Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Cherry Rye Stout

The Goose Island Brewery is in Chicago, Illinois. This is one of their famous Bourbon County brand stouts aged in bourbon barrels. This one is aged in rye whiskey barrels along with whole Michigan cherries. It is 13.7% ABV and was bottled November 12, 2012.

The beer pours deep black, and with a viscous appearance like used motor oil. There is a short head of dark brown foam. The aroma is dark roasted malt, dark molasses, deep and dark cherries, both deeply and richly sweet and tart, light rye, light vanilla, and a spicy note. The taste is surprising compared to the aroma, it is an explosion of cherries, wonderfully flavor, both sweet and tart, deeply rich. Around the cherry flavor is the dark roasted malt, giving notes of dark chocolate and coffee that temper the tart end of the cherry flavors. The beer has a spicy finish with warming alcohol, even two years after bottling. There is no obvious rye, but its effect lurks in the overall finish. The beer drinks very smooth and rich. 

This beer is like taking the most amazing cherry every, letting it steep in rye, then rolling it in mocha powder, before dipping it in dark chocolate and then eating it. This one lives up to the hype.