Goose Island Brewery Bourbon County Brand Stout Proprietor’s 2015
What the brewers say
“Brewed with maple syrup aged in bourbon barrels, toasted pecans, and guajillo peppers to give some moderate heat to the back-end.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Moderate fruity aroma (black currant, plum, cherry, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, pomegranate) with medium chocolate and coffee notes. Light alcohol note. As it warms, more sweetness and alcohol notes. Moderate caramel. Light roasty foundation reminds me that it’s a stout.”
Flavor: “Rich sweetness, chocolate, vanilla, coffee, slight soy sauce. Complex mocha/caramel/roast malt, esters, and smooth warming alcohol (spicy) set up a perfect storm of richness. Big dark fruits (cherry, blueberry, blackberry, currant, raspberry) and bright acidity. This is a rich mouthful.”
Overall: “Big fruity sweetness with cherry and blackberry notes. Moderate alcohol warming and a medium amount of chocolate. A 10-ounce pour of this might last me quite a while. A great sipping beer with the intense sweetness of a dessert wine. Wow—I’d like to curl up with a full bottle of this.”
