Bananas Foster, berries and boozy: Goose Island 2023 Bourbon County Stouts out Black Friday

Black Friday means a big day of post-Thanksgiving shopping for many. But for beer lovers, it's a totally different type of Thanksgiving, thanks to the release of some big beers: Goose Island's Bourbon County Brand Stouts.

The beers – there are six different ones in this year's lineup – are typically priced starting at about $14 and up per 16.9-oz. bottle. Prices are set by retailers and some will likely reach $20 or more per bottle due to limited quantities.

The complex stout beers are rich and boozy with the original Bourbon County Brand Stout aged for an average of 12 months in barrels from Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses and Wild Turkey distilleries.

Thanksgiving cocktails and mocktailsDrink recipes with festive flavors featuring apple, cranberry, pumpkin

What is special about Bourbon County Stout?

Each year since 2010, the Chicago-based brewery Goose Island Beer Co. – acquired by Anheuser-Busch in 2011 – has chosen Black Friday to unleash a lineup of stout beers aged in various types of barrels, which previously held bourbon and, sometimes other spirits.

The brewery made its first Bourbon County Stout in 1992 and pioneered the barrel-aging of beers – a common practice now at craft breweries across the U.S.

"We at Goose Island are proud to be the originators of the style and continue to pour our heart and soul into curating the Bourbon County Brand Family," said Daryl Hoedtke, Goose Island's senior brewmaster, in a statement about this year's release of beers. "Along with the Bourbon County Brand Original Stout, we always strive to refine our craft and develop ever more unique and interesting takes on Bourbon County."

Bourbon County Stout beers deliver a wide variety of flavors, with the original stout exuding chocolate, coffee, vanilla, caramel, cherry and almond – and, of course, whiskey.

You get "layers of flavor," said Mike Siegel, Goose Island's senior innovation manager, during a early November online tasting of the beers. "When you come back to this beer even after putting it down for a minute … you come back and then something else may pop."

How much alcohol is in Goose Island beer bourbon stout?

This year's Original Stout has bottles that hit 14.1% and 14.6% alcohol by volume. The five other variants range from 12.9% ABV to 15.5% ABV.

What different Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout beers are there for 2023?

These are the six stouts coming this year from Goose Island, based in part on brewery-provided notes:

• 2023 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout: The beer's aging in bourbon barrels creates flavors of fudge, vanilla, and caramelized sugar with a rich, decadent mouthfeel.
• 2023 Bourbon County Brand Eagle Rare 2-Year Reserve Stout: Flavors of vanilla, toasted almond and oak emerge after aging for two years in 10-year-old bourbon barrels.
• 2023 Bourbon County Brand Angel’s Envy 2-Year Cask Finish Stout: Aging for one year in Angel’s Envy bourbon barrels, then for another year in Ruby Port wine barrels, results in flavors of cherry, spice and cocoa. This beer and the Eagle Rare stout will be those most sought-after by bourbon lovers.
• 2023 Bourbon County Brand Bananas Foster Stout: Banana, almond and cassia bark were used in this stout to create an almost liquid dessert. This is the best of the bunch, according to Em Sauter, an author and Advanced Cicerone. "It smells amazing, like you’re in a kitchen and your family is making fresh banana bread," she writes in Forbes.
• 2023 Bourbon County Brand Backyard Stout: Mulberries, boysenberries and marionberries were added to create this fruity stout. This was the favorite of Zach Johnston, writer for Uproxx, a culture news website. "The addition of tartness adds a wonderfully diverse dimension to the dark beer that livens it up and takes it so much further."
• 2023 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Stout: Cassia bark, toasted rice, and raisins were used to create this beer resulting in a custardy flavor. This beer is only available in Chicago, but if you live there "run, don’t walk to pick up a bottle, because this year’s Proprietor’s variant is the best of the whole Bourbon County bunch," writes Bonnie Stiernberg, managing editor of InsideHook, a website devoted to culture, wellness and leisure.

When and where can you buy Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout?

The beers typically hit retailers nationwide Friday morning and there are often lines outside awaiting the sales staff when they arrive to open up stores and shops.

Is Bourbon County Stout worth it?

That depends on your palate and your checkbook. Each of the stouts deliver dimensions of flavor, but if you aren't a fan of full-bodied beers, these are probably not for you. But if you are adventurous and willing to plunk down $15 to $20 on a special beer, you may be rewarded. "These are some incredibly rich, complex brews that absolutely live up to the hype," Stiernberg says. "The result is a truly excellent lineup of beers."

How do you enjoy Bourbon County Stout?

These rich stouts are not meant to be slammed back. They are for sipping – and, ideally – sharing with someone else. It's best to pour them into a snifter, which allows the aroma to shine, and letting them get to room temperature.

Many fans of the beers buy an extra original Bourbon County Brand Stout to age for several months or even years, as that beer may become even tastier as it matures.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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