Bourbon County Brand Stout - Regal Rye (2015)
(Batch of Bourbon County Brand Stout - Regal Rye)
Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois, United States 🇺🇸
Stout - Imperial Rotating Out of Production|
Score
8.10
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Bourbon County Brand Stout aged in rye whiskey barrels with blackberries, Luxardo candied cherries, fresh sour cherries and sea salt
The brewery opted for blackberry juice sourced from Valley Processing, in Sunnyside, Wash., instead of whole fruit both because it’s easier to use as an ingredient and for its richer flavor. The cherries used in Regal Rye are Luxardo cocktail cherries; the beer also incorporates the cherries' bright, sugary syrup. The sea salt “adds another layer that will make the flavors pop slightly — depth to something that’s already deep.
The brewery opted for blackberry juice sourced from Valley Processing, in Sunnyside, Wash., instead of whole fruit both because it’s easier to use as an ingredient and for its richer flavor. The cherries used in Regal Rye are Luxardo cocktail cherries; the beer also incorporates the cherries' bright, sugary syrup. The sea salt “adds another layer that will make the flavors pop slightly — depth to something that’s already deep.
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7.6/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7.5
Texture 9
Overall 8
bottle from kihoskh
pitch dark, small film brown head.
Aroma is berries, roasted malts. the red and blue berries are quite noticeable in the aroma. also dark chocolate. in fact not far from dark chocolate with berries.
flavor is dark chocolate with berries, roasted malts, dark toffee, the fruity part of the flavor is a bit artificial, like, candised berries, fruit flavor with sweetener added, not natural stuff, palate is super smooth and things are well balanced, just tastes a bit forced or a bit like using artificial flavoring.
apart from that, an excellent very smooth fruit-imperial stout. the end is nicely roasted malty bitter, making the beer go down very well.
Bottle from 2015 and tasted feb 2026 - the bottle has aged exceptionally well and there are no hints whatsoever of oxidation or flavors that have faded. Tastes like it was fresh, but have an exceptional rounding and blendedness to it. Good stuff. Wish I had tasted it 7 years ago when it was fresh for perspective, i doubt it was better back then though.
pitch dark, small film brown head.
Aroma is berries, roasted malts. the red and blue berries are quite noticeable in the aroma. also dark chocolate. in fact not far from dark chocolate with berries.
flavor is dark chocolate with berries, roasted malts, dark toffee, the fruity part of the flavor is a bit artificial, like, candised berries, fruit flavor with sweetener added, not natural stuff, palate is super smooth and things are well balanced, just tastes a bit forced or a bit like using artificial flavoring.
apart from that, an excellent very smooth fruit-imperial stout. the end is nicely roasted malty bitter, making the beer go down very well.
Bottle from 2015 and tasted feb 2026 - the bottle has aged exceptionally well and there are no hints whatsoever of oxidation or flavors that have faded. Tastes like it was fresh, but have an exceptional rounding and blendedness to it. Good stuff. Wish I had tasted it 7 years ago when it was fresh for perspective, i doubt it was better back then though.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Feb 2026
at 13:29
8.3/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 7
Overall 9
10 jaar oude fles, één van de vele BCBS varianten die de laatste tijd Nederland overspoelen. Kleur is vrijwel zwart, schuim is er hoegenaamd niet. Geur van bessen in het kwadraat, met daaronder nog wat van het basisbier, bourbon, bruine suiker, vanille. Retronasaal is het zo'n beetje andersom, veel meer bourbon en zoetheid, de bessen zijn er ook nog duidelijk, maar wat meer naar de achtergrond. Smaak is zoetig tot zoet, met wat bessige zuurheid. Het is wel wat dunnetjes. Wel genoeg koolzuurprikkeling. Smaak blijft hangen, en dan komt er ook iets van de veroudering boven. Toch nog steeds erg lekker.
Tried
from Bottle
from
Hoptimaal
on 31 Dec 2025
at 20:32
8.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 9
Bottle @ Sanderslum Pubbens Vintage launch/Solar Eclipse pt. 3. - The darkest hours. Pours black with a small beige head. Woody and dry. Complex. Sweet mocha, vanilla and a touch of berries. Smooth and soft. Warming alcohol. Savory.
Tried
on 18 Dec 2025
at 14:56
No blackberry or cherries, boozy, malty, whisky and chocolate. Fairly dry and bitter. Drinkable, rating redacted. Would be maybe 3.8.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Jan 2025
at 22:47
8/10
Smooth, slightly roasty and salty with some rye barrel, chocolate, cherries and earthiness, hints of tartness. A bit past its prime already, but still surprisingly good
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Jan 2025
at 22:39
9/10
Finally we opened this, almost 6 years old. Still in very good shape, but some age and softening is noticable. Definitely still blackberries there, light cherry, plenty rye and its sharpness. Boozy for sure, some chocolate base.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Aug 2021
at 22:00
8.5/10
—
Appearance 9
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 9
Overall 8
pitch black color, blueberries, bourbon, oak, black cherries slightly salty. Amazing depth low carbonation, dark chocolate,
Black cherries, salty, bourbon, full body. Super well balanced, abv well hidden. Amazing
Black cherries, salty, bourbon, full body. Super well balanced, abv well hidden. Amazing
Tried
on 31 Jul 2021
at 10:26
8.8/10
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Appearance 9
Aroma 9
Flavor 8.5
Texture 9
Overall 8.5
Bottle [apparently a different one from the usual??? 13.2%] st home. Opaque black color, medium sized beige head. Smell and taste malts, light roast, soft green apple hint, massive bourbon, oak, alcohol, warming alcohol bitter finish. Lovely.
Tried
on 25 Nov 2020
at 22:16
8/10
Black with fine brown head. Rich and thick mouthfeel. Chocolate overall with a light berry cherry fruity dry touch. Blueberry like. Bitter chocolate.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Jul 2020
at 17:50
8/10
Did not have it fresh but this is delicious and really good. Happy Beer Day 2020!
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Apr 2020
at 18:48