I saw this at my local grocery store, and I said to myself, you never see Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 14.6% ABV at the grocery store. I have been hesitant to buy a bottle. It is because it is an expensive bottle. This beer was nineteen dollars at the grocery. Well, I gave in and bought it. This imperial stout is a blend of barrels from distilleries such as Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey, & Buffalo Trace. This stout aged for 8-14 months in freshly emptied barrels. You can then age it further in the bottle for up to five years. I didn’t do that. This stout pours a thick deep black color with a one and half beige head. The aroma is deep with vanilla, licorice, and boozy. The taste is strong, with licorice, vanilla, roasted notes, some coffee, and caramel. The mouthfeel is rich, and thick. This stout is a sipping beer. It has a slight bitter licorice finish and a bitter-sweet aftertaste that is boozy and warms your chest. I found Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout to be overwhelming and strong-tasting. It’s a C-. I felt the flavors did not come together as well as they should. I don’t think this stout is overrated. I like imperial stouts. It’s just this one was too much. It needs more sweetness and less boozy. A balance of the two flavor profiles would be good. Maybe this would be better if I let it age in the bottle for a while. Then it may mellow out some. Please be kind, be safe, and enjoy responsibly! Cheers!
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