With Mike and Katie

Bourbon County Vertical 2022

More chocolate than orange now. Still good.

Definitely starting to show its age and the orange has changed a bit, but there’s plenty orange left and the base beer shines through beautifully.

Still tons of orange. Super dark, chocolatey, malty, and sticky on the lips. I hope they make this again someday.

Orange is still strong at the front. Holding up well.

This one seems to have lost a bit of carbonation and the Orange has faded a bit. I bought this one more recently so maybe not stored well.

This one has not held up as well as others. Mouthfeel is a bit thin and while there’s barrel left on it, there’s a hint of bitterness as well. Hoping it gets better as it warms.

With Phil in Colorado during steak night.

Bourbon County Vertical 2023

Not my favorite year, but crazy depth of flavor and very boozy.

Bourbon County Vertical 2022

Bourbon County Vertical 2021

Tons of dark chocolate, malt, and bourbon goodness. Decadent and rich.

Vertical 2020

Still plenty of coffee in this beer. Very dark, bold flavors. It’s starting to show its age a little, but still very good.

Still holding up very well. Ton of coffee still in there and flavors haven’t faded much, but a slight bit of age is detectable. Cheers to you Gram…you will be missed. We love you.

This actually seems better now than when it was fresh. I’m not getting the bitterness that bothered me about this year, due to the espresso coffee used. Goose Island needs to return to this coffee style...keep it simple!

Good, but the last 2 years were amazing. Getting too much bitterness. Wouldn’t have used espresso roast for this. Disappointed...

This has held up remarkably well. Still plenty of coffee and flavorful maple syrup flavors.

Lots of coffee and molasses, along with dark chocolate. A bit thinner than the regular stouts, but flavors linger for awhile.

Coffee is still prominent, with a hint of sweetness from the maple. Holding up well so far.

Lots of coffee; more than I remember. Glad I have a bunch of these left.

Did a side by side with 2019 Café de Olla and 2020 Special #4. In the end, they’re both fantastic, but the Café de Olla wins. Thankfully, the cassia bark aka cinnamon has calmed down in the Café de Olla.

This is a mouthful of coffee and not a whole lot of other flavors. There’s a subtle hint of the sweetness from the maple. It would have been better if Goose Island stuck with the base stout instead of the thinner, less malty, less flavorful oatmeal.

Sweet and sticky and very banana forward. Indulgent and rich.

Showing its age, but the coffee and spices are still present.

Maybe a bit past it’s prime, but still good. Getting a lot of chocolate. Flavors from the barrel are subtle, but the heat is detectable.

Lots of dark chocolate and roasty malt with a hint of sweetness from the maple and booziness from the barrel.

Founders knocked it out of the park with this one. Loads of chocolate, very rich, no bitterness. Only a few sips in, but looking forward to seeing how it changes with some warmth.

This one has not held up as well as others. Mouthfeel is a bit thin and while there’s barrel left on it, there’s a hint of bitterness as well. Hoping it gets better as it warms.

With Phil in Colorado during steak night.

Bourbon County Vertical 2023

Not my favorite year, but crazy depth of flavor and very boozy.

Bourbon County Vertical 2022

Bourbon County Vertical 2021

Tons of dark chocolate, malt, and bourbon goodness. Decadent and rich.

Vertical 2020

Still tastes great. Starting to detect a hint of age, but not in a bad way.

Still tastes as I remember it. Sad they haven’t made this again.

Holding up really well.

Still so good.

Holding up nicely so far. Still strong whiskey and fig flavors, with malt on the finish.

Really interesting. Bold malty flavor, softened by the brandy and made slightly sharp by the whiskey. Sweetness from the figs and dates.

Lots of dark chocolate and roasty malt with a hint of sweetness from the maple and booziness from the barrel.

Founders knocked it out of the park with this one. Loads of chocolate, very rich, no bitterness. Only a few sips in, but looking forward to seeing how it changes with some warmth.

Really nice, bourbony and smooth. Thankfully the chili spice is minimal - I love spice, but not in beer.

Sad I only have 1 more of these.

This is still excellent. Incredibly rich and decadent, with a nice warmth from the barrel.

Drinking this along with a sample of Old Forester 150, the same barrels this was aged in. What a pairing! Thanks Richard!!!

This is the clear winner for the 2021 lineup. Sadly I never got to try the OF 150 bourbon this beer was aged in barrels of, but now I want to even more than before. Low carbonation, but depth of flavor. Tons of barrel. Enjoying it even more as it warms.

This tastes like someone mixed a barleywine with an extremely bitter, hoppy west coast IPA. Three years later and it hasn’t gotten any better. Will probably be a drain pour.

Malty and hoppy.