Goose Island Beer Company has released details of its 2026 Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup, scheduled for release on Black Friday 2026. The lineup includes six variants across stout and barleywine styles, with each expression focused on barrel-aging methods, finishing techniques, and ingredient combinations.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout The base release returns as an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels sourced from Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses, and Wild Turkey, with an average aging period of 13 months. It is packaged in 10-ounce bottles and draft formats for national distribution. Tasting notes include vanilla, cherry, cocoa, toasted almond, and caramelized sugar. The beer traces its origins to Goose Island’s 1,000th batch in 1992 and is recognized as one of the first bourbon barrel-aged imperial stouts.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Tiramisu Cask Finish Stout This variant builds on the original stout by finishing the beer in rum barrels after initial bourbon barrel aging. It incorporates espresso, cocoa nibs, and vanilla, with tasting notes that include fudge, pastry, and coffee elements. The release will be available nationally in 16.9-ounce bottles and draft.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Apple Crisp Stout The apple crisp variant is an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels and brewed with apple, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, oats, and panela sugar. It is intended to highlight spice and fruit alongside barrel-derived characteristics. Tasting notes reference oat crumble, caramel, and apple. The beer will be released nationally in 16.9-ounce bottles and draft.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Stout The Chicago-only Proprietor’s release is inspired by pineapple upside-down cake and finished with pineapple, Montmorency cherry, and panela sugar. It is aged in bourbon barrels and distributed locally in 16.9-ounce bottles and draft. Tasting notes include vanilla, caramelized fruit, and oak.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Triple Oak Barleywine This barleywine expression is aged in Kentucky straight bourbon barrels before being transferred into casks that previously held triple oak bourbon, including French, Chinkapin, and Hungarian oak. Each wood type contributes distinct characteristics, including spice, sweetness, and tannin. Tasting notes include burnt caramel, baking spice, and stone fruit. The release will be available nationally in 16.9-ounce bottles.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Toasted Barrel Rye Stout The rye stout is aged in Elijah Craig rye whiskey barrels and then finished in toasted barrels. The process is intended to highlight rye grain character alongside oak influence. Tasting notes include crème brûlée, toasted hazelnut, and sweet oak. The release will be available nationally in 16.9-ounce bottles.
The 2026 lineup spans seven barrel types and six expressions, with each variant reflecting different approaches to aging, finishing, and ingredient integration.
“As the creators of bourbon barrel-aged stouts, our commitment to quality and innovation has never wavered. From the beginning, in the early '90s, we recognized that the barrel acts as an essential ingredient, just like water, malt, hops, and yeast. We also realized that no two barrels are ever quite the same. That's the fun of barrel aging: every barrel adds its own character, giving each beer a personality all its own. In 2026, we're continuing to push ourselves with this lineup, embracing where we started while ever evolving to push the boundaries of what barrel-aged beer can be. This year we are showcasing the barrels, highlighting for beer lovers exactly what a barrel and its characteristics add to our beer, in every single bottle, across the entire lineup.”
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Goose Island Beer Company has released details of its 2026 Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup, scheduled for release on Black Friday 2026. The lineup includes six variants across stout and barleywine styles, with each expression focused on barrel-aging methods, finishing techniques, and ingredient combinations.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout
The base release returns as an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels sourced from Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses, and Wild Turkey, with an average aging period of 13 months. It is packaged in 10-ounce bottles and draft formats for national distribution. Tasting notes include vanilla, cherry, cocoa, toasted almond, and caramelized sugar. The beer traces its origins to Goose Island’s 1,000th batch in 1992 and is recognized as one of the first bourbon barrel-aged imperial stouts.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Tiramisu Cask Finish Stout
This variant builds on the original stout by finishing the beer in rum barrels after initial bourbon barrel aging. It incorporates espresso, cocoa nibs, and vanilla, with tasting notes that include fudge, pastry, and coffee elements. The release will be available nationally in 16.9-ounce bottles and draft.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Apple Crisp Stout
The apple crisp variant is an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels and brewed with apple, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, oats, and panela sugar. It is intended to highlight spice and fruit alongside barrel-derived characteristics. Tasting notes reference oat crumble, caramel, and apple. The beer will be released nationally in 16.9-ounce bottles and draft.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Stout
The Chicago-only Proprietor’s release is inspired by pineapple upside-down cake and finished with pineapple, Montmorency cherry, and panela sugar. It is aged in bourbon barrels and distributed locally in 16.9-ounce bottles and draft. Tasting notes include vanilla, caramelized fruit, and oak.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Triple Oak Barleywine
This barleywine expression is aged in Kentucky straight bourbon barrels before being transferred into casks that previously held triple oak bourbon, including French, Chinkapin, and Hungarian oak. Each wood type contributes distinct characteristics, including spice, sweetness, and tannin. Tasting notes include burnt caramel, baking spice, and stone fruit. The release will be available nationally in 16.9-ounce bottles.
2026 Bourbon County Brand Toasted Barrel Rye Stout
The rye stout is aged in Elijah Craig rye whiskey barrels and then finished in toasted barrels. The process is intended to highlight rye grain character alongside oak influence. Tasting notes include crème brûlée, toasted hazelnut, and sweet oak. The release will be available nationally in 16.9-ounce bottles.
The 2026 lineup spans seven barrel types and six expressions, with each variant reflecting different approaches to aging, finishing, and ingredient integration.
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