Bourbon County Stout (Thanks Sir Humpsalot)

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BierMuncher

...My Junk is Ugly...
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I finally got around to opening this 13% bottle of oak aged stout from Goose Island. (Normally it's 11%, but apparently they had improved efficiency on this batch) :D

Sir Humpsalot included a bottle in my Secret Santa package and I’ve been waiting for the right evening to enjoy.

Well, yesterday it was rainy, then snowy, then some thunder, then some lightening and then some more snow. I figured a cold Wednesday night was as good as any and since the SWMBO had a fire going when I got home, that cinched the deal.

Sir Humpsalot suggested I pour this beer into a tall coffee mug and drink it at around 45-50 degrees.

Man…if ever there was a beer that should be served in a mug, this is it. It was black as oil with a dark bronze head. I only poured half the bottle though, because I knew I was going to sip slowly and I wanted to be able to have “seconds”. The smell was sweet, lots of caramel, some currant aroma and the definite smell of alcohol warmth. Only a slight head that faded quickly.

One sip and my whole face warmed right up. Very sweet. Bursting with a rich raisin, chocolate flavor and a very subtle oak undertone. The mouthfeel was not so “chewy” as to detract from the flavor, but it definitely warranted a swirl or two around the palette before swallowing. For such a huge beer, it was surprisingly drinkable…though I forced myself to take small, slow sips and enjoy each like it was a shot of rare scotch. The real treat of this beer was that oak aged taste.

Once the first half of my gift was gone I didn’t hesitate to go pour the second six ounces. All in, it took me about 40 minutes to sip my way through 12 ounces. By the end, the temp had risen to probably 60 degrees and the flavors were really coming through. This beer served ice cold would be a waste. As I sipped along, I was nibbling on some triscuits. A beer this big really needed something flavorful (salty) for balance.

The buzz factor was pretty darn nice too. Mellow. Warm. Cozy. And since it was only one beer, I didn’t have the discomfort of being bloated. On the downside, about an hour later I decided it was time for some more “refreshment” and drew a pint of my Kona Fire Pale Ale. While normally a very flavor-rich and satisfying beer, it seemed (for some reason) a bit thin tonight. ;)

If you can, I’d suggest you get your hands on a bottle (or two) of this beer. It is seasonal and definitely meant for a cold winters night.

BourbonCountyStout.jpg
 
Anybody have a recepie or an educated guess to what the recepie of this beer is..... my mouth is watering now...
 
There's still some available at Binny's. The pricetag is high ($24 or so) but I'm thinking about getting some. I've read that it is best if you set it down for a year. It is just hard to pay that much for 4 bottles when I could brew a batch of beer for that much (though not one like this of course). All that cash and I can't even reuse the bottles! Ah well this year it is supposed to come out in 22 oz bottles, new label on both the 12s and 22s.
 
I finally got around to opening this 13% bottle of oak aged stout from Goose Island. (Normally it's 11%, but apparently they had improved efficiency on this batch) :D

Note on this... There are two batches that came out this year. Bourbon County Stout and Bourbon County Brand stout. If it says Brand on the label, it is 13%. If it does not, it is 11. The second batch just had said efficiency jump, so that's something to note. The difference from 11-13% is really not that great though, so while there might be a little more heat in the 13% version, they'll both be almost the same.
 
If you can, I’d suggest you get your hands on a bottle (or two) of this beer. It is seasonal and definitely meant for a cold winters night.

BierMuncher, Thanks for the review! I found it quite informative. I bought a couple 22oz bottles of the 2009 a few days ago, hoping it would be tasty. Regards, GF.
 
Bought a 4 pack for 15.99 a few days ago, put 2 in cellar and two in fridge.

They are perfect to split in 2 for SWMBO and I to share on nice cold nights. She usually won't go for big stouts but this flavorful brew struck her fancy.

Also had some on tap and that was a nice treat. Great beer.
 
Bought two big boys last weekend. Had one Saturday night. Wow...very good.
Saving the other for Christmas eve. Sooooo happy my place here in MA is carrying the Goose now.
 

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