Before Bourbon County Brand Stout existed, aging beer in spirit barrels was not really a thing American craft brewers did. Goose Island first brewed it in Chicago in 1992 for the brewery’s 1,000th batch, aging an imperial stout in bourbon barrels almost as an experiment. That experiment became the beer that launched an entire category: barrel aging is now standard practice across craft brewing, and Bourbon County is still the release the whole scene builds a Black Friday around every year. In August 2026 the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame named it to its second class of Landmark Craft Beers, alongside Russian River Pliny the Elder, Allagash White, Pete’s Wicked Ale and Alaskan Smoked Porter.
At a Glance
| Style | Imperial stout, aged in bourbon barrels |
| ABV | Around 14-15%, varies by year (2026 Original Stout is 14.2%) |
| Brewery | Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, Illinois |
| Barrels | Freshly emptied Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses and Wild Turkey bourbon barrels |
| Release | Annually on Black Friday, plus a rotating cast of variants |
| Recognition | American Craft Beer Hall of Fame, 2026 Landmark Craft Beers class |
How It Tastes
The Original Stout pours jet black with a thin tan head that never builds much, which is normal for a beer this dense and this boozy. The nose is all dark fruit, plum, prune and fudge, with bourbon showing up early. On the palate expect caramel, raisin, fig, dark chocolate, toasted almond, vanilla bean and a wash of warming bourbon in the finish, full-bodied and syrupy rather than crisp. Recent years have leaned more whiskey-forward than older batches, with a sharper char note on the finish that some longtime drinkers argue is a shift away from the creamier balance of the beer’s earlier releases, though it is still the benchmark the entire barrel-aged stout category gets measured against.
Beyond the Original, Goose Island releases a rotating family of variants each year, past editions have added vanilla and macaroon, cherries jubilee, chocolate praline and rare single-barrel Proprietor’s bottlings only sold in Chicago. All of them start from the same Original Stout base before the extra ingredients or barrel types go in.
“As the creators of bourbon barrel-aged stouts, our commitment to quality and innovation has never wavered. We recognized that the barrel acts as an essential ingredient, just like water, malt, hops and yeast.”, Goose Island Beer Co.
- Credited with inventing the bourbon barrel-aged stout category in 1992
- Deep, dessert-like flavor of vanilla, chocolate, caramel and dark fruit wrapped in real bourbon character
- Named to the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame’s 2026 Landmark Craft Beers class
- A genuine annual event beer, the Black Friday release still draws lines outside bottle shops
- At 14%+ ABV it’s a sipper, not a session beer, and the booze is very much on the surface
- Original availability has gotten trickier some years, with reports of shortages depending on region
- Some longtime fans feel recent editions run sweeter and more whiskey-forward than the earlier, more balanced batches
FAQs
Why is Bourbon County Stout considered a landmark beer?
Goose Island first brewed it in 1992 as an experiment in aging stout in old bourbon barrels, and it’s widely credited with starting the bourbon barrel-aged beer category that’s now standard across American craft brewing.
How strong is Bourbon County Stout?
It varies slightly by year, but recent Original Stout releases have landed between 14% and 15% ABV.
When does Bourbon County Stout come out?
The main lineup releases annually on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, alongside a rotating family of variants.
Is Bourbon County Stout available everywhere?
The Original Stout is distributed nationally in the US. Some variants, particularly the Proprietor’s bottling, are sold only in the Chicago market.
Has Bourbon County Stout won any awards?
It was named to the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame’s second Landmark Craft Beers class in August 2026, alongside Pliny the Elder, Allagash White, Pete’s Wicked Ale and Alaskan Smoked Porter.
