Goose Island — Bourbon County 2017 Knob Creek

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

The nose opens with profound bourbon-soaked dark chocolate and vanilla bean, followed by toasted oak, charred caramel, and whispers of cherry cordial. Knob Creek’s high-rye mashbill imparts distinctive baking spice notes alongside roasted coffee and molasses. The palate is viscous and warming, delivering layers of fudge brownie, dark fruit compote, and bourbon-barrel tannins that provide structure to the sweet malt foundation. Maple syrup sweetness interplays with espresso bitterness and warming alcohol. The finish extends considerably, leaving lingering impressions of dark chocolate ganache, charred oak, cinnamon bark, and subtle tobacco leaf, with residual bourbon heat that gradually subsides into pleasant cocoa bitterness.

Food Pairing

Pair with dark chocolate torte featuring salted caramel and espresso, where the beer’s barrel-aged complexity mirrors the dessert’s bittersweet intensity while bourbon notes amplify the caramel’s depth. Alternatively, serve alongside smoked beef brisket or bourbon-glazed pork belly, where the stout’s roasted malt character and oak tannins cut through rich fatty proteins while complementing smoky, caramelized crusts and providing a complementary spirit-forward bridge.

About Goose Island Beer Company

Goose Island Beer Company stands as Illinois’ oldest continuously operating brewery, tracing its roots to 1988 when it opened as a brewpub in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Named after a nearby island, the brewery was founded with inspiration drawn from English brewing traditions and pub culture, establishing a distinctly European sensibility within the American craft beer landscape. What began as a neighborhood brewpub expanded significantly with a larger production brewery in 1995, allowing Goose Island to grow from local favorite to nationally recognized brand. The brewery gained particular acclaim for its barrel-aged beers and innovative brewing techniques, helping to define the craft beer movement in the Midwest. In 2011, Goose Island became part of Anheuser-Busch InBev, marking a significant moment in craft brewing history as one of the first major acquisitions of an established craft brewery by a global beer conglomerate. Today, Goose Island operates its original Fulton Street production facility with tap room and tours, alongside the Clybourn Avenue Brewhouse, continuing to produce beers distributed across the United States and United Kingdom while maintaining its Chicago heritage.