This year, the Bourbon County Brand release tells a story of “metamorphosis—where barrels, time, and innovation evolve” the beer bottled. Its Cherries Jubilee Stout, finished in cognac casks, and Chocolate Praline Stout, aged in single-use bourbon barrels, show how time and additions deepen character. The Proprietor’s Stout, inspired by Baklava, includes toasted pistachios, walnuts and cinnamon to highlight the nuttiness.

This year also spotlights the barrels themselves, with collaborations that strengthen the bond between beer and whiskey. The Double Barrel Stout blends two sets of Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond barrels while the Reserve Stout, aged in 17th edition Parker’s Heritage 10-year-old rye whiskey barrels, pays homage to whiskey tradition.

The 2025 Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Family includes Original Stout, Cherries Jubilee Stout, Chocolate Praline Stout, Proprietor’s Stout, Double Barrel Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Stout andParker’s Heritage Reserve Stout.

For the first time, Goose Island is also debuting 10 oz. four-pack bottles of Bourbon County Brand Original Stout.

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The Chicago-based brewery will release its iconic Bourbon County Original in 10 ounce bottle 4-packs this fall. While the recipe remains the same, the new format gives consumers more opportunities to experience the beer that started the Bourbon County craze.

Bourbon County Brand Original Stout will be sold exclusively in this new format, while the rest of the releases remains in 16.9 oz bottles. Still aged to perfection in freshly emptied bourbon barrels, this stout continues to show expressions of fudge, vanilla, and caramelized sugar.

​​Each year, Goose Island releases the Bourbon County Brand Stout family to honor its legacy as the creator of the world’s first bourbon barrel-aged stout.

Goose Island Bourbon County Original will be available starting Black Friday (Nov. 28).

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In 2015 and 2018, Goose Island partnered with Kentucky’s Heaven Hill to obtain barrels for aging the stout, and the brewery is touting that continued relationship. “This year we are lucky enough to partner with [Heaven Hill] on three different releases,” said Goose Island R&D manager Mike Siegel. “They share our love of bringing together beer and bourbon, and they make outstanding whiskey across the board.”

Conor O’Driscoll, Heaven Hill Distillery master distiller, was equally enthusiastic about working together. “Bourbon and beer is a partnership that makes sense,” he said. “It not only gives our barrels another life, but when you partner with another team that values quality and innovation, it allows for a creative, educational space for the consumer to enjoy these special products.” Barrels from Wild Turkey and Jim Beam are being used this year as well.

The Chicago brewery, owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev since 2011, will celebrate the cut-throat nature of the holiday season by making the lineup available on Black Friday (11/29/19), as it has in recent years. Hopefully this won’t be a typical Black Friday scenario, with frantic beer nerds pushing each other down to get their hands on all eight beers when liquor stores’ doors open that morning. For the completist, a vertical collection will also be available that includes Bourbon County Stout from 2017, 2018, and 2019.

This year’s Bourbon County Stout lineup is as follows:

• Bourbon County Stout aged in Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace, and Wild Turkey barrels.
• Bourbon County Double Barrel Stout aged first in 11-year-old Elijah Craig barrels, then in 12-year-old Elijah Craig barrels.
• 2-year Reserve Bourbon County Stout aged for two years in 11-year-old Knob Creek barrels.
• Reserve Rye Bourbon County Stout aged in Rittenhouse Rye barrels.
• Proprietor’s Bourbon County Stout “an homage to variants of years past.”
• Bourbon County Wheatwine Ale aged in Larceny wheated bourbon barrels.
• Bourbon County Café de Olla Stout with Intelligentsia Coffee beans and​ cold brew added, along with cassia bark, orange peel, and panela sugar.
• Bourbon County Mon Chéri Stout made with Balenton and Montmorency cherries, brewed with oats and a dash of brown sugar.

Source: The Manual 

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Yes, its Pumpkin Spiced Latte season, but we’re really looking forward to Bourbon County season. This year, Goose Island Beer Co. has announced a record eight variants to its annual Bourbon County release.

More than twenty years ago, Hall wanted to do something different for the brewpub’s 1000th batch. A chance encounter between Hall and the legendary Booker Noe, Jim Beam’s legendary distiller, led to Goose Island acquiring the barrels for what was to become the world’s first bourbon barrel aged beer.

Since then, the beer has become both internationally known and locally recognized. Fans line-up down the street for its Black Friday release in Chicago. Below are the eight variants that the brewery will be releasing this year:

• Original Bourbon County Brand Stout
• Reserve Bourbon County Brand Stout
• Proprietor’s Bourbon County Brand Stout
• Bourbon County Brand Wheatwine
• Bourbon County Brand Vanilla Stout
• Bourbon County Brand Bramble Rye Stout
• Bourbon County Brand Coffee Barleywine
• Bourbon County Brand Midnight Orange Stout

Goose Island’s Bourbon County lineup will be released Black Friday, Nov 23.

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