Tag: 2022 releases

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BCS 2022

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.

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Stone is Bringing Them Back

Stone Brewing will be resurrecting past beers that were voted on social media, so, without further ado, here are the beers making a triumphant return…

First out of the gate will be Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA for another re-return followed by my personal choice…

Baird / Ishii / Stone Japanese Green Tea IPA (Late February) 

  • “It’s hard to find such a perfect blend of IPA hop flavor and herbal tea qualities. Strong tea attributes combine with hop elements of peach, apricot and mango.”

Stone RuinTen Triple IPA (Late April) 

  • “Hugely hoppy, an indelicate beer. There are five pounds of hops packed into each barrel and the ABV is cranked up to withstand the onslaught of hops.”

Stone Peak Conditions Double Hazy IPA (June) 

  • “This beer offers all the hops and bravado of a double IPA along with real fruit additions of passion fruit, orange and guava. Expect West Coast hops and East Coast haze.”

Stone 25th + 1 Anniversary Triple IPA (August) 

  • “Although not an archive rebrew (yet!), Stone’s anniversary salute audaciously reserves a spot in the Stone Fan Favorites lineup. This year’s triple IPA will extend the 25th anniversary for a bonus year of celebration.”  

Stone Imperial Russian Stout (October) 

  • “One of the foremost examples of this Old-World style in the American craft beer market. Rich and sinful, this massive and intensely aromatic beer abounds with notes of chocolate, coffee, black currants, anise and roastiness.”