Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 4Pk

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 4Pk is a 14.8% ABV American imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels — the beer that launched the barrel-aged stout category in 1992. Rated a perfect 100 on BeerAdvocate across more than 13,000 reviews, it remains one of the most sought-after annual beer releases in the country.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.8%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Aged ~12 Months in Bourbon Barrels  |  Brewery: Goose Island Beer Company

Production & Heritage

Goose Island Beer Company, founded in Chicago in 1988, created Bourbon County Stout in 1992, making it quite likely the first beer aged in whiskey barrels in modern American brewing. The stout is built on a grain bill of two-row barley, black malt, caramel malt, chocolate malt, Munich 10, and roasted barley, then aged for an average of 12 months in freshly emptied bourbon barrels sourced from distilleries including Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses, and Wild Turkey. That rotating barrel program introduces subtle vintage-to-vintage variation, but the core identity — an intensely rich, bourbon-soaked imperial stout — has remained remarkably consistent across three decades of releases.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Rich dark chocolate and roasted coffee lead, followed by waves of molasses, vanilla, and warm bourbon. Deeper exploration reveals hints of English toffee, toasted coconut, and caramelized sugar.

Taste: The first sip delivers a dense wall of fudge and dark chocolate that quickly gives way to bittersweet coffee and molasses at mid-palate. Bourbon-barrel character surges through with vanilla, cherry cola, and caramelized sugar, all carried by a thick, almost syrupy body. The 14.8% ABV is remarkably well-integrated, providing warmth rather than harshness.

Finish: Long and decadent, with lingering dark chocolate, roasted malt, and a subtle bourbon heat that slowly fades. The texture remains silky smooth through the final swallow, leaving a lasting impression of oak and vanilla.

How to Drink Bourbon County Stout

Pour into a snifter or tulip glass at around 50–55°F to let the full aromatic complexity open up; drinking it straight from the bottle mutes much of the nuance. Sipping slowly and allowing it to warm slightly in the glass reveals additional layers of sweetness and barrel character. For a dessert pairing approach, try it alongside a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream as a beer float — the chocolate and bourbon notes merge beautifully with the cream. It also works as a substitute for stout in a Black Velvet, layered with dry champagne, where its intense body creates a striking contrast. A small pour over a bowl of chocolate ice cream, in the style of an affogato, amplifies both the beer and the dessert.

Best For

• Annual release-day traditions with fellow beer enthusiasts
• Cellaring for vertical tastings across multiple vintages
• Pairing with a rich dessert course at the end of a dinner party
• Gifting to a craft beer collector who appreciates iconic American releases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Bourbon County Stout taste like? It delivers an intensely rich combination of dark chocolate, fudge, molasses, coffee, and vanilla, underscored by prominent bourbon-barrel character including oak and warming alcohol. The texture is silky and decadent, with a sweetness balanced by roasted malt bitterness.

How does Bourbon County Stout compare to Founders KBS? Both are pioneering Midwestern bourbon barrel-aged imperial stouts, but they differ significantly in intensity — Bourbon County Stout is known for a heavier, more aggressive oak and whiskey presence, while Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout tends to be more reserved and refined, with its coffee character playing a more prominent role. BCBS typically runs higher in ABV as well, making it the bolder of the two.

Is Bourbon County Stout good for sipping neat? It is one of the best examples of a beer meant to be savored slowly like a fine spirit, ideally poured into a snifter at cellar temperature and allowed to warm gradually to reveal its full complexity.

Where is Bourbon County Stout made? Bourbon County Stout is brewed by Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois. The brewery was founded in 1988 and has produced this barrel-aged imperial stout annually since its debut in 1992.

What foods pair well with Bourbon County Stout? Dark chocolate truffles complement the beer's fudge and cocoa notes directly. Smoked brisket stands up to its intense body and bourbon warmth. Blue cheese creates a classic sweet-and-savory contrast with the residual sweetness. Crème brûlée mirrors the caramelized sugar and vanilla barrel character. Pecan pie echoes its toasted, nutty, and molasses-driven flavors.

What sizes does Bourbon County Stout come in? This listing is for a 4-pack, which is the standard retail format for the annual release; individual bottles are also commonly available depending on the retailer and vintage year.

Is Bourbon County Stout worth the price? Bourbon County Stout positions as a premium, limited annual release within the barrel-aged stout category, and its perfect BeerAdvocate score, 30-plus-year legacy, and cellar-worthy nature place it firmly among the most respected beers in the world — making it a strong value for what it represents in the category.

Why Bourbon County Stout?

No barrel-aged stout carries the historical weight of Bourbon County Stout. Goose Island effectively invented the modern bourbon barrel-aged beer category in 1992, and more than three decades later, the beer still holds a perfect 100 rating on BeerAdvocate — a distinction earned across over 13,000 individual reviews. The use of freshly emptied barrels from some of America's most storied bourbon distilleries, combined with a complex six-malt grain bill and a full year of barrel aging, produces a beer of uncommon depth and consistency. In a market now crowded with barrel-aged imperial stouts, this is the one that started it all and still sets the standard.