Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout - 2013

This is the 2013 vintage of Goose Island's Bourbon County Brand Stout. It is a 14.9% ABV stout aged in bourbon barrels. 

The beer pours densely black and viscous. There is a short, thin head of brown foam. The aroma is dark fruits, raisins, bourbon, darkened sugars, lighter char and chocolate. The taste follows the aromas, the bourbon mixes nicely with the chocolate and light coffee notes, but there is a bit of a tangy clash with some of the dark fruits and the finish of the darkened sugars. The beer drinks smooth and round with a light tingle of carbonation. The 2012 drank great in 2014. This is really nice, don’t get me wrong, but it will be interesting to see if one more year makes it more mellow and blended.