Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

Photo Credit: J.C. Edwards

The Brewers:
Company: Goose Island Brewing Company
Brewmaster: Brett Porter
Location: 1800 North Clybourn Ave., Chicago, Illinois
Website:
http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/home/56.php

The Beer:
Style: Barrel-aged Imperial stout
ABV: 15%
IBU: 60
Brewed with: 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Roasted Barley and De-bittered Black Patent Malts and Willamette Hops
Served: Bottle at PC Paddocks of Poughkeepsie, NY (http://www.pcspaddockrestaurant.com/)

The Drink:
Drank out of a 12 oz. stemmed Pokal

Beer poured pitch-black with almost no head (I poured this guy gently) and didn't really lace.  

Aroma of heavy bourbon, boozy alcohol, malty sweetness and vanilla.  

Beer starts with low carbonation and a massive presence.  This beer is unbelievably thick, and is upfront with a heavy malt sweetness, accompanied by some roasted character and bourbon barrel flavor.  Pretty much the same from start to finish, but a vanilla flavor and dryness come through during the finish, vastly improving the drink-ability of this beer.  

Overall:
This beer has incredible body and flavor, and the ABV to go along with it.  At 15%, it's the same as having 3.75 "drinks" of beer (1 drink of 12 oz. of 4% beer), so this stuff can really hit you.  Though pretty much what I expect from a high-gravity brew (very sweet, very full-bodied), the wood-aging does compliment it well.  The bourbon really comes through and goes perfectly with this beer by lending a smooth, vanilla oaked flavor.  Other than that it's a great "sipping" beer, even good at room temperature, and definitely would develop some interesting flavors on aging.  Though maybe a bit out of season for April, this beer would really be perfect in December/January.