[Bearcat]

Goose Island Unveils 2023 Lineup of Renowned Bourbon County Stouts, Featuring 1st Cask Finish, Rice, Bananas and More

2023 Bourbon County Brand Eagle Rare 2-Year Reserve Stout
The beer of the bunch most likely to excited bourbon enthusiasts, this stout was aged for two years in barrels that formerly contained Eagle Rare 10 Year Old — a beloved bourbon produced by Buffalo Trace. Goose Island describes this beer as “an incredibly complex and boldly rich stout that celebrates the essence of American brewing at its finest.”

2023 Bourbon County Brand Angel’s Envy 2-Year Cask Finish Stout
A milestone for Bourbon County, this is Goose Island’s first “Cask Finish” stout. In the spirits world, cask finishing refers to the process of aging a spirit in a second barrel after its initial maturation. This period spent in a second barrel is called a “finish.”

Goose Island says its first cask finish was inspired by Louisville, Kentucky distillery Angel’s Envy. After a year in Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon barrels, this stout was transferred to a Ruby Port Wine barrels, where it was aged for another year.

According to Goose Island, the finishing process “refined and amplified” flavors of cherry, spice and cocoa in the stout.

2023 Bourbon County Brand Bananas Foster Stout
The Bourbon County Bananas Foster Stout was first introduced to the lineup in 2017 as a member of the brand’s Proprietor’s Stout series, which is a subgenre within the Bourbon County lineup that the brand says it creates “for Chicago.”

Returning for 2023, this stout is made with banana, three different types of almonds and cassia bark.

2023 Bourbon County Brand Backyard Stout
Goose Island released “Backyard Rye” in 2013, made with mulberries hand-picked by senior innovation manager Mike Siegel. Ten years later, this stout returns (minus the rye aspect; the 2013 version was aged in rye whiskey barrels) as Goose Island says it was “feeling nostalgic.”

This year’s edition is aged in bourbon barrels for at least a year and then finished and blended with mulberries, boysenberries and marionberries.

2023 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Stout
This year’s version of the aforementioned Proprietor’s Stout is inspired by rice pudding. Made with cassia bark, raisins, brown sugar and toasted rice, this stout is the first Goose Island has ever made using rice as an ingredient.