Goose Island — Bourbon County Reserve Blantons 2021

Technical Details

Tasting Profile

The nose opens with intense bourbon-soaked dark chocolate, vanilla bean, and toasted oak, layered with espresso, dried cherry, and caramel. Blanton’s barrels impart honeyed sweetness and baking spice complexity. The palate is lusciously viscous, delivering waves of dark fruit compote, toffee, and fudge brownie, balanced by roasted malt bitterness and warming alcohol. Bourbon character remains prominent throughout, with notes of charred oak and brown butter. The finish lingers extensively—velvety, bittersweet chocolate mingles with dried fig, tobacco leaf, and subtle vanilla that persists long after the glass is emptied.

Food Pairing

Pairs magnificently with a dense chocolate torte featuring salted caramel, where the beer’s bourbon sweetness and roasted depth echo the dessert’s richness while cutting through its density. Alternatively, serve alongside blue-veined Stilton or aged Gouda—the beer’s caramelized malt and vanilla notes complement the cheese’s savory intensity, while its carbonation cleanses the palate between bites.

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.