NEW RELEASE: Bourbon County Stout 2023 Lineup Includes Angel’s Envy and Eagle Rare Finishes

Mark your calendars for Black Friday in November. That is when the Goose Island’s coveted annual “Bourbon County Stout” lineup will hit the shelves. This year’s hitters include an Angel’s Envy and Eagle Rare finish. Want, yes we do.

FAST FACTS

• The 2023 Goose Island Bourbon County Stout family includes:

1. 2023 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout
2. 2023 Bourbon County Brand Eagle Rare 2-Year Reserve Stout
3. 2023 Bourbon County Brand Angel’s Envy 2-Year Cask Finish Stout
4. 2023 Bourbon County Brand Bananas Foster Stout
5. 2023 Bourbon County Brand Backyard Stout
6. 2023 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Stout

2023 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout

ABV: 14.6% & 14.1% 

Availability: National markets 

Format: 16.9oz bottle & draft 

Tasting Notes: Vanilla, cocoa, cherry, caramelized sugar & almond 

After crafting the very first bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout, Goose Island’s brewers learned that to have the best beer, you start with the best possible ingredients. Barrels are such an important ingredient, and Goose continues to use only the best their friends on the bourbon trail have to offer.  

2023 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout is aged in a mix of freshly emptied bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses and Wild Turkey distilleries. 

Barrel-aged for an average of 12 months, Bourbon County Original Stout boasts deeply developed flavors of fudge, vanilla, and caramelized sugar with a rich, decadent mouthfeel. 

Additional Notes/Facts: 

• Bourbon County Brand Stout is the original bourbon barrel-aged stout created.
• Bourbon County Brand Stout was brewed to celebrate Goose Island’s 1,000th batch of beer in 1992.
• Bourbon County Brand Stout was first disqualified from the Great American Beer Fest when first submitted because at the time, there was not a category for bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout.

2023 Bourbon County Brand Eagle Rare 2-Year Reserve Stout

ABV: TBD 

Availability: National markets 

Format: 16.9oz bottle  

Tasting Notes: Robust oak, toasted almond, & warming vanilla 

With a heritage rooted in authenticity and a commitment to craftsmanship, Eagle Rare captures the essence of American history with its Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. Just as bourbon is a uniquely American product, Bourbon County Brand Stout is distinctly Chicago. From the carefully selected American oak barrels sourced from Eagle Rare in Kentucky, to the distinct combination of Chicago’s unique climate and original imperial stout recipe crafted here; 2023 Bourbon County Brand Eagle Rare 2-Year Reserve Stout epitomizes a proud American legacy. 
 

Aged for two years in extraordinary Eagle Rare 10-year-old barrels, each sip is a culmination of the brewers’ passion, intricately woven together with the nuanced flavors imparted by these remarkable barrels. Bourbon County Eagle Rare Reserve Stout is an incredibly complex and boldly rich stout that celebrates the essence of American brewing at its finest. 

2023 Bourbon County Brand Angel’s Envy 2-Year Cask Finish Stout

ABV: TBD 

Availability: National markets 

Format: 16.9oz bottle  

Tasting Notes: Cherry, spice & cocoa 

Introducing the newest addition to the Bourbon County family: Goose Island’s first-ever “Cask Finish” stout. Inspired by the artistry of their friends at Angel’s Envy, the brewers embarked on a journey to further develop the complexity of barrel-aged stout by introducing never-before-used finishing barrels. The beer starts in freshly emptied barrels that once held Angel’s Envy Kentucky straight bourbon. After aging in those for a year, the beer was transferred to a second set of Ruby Port wine barrels where it patiently matured for another year. This finishing process refined and amplified the flavors of cherry, spice, and cocoa within this aged stout. 2023 Bourbon County Brand Angel’s Envy 2-Year Cask Finish Stout is a testament to Goose Island’s legacy as the originators of bourbon barrel-aged stout.  

Owen Martin, Master Distiller, Angel’s Envy:

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Goose Island, to be a part of their annual iconic Bourbon County Stout line-up,” said Owen Martin, Master Distiller of Angel’s Envy. “What’s exciting about the Angel’s Envy BCS collaboration is the beer is finished in a way that replicates how we finish our award-winning bourbon, in port wine barrels. We believe that the secondary finishing process, when done with intention, opens up exciting, new opportunities to enhance and elevate bourbon — or in this case, stout — to unexpected places.” 

2023 Bourbon County Brand Bananas Foster Stout

ABV: TBD 

Availability: National markets 

Format: 16.9oz bottle & draft 

Tasting Notes: Ripe bananas, toasted almond, brown sugar & cinnamon 

Ingredients: Banana, almond, cassia bark & natural flavor 

Welcoming back another member of the family this year, 2023 Bourbon County Brand Bananas Foster Stout makes its debut on the national stage. This recipe was first released in 2017 as Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Stout only to Chicago drinkers. Beloved by many, that release is especially near and dear to innovation brewer Quinn Fuechsl’s heart.  

At the time when Goose Island first released this beer, the brewery hadn’t experimented with bananas much. However, Quinn had a good feeling that the fruit, along with almond and cassia bark, would be perfect ingredients in a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout — indeed, he was right. Sure to bring a bit of flair to your palate, this decadent pour is well-balanced with deep caramelization, aromas of fresh baked banana bread and warm notes of cinnamon and almond.  

Additional Notes/Facts: 

• The brewers used three different types of almonds to get the full flavor into the beer.
• Prop Day is a fond memory for Quinn. Being able to speak directly to local fans of the beer is a rewarding process, and bringing this beer to the national stage makes it that much more impactful.
• Seeing the evolution of this beer is representative of Quinn’s own story of starting out as a brewer and moving into an innovation role. The 2017 Prop was his big first release, and he is proud seeing it grow even further now.

2023 Bourbon County Brand Backyard Stout

ABV: TBD 

Availability: National markets 

Format: 16.9oz bottle & draft 

Tasting Notes: Chocolate, vanilla & berry fruit 

Ingredients: Mulberry, boysenberry & marionberry 

Feeling nostalgic this year, Goose’s brewers dove into the Bourbon County vault and pulled out an iconic recipe. In 2013, the brewery released “Backyard Rye” and senior innovation manager Mike Siegel found himself hand picking mulberries off trees just steps away from the Goose Island Barrel House in Chicago. Inspired by that initial release and by his own childhood memories of picking fruit in his own backyard, Mike set to work on this year’s 2023 Bourbon County Brand Backyard Stout.  

This barrel-aged stout is first aged in bourbon barrels for at least one year, and then finished and blended with mulberries, boysenberries and marionberries. Each addition of berry contributes its own distinct flavor profile, with some adding sweetness and others providing acidity and complexity. A taste of the past, this imperial stout is a balanced and nuanced play on fresh fruit, vanilla, and chocolate. 

Additional Notes/Facts: 

• Mike grew up with mulberry trees in his backyard as a child where he has fond memories of the fruit. He really loved his time picking fruit on the side of the railroad tracks with his family. At some point, his parents decided that having a dog and child running through smashing mulberries barefoot was a bit messy and removed the trees. But his love of the fruit endured.
• Backyard Rye was a 2013 Runner-up to Best in Show at FOBAB (Festival of Barrel-Aged Beer)
• 2013 Backyard Rye has a perfect score of 100 on Beer Advocate
• Originally brewed as Backyard Rye: a stout aged in rye whiskey barrels.

2023 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Stout

ABV: TBD 

Availability: Chicago market 

Format: 16.9oz bottle & draft 

Tasting Notes: Toasted rice, dried fruit, vanilla custard & warming spice 

Ingredients: Cassia bark, toasted rice, raisins & natural flavor 

Year after year, Proprietor’s Stout is an homage to the adventurous craft beer community in Chicago. 2023 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Stout embodies that spirit while subtly evoking a comforting sense of home and the holidays. 

In the heart of Chicago winter, the Goose team was inspired by the warming flavors of a classic dessert: rice pudding. Never having used rice as an ingredient in a stout before, the brewers were excited for the opportunity to brew these flavors into a beer worthy of the city of Chicago.  

Using a combination of cassia bark, brown sugar, raisins and toasted rice, the final recipe is a taste of home cooking. This stout wraps you in a culinary blanket of toasted rice, vanilla custard, dried fruit, and baking spices. Proprietor’s is Goose’s love language, Chicago. 

MORE INFO: HERE

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