It’s only July, but Goose Island Beer Co. is already sharing the Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup that is hitting shelves on Black Friday (November 29). There are just five variants this year, compared to six last year, seven in 2022, and a whopping eight in 2021. The slimmed down offering is likely not a bad thing. Concentrating on a smaller slate of beers can only help the attention to detail and the end results.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Another aspect that stands out this year is that the variants are all pretty straightforward. There’s nothing too crazy about any of the stouts in 2024. No strange additions, no huge leaps of barrel-aged faith. Experimentation at Goose Island does often work (2018 Bourbon County Midnight Orange, for example), but when it doesn’t it’s notable and generally results in bottles lasting way too long on store shelves.
The lone real curveball in the mix is this year’s Proprietor’s. In 2024, this variant is a barleywine made with some interesting ingredients.
2024 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout
The standard issue stout is pretty reliable year after year. Barrels from Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses and Wild Turkey are put to work to create the decadent elixir.
2024 Bourbon County Brand Vanilla Rye Stout
The 2014 Vanilla Rye was one of the best Bourbon County variants I can remember. This year’s version is a rye imperial stout, aged in rye barrels and then finished with Madagascar vanilla beans. The rye spice should prove to be a nice counterpart to the smooth vanilla.
2024 Bourbon County Brand Macaroon Stout
This isn’t just a stout made with coconut. It’s barrel aged for a year before cocoa nibs, sweet candied ginger and toasted coconut are added. The ginger is an interesting twist to the recipe.
2024 Bourbon County Brand Bardstown Cask Finish Stout
The stout is aged first in Bardstown Bourbon Origin Series Rye barrels. After that it is transferred to oak and cherry barrels. Toasted oak and cherry should come through prominently, which is a good thing.
2024 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Barleywine Ale
The Chicago-only variant isn’t just a standard barleywine. Proprietor’s is a chance for experimentation. This brew includes tamarind, lime, guajillo chile and piloncillo cane sugar. It will be interesting to see just how the lime figures into the mix.
