenhouse and Bourbon County unique.
Tasting Notes: Spicy, Fruity
Proprietor’s Bourbon County Stout
2019 Proprietor’s Bourbon County Stout is an homage to some of the most beloved ingredients from Bourbon County variants of years past. Toasted pecans, coconut, cocoa, and vanilla mingle together to create flavors reminiscent of Tiramisu. Expect an aroma of dark chocolate, toasted coconut, and caramel to round out this decadent stout.
Tasting Notes: Coconut, Pecan, Vanilla, Chocolate, Marshmallow
Bourbon County Wheatwine Ale
The 2018 Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beers (FoBAB) award-winning variant is back for its second year, this year aged 100% in Larceny wheated bourbon casks from our partners at Heaven Hill. The result is a softer flavor profile, full of caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, and toffee flavors, all while carrying the nuances of Larceny bourbon barrels.
Tasting Notes: High Caramel, Vanilla, Butterscotch, Toffee
“We saw last year how Wheatwine can really showcase the intricate characteristics of traditional bourbon, and this year we wanted to take it one step further. We were fortunate to get the opportunity to utilize the barrels from Heaven Hill Distillery’s Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, which uses ‘…wheat as the secondary grain, instead of the traditional rye…’ and we jumped on it. This year you will find a smoother note to Wheatwine than last. It will continue to maintain an amplified body with notes of butterscotch and toffee, while carrying the nuances of Larceny Bourbon Barrels.”
Tim Faith, Wheatwine Brewer
Bourbon County Café de Olla Stout
Created in partnership with our next-door neighbors, Intelligentsia Coffee, Café de Olla is inspired by the traditional Mexican beverage of the same name. We added coffee beans and cold brew coffee to Original Bourbon County Stout and then enhanced this beer further through additions of cassia bark, orange peel, and panela sugar. The resulting beer is layered in complexity. Coffee and orange permeate the nose and are followed by notes of cinnamon, chocolate, and a pleasant sweetness.
“Bourbon County Café de Olla Stout was inspired by my friends and
Austin Niestrom, Café de Olla Brewer
family. Coffee, much like beer, brings us together. This concept pays
tribute to the cultural diversity and beloved people of our city to celebrate the wonderful traditions that blend us altogether. Bourbon County Café de Olla Stout is a wonderful twist on BCS coffee with a combination of ingredients that provide an intriguingly complex experience. The coffee aromatics are garnished with a hint of citrus and subtle notes of cinnamon. Panela sugar helps round out the potion, concluding the well balanced combination of flavors and aroma.”
Tasting Notes: Coffee, Dark Chocolate, Orange, Cinnamon
“It is an honor to be a part of carrying the torch that is Bourbon County Stout having been in the beverage industry for 13 years, and a brewer at
Austin Niestrom, Café de Olla Brewer
Goose Island Beer Co. for five and a half. I currently work in the cellar
dealing with fermentation management and beer finishing. After years of submitting ideas for BCS variations, it’s exciting to have concocted a concept worthy of the national release.”
Bourbon County Mon Chéri Stout
“Mon Chéri,” or “my darling” in French, is a love letter from our brewer Quinn to his wife, an avid lover of all things cherry. Mon Chéri is made with Balaton and Montmorency cherries, oats, and a dash of brown sugar. The interplay of these ingredients creates aromas of amaretto and almond. With each sip, you’ll instantly be reminded of cherry cobbler. Mon Chéri has a silky, velvety finish thanks to the addition of oats to the beer.
Tasting Notes: Aromas of Amaretto and Almond, Oats, Cherry, Vanilla and Chocolate; Silky, Velvety finish
“I had been toying with using granola in Bourbon County Stout for some time, and Cherry has been a classic flavor in stout, and it was my wife that thought to marry the two together. After many tweaks, we found a nice mix of granola, oats and brown sugar, that gave us a ‘pie crust’ element to the beer, then layered in a mix of Balaton and Montmorency Tart cherries. This gave the blend a complex bouquet of sweet and nutty aromatics while delivering a depth of cherry flavor. Mon Chéri is ‘my darling’ in French, a nod to the inspiration of this variant blend, and Megan is beyond excited to have Cherry back in BCS.”
Quinn Fuechsl, Mon Chéri Brewer
Bourbon County Stout Vertical Collection
This year, we are proud to offer the Bourbon County Stout Vertical Collection. This is an opportunity for beer-lovers to experience multiple years of our beloved Bourbon County Stout in a side-by-side tasting of 2017, 2018, and 2019 vintages of Bourbon County. Drinkers can explore every nuance in flavor between each vintage year and enhance their understanding of how Bourbon County develops in the bottle over time.
“Bourbon and beer is a partnership that makes sense. It not only gives our barrels another life, but when you partner with another team that values quality and innovation, it allows for a creative, educational space for the consumer to enjoy these special products. We are fortunate to continue developing this partnership with Goose Island and look forward to expanding what they can offer through Bourbon County Stout using Heaven Hill Distillery barrels.”
Conor O’Driscoll, Heaven Hill Distillery Master Distiller
Now that Halloween is over… Thanksgiving and Black Friday are up next! Be on the lookout!
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