Goose Island - Bourbon County Brand Stout (2024) - 14.7% ABV

[@MikeFLXBeerReviews47]

As you and Dan have both said it's subpar, I think I'll just let this one sit til next year and see how it is. As for BCBS hunting, the past few years, we've gone to the same corner grocery store, the owner loves our channel, is always supportive and nice and we love supporting him. For me it's the only place I go now to get it. Every year we see the same couple guys and this year was, in my opinion, the best yet, as we all just stood in the aisle chatting and enjoying the company before any of us even picked up a bottle. The beer was secondary to the experience of just being there with pals. Cheers buddy 🍻

[@jsenigaglia]

Your experience is what it’s all about my friend. Who cares if the beer is meh. The memories are the best part 💯🍻

[@thunderbird233]

LOL went to my local and picked up a bottle, got home and was disappointed when I realized they sold me 2023 variant. Enjoyed it very much and nice chewy mouthfeel as well. maybe it was for the best. Cheers!

[@jsenigaglia]

Haha you’re stoked!

[@makalarch]

Completely agree, about review and bottle size haha. I feel like I treat this bottle now as like an, aww look at the good ol days before triple mashing.

[@jsenigaglia]

😂😂😂

[@makalarch]

@@jsenigaglia don't they know the game requires a week long boil now

[@FLXBeerReviews]

I can't argue the thoughts on this one. Pretty much nailed it.

[@jsenigaglia]

Did you guys review this one?! How did I miss it?!

[@FLXBeerReviews]

@ not in an official KZbin capacity. Drank off camera.

[@kellyjones163]

I have been drinking Bourbon County since 2012. Drank the 2022 about a month ago and even that year was really thin on the body unlike the way 2012 drank years ago. I feel Parabola has gone the same way with less of a body over the years. Cheers Joe!!

[@jsenigaglia]

I haven’t had Parabola in so long! I need to revisit it! 🍻

[@33greenleaf]

I always travel for Thanksgiving, so I miss the Black Friday bottle shop releases. However, there is a taproom in my area that always gets Bourbon County kegs, and sells bottles at a slight mark-up. I thought the 2024 vintage was better than the past few years, but it’s no where near as good 2015 and prior vintages were. I bought two bottles, and I might get another one or two if I find them on shelves this upcoming year. 🍻

[@jsenigaglia]

I’d love to drink BC and variants on draft local!

[@MrSnowford]

Great review Joe, picked up a few bottles earlier this week myself. I share in your distain of the 16.9oz bottle. Just put them in 12 oz already, they did last year and I picked up a several 4-packs. I've gotten to the point where I don't get excited about BC anymore. Not looking forward to a thin version, LOL. My current favorite BB Imperial Stout is 3 Floyds Crushing Mass.

[@jsenigaglia]

I’ve never had that 3F beer but they kill it so I’m sure it’s 🔥🔥🔥

[@ronaldtheriot]

I own that same exact MLB cap. Also, I bought this one for $13.99 in Metairie, Louisiana, but then I found it in another Louisiana town, for $11.99, this week, so I bought it, again.

[@jsenigaglia]

One of my best friends brother was a Marlin so I’ve always been a fan 🍻

[@ronaldtheriot]

@@jsenigaglia I've been to many of their home games, at the original and current stadiums.

[@byrnez2755]

The only reason why the 500ml size works for ME is that my girlfriend prefers to have approx. 20% from this size bottle and I get the rest ;) I can live with that level of "share". I've been waiting for you to review this year's crop of BCS because so far, I've seen/heard/read mixed reviews. And from your review, my fears are being confirmed.... thinner body. I HATE thin bodies on these stouts. This should be chewy... oily... fudgy.... with a terrific barrel character of oak, vanilla and toasted coconut tinges. Hopefully you will get some of the other variants. To that point... it seems the "base", the macaroon and the vanilla rye variants are thin (the macaroon being the only one of those three with a pleasant flavor profile) while the "Bardstown" and "Prop" variants have the thicker bodies we've come to love from BCS over the years. That sucks... because not many of us can get to Chicago for the "Prop" and the "Bardstown" variant has VERY limited distribution.

[@jsenigaglia]

Prop would be one I’d love to try but like you said, it’s impossible for me 🍻

[@wesleyregan]

I bottle this year as a friend will be in town for new years. Most of the time I pass on it. Darwin’s beer review really liked it. He did mention it was thin as well. 4 packs 12 oz bottles were the best. Have you picked up any Santa’s little helper? 16 oz 6 packs for $17 is wild.

[@jsenigaglia]

Seems the dudes on the east coast had better bottles than us dudes on the west coast 😆. I need to grab some of Santa’s Little Helper! I think I’ve got an old BA bottle somewhere too 🍻

[@psychofruit]

@@jsenigaglia I'm on East Coast and it's not a great vintage

[@MrModamanReviews]

@@jsenigaglia I live in Michigan and have yet to try my bottles yet (I have the base and the Vanilla Rye). I guess I'll see what it's like this weekend.

[@NoHypeBeerReviews]

@@jsenigagliawe did NOT have better bottles. We have a lot of the same thoughts.

[@cobratime]

Felt like this year it was getting towards a pastry style stout. Super sweet, even with no adjuncts. Was not a fan. The bardstown was a'ight, but I liked it about as much as a good regular version. Nilla rye was pretty solid.

[@jsenigaglia]

Vanilla video is tomorrow 🫣

[@xJoey2213x]

Haven’t cracked mine yet, last years was one of my favorites in a while, now I’m bummed out to crack this years haha

[@jsenigaglia]

Haha you might like it! Lemme know 🍻

[@xJoey2213x]

@ this was the first year I decided to not get the whole lineup so I am glad about that

[@ClownBABY2141]

Loved BCBS prior to 2015ish but we all know they tweaked the recipe for greater distribution. Took awhile but I came to accept that fact. However, this year was a real turning point when I didn’t get up early for Black Friday release and casually went to local Jewel later in the day and still was still able to get all the variants. Hype/nostalgia/fun all but gone that had made it a pretty special event. I’m working on the 2020-2030 base vert. Only real reason for me to keep buying at this point. I’ll still hold out a little hope that some changes are made during next 5 years.

[@jsenigaglia]

That’s gonna be a fun vert! 🔥🍻

[@orthodoc22]

world-class t-shirt- 5.0

[@jsenigaglia]

😬👊🏼🍻

[@dane5896]

🍻🍻🍻

[@jsenigaglia]

👊🏼🍻

[@txkicks7804]

This years macaroon version is miles better imo

[@jsenigaglia]

I can get that one. You sure it’s worth it? 😜😬🍻

[@txkicks7804]

@ to me it was. I’m a big coconut guy so this was my jam.

[@mattcox6379]

Finally got around to drinking mine. It wasn’t a bad beer overall (I’ve had worse BBA stouts), but it definitely is thin and underwhelming. For sure won’t be buying more bottles of this year’s vintage.

[@jsenigaglia]

It was so meh. I hate meh 😬🍻

[@GLENBECKHAM]

This one has pretty polarizing… reviews have been super mixed. Everyone has seemed to really like the macaroon variant though. I think ill just get a couple of those this year.

[@jsenigaglia]

I can get the macaroon I think. I’ll double check.

[@GLENBECKHAM]

@ 👍

[@DominicParenti]

I've heard the same about its thinness, and others say its boozy. I doubt I'll be buying it considering it's double the price of parabola where I'm at.

[@jsenigaglia]

I need to grab a bottle of parabola.

[@garrettbreedon9691]

Maybe they’re thinking you’ll share the beer with someone kind of like a bottle of wine? I agree that a 17 oz bottle makes no sense for a 14.7% beer.

[@jsenigaglia]

I just want the 12oz format back permanently 😬

[@Paul_Fitz]

I stopped caring about this beer and stopped buying it when they changed it to this format rather than four 12 ounce bottles format. They even kept the same price tag for one 16 ounce bottle vs four pack of 12 ounce bottles. I think the last time I bought it was in 2013 or 2014. Sad to hear how thin it is. I remember it being like fudge batter with an insane amount of bourbon notes.

[@jsenigaglia]

I miss the 12oz format, and also miss the fudge 😭🍻

[@StudioGREGORIO]

~~~ MEH.................... No need to buy a case......... for sure........... accurate review.

[@jsenigaglia]

👊🏼🍻

[@alexklucher7842]

Glad to know I'm not alone in finding this years vintage underwhelming. The flavors are muted and it is ridiculously thin for 15%. The macaroon stout is an even bigger disappointment imo. Together feels like $35 wasted.

[@jsenigaglia]

Damn, others have said Macaroon was good. I’ll probably pass 🍻🍻

[@NathanRyerson]

Worst BCBS in 12 years.

[@jsenigaglia]

Say it louder for the people in the back 👏🏼

[@calebmiears5866]

I agree honestly. It was very thin.

[@NoHypeBeerReviews]

Yup!

[@moisesbarrera2188]

Bourbon County has been meh that last couple of years....disappointing considering what they charge for it....

[@jsenigaglia]

Feels like GI knows we’ll buy it no matter what 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@psychofruit]

2023 was pretty amazing to me. 2022 and 2021 kind of forgetable. 2020 was also amazing

[@adamblock5141]

Damn I just bought some Didn’t drink it yet

[@jsenigaglia]

We all like what we like. You might love it! Untappd reviews seem to 🤷🏻‍♂️🍻

[@adamblock5141]

@ just cracked it. It’s awful hahaha 😑

[@jsenigaglia]

@@adamblock5141 Noooooo! Lol