Bourbon County Stout — Goose Island

Bourbon County Stout remains the definitive barrel-aged stout, a style Greg Hall accidentally invented in 1992 by aging an imperial stout in Jim Beam bourbon barrels. At 14.7% ABV, this thick, boozy monster delivers layers of vanilla, oak, and chocolate with a complexity that outpaces #10 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in richness and depth. Each November, Goose Island releases new Bourbon County variants, and lines still form at 5 AM, even 30 years later. It's 30% heavier on the palate than the average stout, proving that stouts could be collected and cellared like wine—a revolution that redefined craft beer aging.