Since this is Bourbon trip month for me, I thought I would talk about the annual Bourbon County announcement that used to be big craft news before it became so brand extension-y. It came out this time last month and buzzed through social media and I half expected Oreos to come out with a Bourbon County cookie and then Goose Island make a variant with that cookie. Then two great tinkerers could work together.
Before going further, I strongly suggest finding a local brewery who does barrel-aged beers, here in L.A., Smog City has fantastic choices.
That said, let’s drop the seven variants for 2022 into three tiers. All of the BCS will probably be readily available upon release in November and will all probably be still available months to come since ABInBev decided to not do the whole scarcity thing and quickly made Bourbon County over supplied and less prized.
Oddball Tier – Hard pass on marzipan and figs but the cocktail version might work but could also be the worst.
Goose Island Bourbon County Biscotti Stout flavored with anise, buttered toffee, cocoa, and marzipan.
Goose Island Bourbon County Sir Isaac’s Stout aka the fig newton one flavored with Black Mission figs
Goose Island Bourbon County Proprietor’s Stout “jungle bird cocktail that combines banana, coconut, lime, and a new ingredient for the Bourbon County Stout family – pineapple.”
Simple Tier – The coffee might be the low key winner of all seven
Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout with Intelligentsia’s Burundi Turihamwe coffee blend
Bourbon Tier – actually earning the Bourbon County name with a barrel roster of big Bourbon names
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout – “blended from freshly emptied bourbon barrels from Heaven Hill, Four Roses, Wild Turkey, and Buffalo Trace distilleries.”
Goose Island Bourbon County 30th Anniversary Reserve Stout with “a blend of Jim Beam barrels from their small batch bourbon collection barrels.”
Goose Island Bourbon County Two-Year Barleywine Reserve “aged for two-years in barrels from Old Fitzgerald.”
For safe bets go the coffee or the original.