Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout 2024: Unveiling the Zebra Barrel Innovation

Each year, Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout release on Black Friday is eagerly anticipated by beer enthusiasts. This year, the Chicago-based brewery has stirred up excitement with a truly unique innovation—the use of “zebra barrels” for aging one of the stout variants. This intriguing addition to their lineup promises a novel experience for the taste buds, marking a significant shift in their traditional brewing process.

What Makes Black Friday Extra Special for Beer Lovers

For many, Black Friday is synonymous with shopping bonanzas. However, for craft beer aficionados, it’s the day Goose Island releases new varieties of its famed Bourbon County Brand Stouts. This year’s lineup includes the stalwart Original Stout, along with other exciting variants like the Macaroon Stout, Vanilla Rye Stout, Proprietor’s Barleywine, and the Rare Stout.

The Revolutionary Zebra Barrels

In 2024, Goose Island has broken new ground by introducing zebra barrels into the mix, used specifically for the Bardstown Cask Finish Stout. These barrels, created through a partnership with Bardstown Bourbon Company, are made from a hybrid of American oak and cherrywood staves. The alternating wood patterns result in a barrel design that typically enhances the flavors of rye and brandy.

• Mike Siegel, the senior innovation manager at Goose Island, explains that the unique wood treatment enriches the stout with notes of toasted oak and sweet vanilla.
• The stout is first aged in Bardstown’s rye whiskey barrels before being transferred to these innovative casks, which are toasted using an infrared method rather than the conventional flame.

Inside the 2024 Stout Lineup

1. Bardstown Cask Finish Stout: Loaded with earthy rye flavors, this stout’s flavors are balanced by its time in the zebra barrels.
2. Vanilla Rye Stout: Bringing back the beloved combination of rye barrels and Madagascar vanilla beans, this variant promises a sweeter edge.
3. Macaroon Stout: Featuring delightful hints of toasted coconut and ginger, this variant is inspired by late-night baking sessions.
4. Proprietor’s Barleywine: Infused with tamarind and Guajillo chiles, this barleywine celebrates Mexican spoon candy flavors.
5. Rare Stout: Aged in King of Kentucky barrels for over a year, this jewel showcases the best of Goose Island’s barrel-aging prowess.

The Taste Experience

A side-by-side tasting of the Original and the Cask Finish Stout reveals the pronounced influence of barrel choice. The Cask Finish Stout dazzles with its earthy, spicy, and sweet profile that highlights the potential of hybrid cask aging. Frank, a local craft beer connoisseur, remarked, “It’s an adventurous take that certainly pays off, offering a complexity that’s hard to match.”

Final Thoughts

The introduction of zebra barrels underscores Goose Island’s commitment to innovation in brewing. By carefully selecting hybrid casks, they’ve created a stout variant that not only stands out in their 2024 lineup but also sets a precedent for future experiments in the world of barrel-aged beers. So, whether you’re a die-hard stout lover or a curious spirit enthusiast, Goose Island’s latest offerings are a must-try this festive season.