5 Craft Alternatives to Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
As most diehard beer enthusiasts drive around town from liquor store to liquor store looking for the coveted Goose Island Bourbon County Stout and variant blends, we’d like to open your eyes to 5 craft alternatives to this famous beer.
Make no mistake, Goose Island Bourbon County Stout is a world class, amazing beer, however some may want to support craft breweries, or want to opt out of supporting the gigantic Anheuser Busch/In-Bev corporation. Whatever the case may be, there are plenty of other tasty alternatives that fit the bill of a bourbon barrel aged high gravity stout. Please note that just like Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, these beers might not be available year round.
Hangar 24 Craft Brewery Pugachev’s Cobra – Quite possibly Hangar 24’s most popular beer, Pugachev’s Cobra debuted in late 2011. It hovers around 15% and drinks very smooth. After my first sip, I proclaimed it to be as good if not better than Bourbon County Stout. Click here for the upcoming release details.
Bell’s Blacknote Stout – This started as a brewery only exclusive that set Bell’s locals world on fire. Years after this beer’s reputation gained traction, Bell’s did a small bottled run to huge fanfare. Many thought this would be a beer that had too much demand to obtain but then Bell’s decided to put this beer into four packs and release it yearly. Perhaps less “boozy” than BCS and Pugachevs, this beer still delivers to those who love this style.
Firestone Walker Parabola – While many know Firestone Walker for their hoppy line of pale ales, they have ramped up their barrel program quite a bit over the years to where they are able to offer many delicious strong barrel aged beers. Parabola delivers yearly, and whether you drink it fresh or with some age on it, you will not be disappointed.
Deschutes The Abyss – This is a beer to look forward once a year. Much like the other beers named, it’s a barrel aged imperial stout, however this beer is a blend of different spirit barrel aged imperial stouts and some years, a wine barrel gets thrown in the mix. This used to be a pain to get, but production has increased to where it shouldn’t be too hard to find.
North Coast Barrel Aged Old Rasputin – Here’s another OG barrel aged imperial stout that should be pretty easy to find. While a bit pricey, this beer delivers every year. If you are familiar with North Coast Old Rasputin, you know it is very roasty and has a bit of an edge to it. After a nice slumber in bourbon barrels, this sharp beer mellows into the perfect dessert beer. Many finer beer bars put this on tap, so whether you clunk down for the bottle or not, make sure to try this classic.
October 14, 2019 @ 5:24 pm
BCS is the best. We get 2018 BCS in Baton Rouge for 12 a bottle. Great deal. I wish we could hold these for a couple years and have them get better.
November 24, 2017 @ 10:55 am
There is is ZERO reason anyone should support any InBev product or brewery they took over. They are destroying the craft industry and trying to stay relevant. This is all about controlling shelf space. Nothing more.
November 24, 2017 @ 10:02 am
Barrel Aged Ten Fidy
December 23, 2014 @ 3:42 pm
BCBS was NOT hard to obtain this year around Chicago. Production was definitely way up….
December 9, 2014 @ 9:50 am
I’ve been in this debate many times. I’m against the up rise of ab-inbev. However the check they wrote basically gave them control of the basics like 312, etc. Goose island still brews all all of the craft stuff. But with a nice fat check they can upgrade their system and brew more of it. That allows more of us to get it if you don’t want to support them then don’t buy the flagship beers
December 3, 2014 @ 4:15 pm
I get the hate for InBev, I really do. But everyone has to remember the people that brew BCBS are amazing brewers and craft beer lovers, with a top-notch barrel aging program.
5 Bourbon Barrel Aged Stouts Better Than Bourbon County Brand Stout | The Brew Buzz
December 3, 2014 @ 9:03 am
[…] Craft Alternatives to Bourbon County Brand Stout.” If you missed their article, click HERE. It’s a good little read however I don’t agree with their claim that BCBS is “a […]
December 2, 2014 @ 4:14 pm
Flat12 Bierwerks out of Indy just released their Pinko! Russian Imperial Stout in bottles this year.. it’s fantastic.
December 1, 2014 @ 2:45 pm
I paid $6.99 a bottle for BCBS which is cheaper per ounce than most of these listed. All good alternatives though. Pugachev runs around $20 which comes out to approximately $1.26 per oz Vs. BCBS at 29.5 cents per oz…which make it hard to beat.
November 29, 2014 @ 1:51 pm
You seriously should check a brewery in Lexington, KY call Country Boy Brewing. They just released a bourbon barrel aged vanilla brown ale that is incredible.
November 28, 2014 @ 3:44 pm
They’re all good but none of them are real easy to find either.