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Not to be outdone by themselves, Goose Island is bringing their delicious Bourbon County imperial stout with a shocking 17.4% ABV. It's getting to this height of fortitude by aging it in bourbon barrels for longer than usual. They stick it in a seven-year-old bourbon barrel and leave it there for a year. Then, they stick it in another bourbon barrel and let it sit in that one for another year. There is no adding of vanilla, cherries, chocolate, or anything else that might add a complicating factor to the drink. This is an imperial stout that has been loved.
It's black as the night with brown at the very fringes. The head was not easy to get to come out to play, and it was probably gone by the time I took the picture. The familiar aroma is heavy with alcohol, earth, dark fruit, and a syrupy molasses. It is rich, thick, and imposing, and I want to just dive right in.
First sip is no-damn-nonsense. It is wood-filled, smoky, and the thick syrup that I expected. The dryness of the wood is very different from the sweetness than the last few Bourbon County beers that I've had. It seems to get sweet on the back end like syrup formed from brown sugar that has been rendered down over a low flame. The taste is more unique than I expected from a brand that I have had several bottles of over the past few days. At the same time, the overwhelming sense of alcohol is even more intrusive than previous incarnations of the beverage.
Tip in is earth, bitter chocolate, light coffee, and a calming sense of well-being. The middle sends carbonation to the roof of the mouth at the back of the throat while the syrup surges underneath in a way that is impenetrable to my normal teasing out of flavors. This is not a beverage that is intended for swigging, and I'm not going to do it once I'm done with this description. The finish is wood with dryness, a little syrup sweetness, seared brown sugar, earth, and alcohol.
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Bottom Line: It makes its own space among barrel aged beers.
4.0/5
