Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 2025 Lineup, Ranked and Reviewed

We ranked and reviewed every beer in the 2025 Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup. (Photos: Goose Island)

November means one thing for barrel-aged beer fans: Goose Island Bourbon County season. The Chicago brewery unveiled its 2025 lineup earlier this year, and as always, the beers deliver bold, decadent stouts that demand attention. We sampled the full range ahead of the official Black Friday release and are back for our annual rankings.

6. 2025 Bourbon County Brand Original Stout — 14.8% ABV

The big news with the original stout this year is it’s available in 4-packs of 10-ounce bottles for the first time. Aged for 12 months in a mix of freshly emptied Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Four Roses and Wild Turkey barrels, the 2025 Original Stout leans into whiskey-forward notes more than previous editions.

Nose: Vanilla latte, confectioners sugar, gingerbread, cream
Taste: Rich and velvety, with dark chocolate-covered cherries, vanilla, and a sharp tannin presence
Finish: Char-heavy whiskey notes strike quickly

This edition of Original is nicely balanced on the front of the palate, but the finish is more abrupt than in past years. It’s a good stout that could benefit from a gentler, creamier finish to match the richness up front.

5. 2025 Bourbon County Brand Cherries Jubilee Stout — 14.5% ABV

Cherries Jubilee takes the Original Stout and finishes it in cognac barrels — a first in the series’ 30-year history—then adds Montmorency cherries, orange zest, and panela. The result is a velvety, fruit-forward stout with a luxurious mouthfeel.

Nose: Not a nose that jumps out of the glass. Big orange rind note is met by sweet cream.
Taste: Creamy, frothy mouthfeel. Bright cherry, raisin, orange, coffee bean and sugar.
Finish: A big hit of cherry is followed by semisweet chocolate, some cognac character, Valencia orange peel and a touch of charred peach.

This variant is fun and distinctively fruity, with a viscosity that stands out. The cognac barrels are a neat experiment — and I’m all for experimentation when it comes to Bourbon County — but for me, there are stouts in this lineup I’d reach for first.

4. 2025 Bourbon County Brand Chocolate Praline Stout — 14.6% ABV

The Chocolate Praline Stout is aged cocoa nibs, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds and dates for a dessert-inspired profile.

Nose: Chocolate-covered almonds and a hint of dates.
Taste: Thick, chocolatey and luxurious, with chocolate shavings, more chocolate-covered almonds and a sprig of mint.
Finish: Starts rich and chocolate-forward, ending with chocolate dusting and almond.

Simple but incredibly tasty, Chocolate Praline is a straightforward, indulgent stout. It may not be the most complex beer in the lineup, but it delivers exactly what its name promises.

3. 2025 Bourbon County Brand Reserve Stout — 15.2% ABV

This year’s Reserve Stout is aged for two years in Heaven Hill’s Parker’s Heritage Collection 17th Edition Rye Whiskey Barrels.

Nose: Cookie butter, cinnamon and a touch of chili – the rye provides more impact than I anticipated, and I’m here for it.
Taste: Soft, fluffy and sweet, with waffle cone, caramel, chocolate mousse, bright cherry, vanilla bean and barrel char.
Finish: Long, smooth finish with caramel, mocha and Biscoff.

This is an exceptional stout. Dangerously crushable and flawlessly executed, it balances the light, fluffy sweet profile that Heaven Hill is so well known for with the spice of rye.

2. 2025 Bourbon County Brand Proprietor’s Stout — 13.9% ABV

2025’s Proprietor’s Stout — always a Chicago-exclusive release — draws inspiration from baklava. Aged with walnuts, pistachios, cassia bark and honey, it’s rich, flavorful and, as the lowest-ABV member of the lineup, accessible.

Nose: Dark chocolate biscotti, shortbread, chocolate frosting.
Taste: Rich fudge, coffee grounds, honey and cinnamon.
Finish: Honey and cinnamon linger beautifully, complementing roasty coffee notes.

Elegant and delicious, this variant expertly balances sweetness and dark flavors.

1. 2025 Bourbon County Brand Double Barrel Stout — 17.4% ABV

Double Barrel Stout, one of two Heaven Hill collaborations in this year’s lineup, was aged in two sets of freshly dumped Bottled-in-Bond bourbon barrels. The result is a massive, whiskey-forward stout.

Nose: Rich chocolate, espresso, cherry and shortbread.
Taste: Velvety mouthfeel, pronounced whiskey-heavy barrel char note, dark chocolate, coffee, light cherry and a touch of cinnamon.
Finish: Chocolate-covered raisins, shortbread, mocha and subtle tannin.

This is the crown jewel of the 2025 lineup: intense, balanced and indulgent from start to finish. It’s thick, rich, creamy and beautifully balances stout with bourbon. The whiskey-forward nature of the Original Stout is here but elevated and more refined, resulting in a truly phenomenal stout.